Wentworth Recruits Experienced Vice President for Enrollment in Kristin R. Tichenor

Kristin R. Tichenor, Ed.D., an experienced higher education leader with a track record for increasing diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) has been named vice president for Enrollment at Wentworth Institute of Technology, effective July 27.

Prior to coming to Wentworth, Tichenor spent the majority of her professional career as a leader in a variety of roles at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) where she gained national prominence for her groundbreaking work in developing a test-optional policy more than a decade ago.

“Ms. Tichenor’s experience and values are a perfect match for Wentworth’s emerging strategic plan which is based on building inclusive excellence,” said President Mark A. Thompson. “Her leadership will be critical to our continued efforts to diversify our campus.”

Prior to coming to Wentworth, Tichenor spent the majority of her professional career as a leader in a variety of roles at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), most recently as senior advisor to the president and senior vice president for enrollment and institutional strategy.  During her tenure at WPI, she led the implementation of the university’s strategic plan and launched the Office of Institutional Research and Strategic Decision Support, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Enrollment Management Division. Under her leadership, WPI saw dramatic increases in applications, enrollments, selectivity and diversity. Tichenor worked closely with faculty governance on the adoption of a test-optional admissions policy (now in its eleventh year) and appears in the documentary The Test and the Art of Thinking.

A passionate advocate for policies and programs that support access, equity and inclusion for individuals of all backgrounds, Ms. Tichenor is president and founder of the College Admissions Collaborative Highlighting Engineering and Technology (CACHET), a higher education association of more than forty colleges and universities dedicated to promoting opportunities for students in STEM. 

“My college experience was transformative, and I’m committed to making sure everyone has access to Wentworth’s game-changing education,” said Tichenor. “We have to do this as solving the world’s big challenges requires a diversity of perspectives and experiences.”

She has written on a range of topics in higher education with articles in publications such as AGB Trusteeship, the Washington Post and the Chronicle of Higher Education.  She has served on the NACAC ad-hoc committee on STEM partnerships, as chair of the College Board’s New England Council, and as chair of the Higher Education Leadership Conference at the University of Pennsylvania where she earned her doctorate. She earned her M.A. in Education and Public Administration at Clark University where she began her career in Admissions and was quickly promoted from associate director to associate dean and director, and her B.A. in Religion from Carleton College.