Interview with Michael Kyle

Vice President and Dean of Enrollment
kylem@stolaf.edu
507-786-3025

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO ATTEND ST. OLAF AS A STUDENT?
I became aware of St. Olaf because my older brother was a first-year student at St. Olaf when I started my college search process. I arrived at the campus on a beautiful fall day, sat in on several classes, met with faculty and left with the clear sense that St. Olaf offered a unique combination of depth and breadth in its academic program, within a highly personalized environment.

WHERE WERE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES LOOKING?
Coast to coast, but a number considered schools close to the Twin Cities including Carleton, Grinnell and Lawrence. One of my best friends attended Macalester.

WERE YOU THE ODD MAN OUT LOOKING AT ST. OLAF?
No. A number of my classmates considered St. Olaf. Five or six ended up enrolling.

YOU'VE BEEN VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN OF ENROLLMENT FOR THREE YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN THAT ROLE?
My key goal is to ensure that the admissions process at St. Olaf encourages students to thoroughly explore the variety of opportunities uniquely available here. I want students to know that this is a nationally ranked school that draws students across the nation and worldwide, so students from California will feel just as challenged and as welcomed as students from the Twin Cities. I also want them to know this is a school where wellness and recreation are valued, and not just by the competitive athlete, but also by the computer science major or member of the St. Olaf Orchestra.

WHAT CAN STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT A COLLEGE THROUGH THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS?
Students today are bombarded in print and electronically by the widest array of post-secondary options. Our goal in the Admissions Office is to ensure that every applicant is well informed about our program and understands that students here experience the unique interplay of a rigorous national liberal arts program, a community of faith and a place that recognizes every student's part in the global community.

WHAT DO YOU STILL CARRY WITH YOU FROM ST. OLAF, 22 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION?
Lasting memories of an intensely residential experience that was academic, athletic, artistic and social. Most of my lifelong friends came from St. Olaf, and include not just fellow students, but also members of the faculty and staff. Much of my commitment to serving my fellow human and my understanding of the importance of being a liberally educated person are rooted in my earliest days as a student at St. Olaf.

HAS THE PROFILE OF THE STUDENT BODY CHANGED?
The student body is certainly more diverse today than it was 20 years ago. The mix of students today is one that more clearly reflects the college's aspiration to serve a diverse student body from across the country. So, I think one aspiration - to have our national reputation matched in some measure with a student body of national representation - is more fully realized today than when I was a student. I also think students today simply do more, experience more and have quicker access to information and opinions because of the electronic age. I am amazed at the experiences our current students bring with them.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ANY CHANGES IN THE TYPE OF STUDENTS ST. OLAF ATTRACTS?
I have said St. Olaf is a college of remarkable national reputation, but the current student body lacks a corresponding national representation. Roughly 55 percent of our students are from Minnesota. We should be enrolling a first-year class that more closely resembles the widespread communities and workforce that our graduates will enter. We continue to value and actively seek students who have a record of accomplishment in and out of the classroom, initiative in the communities (church, athletics, volunteering) of which they are a part, and who will thrive in a place that takes community very seriously.

IS ST. OLAF BECOMING ACADEMICALLY MORE SELECTIVE?
St. Olaf has always attracted and enrolled talented students. Our academic profile has strengthened through the years because more students are recognizing the stature of the academic program. What hasn't changed is that, in addition to academics, students are choosing St. Olaf because they hold a deep commitment to serving others and to vocation as lifelong ideals.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ANXIOUS OR AT LEAST CURIOUS ABOUT ST. OLAF'S CHURCH AFFILIATION?
I've always believed that St. Olaf students want to do good in the world in addition to doing well. The notion of vocation grows from our historical tradition as a college of the church founded by immigrants. The college has always believed that being a rigorous, challenging academic institution is not at all at odds with being a school that encourages deep thinking and questioning. The liberal arts continue to encourage students to ask timeless questions. Our concept of a college of the church complements that spirit of inquiry.

WHAT ARE PARENTS TYPICALLY LOOKING FOR IN A ST. OLAF EXPERIENCE?
Parents of St. Olaf students know that their children want to be in an environment that is both challenging and supportive. Parents want their children to be safe. Parents must recognize, however, that their child is the student going to college. Parents want their students to do good and to do well, as I have said before. St. Olaf is in a unique position to inspire both.

WHY IS THE CAMPUS VISIT IMPORTANT?
Any campus visit provides a student with a highly personalized, timely glimpse into campus life, and helps answer the questions "Will I fit in?" and "Will I contribute?" The campus visit should help students see beyond "What will this college do for me?" to address the more relevant question of "How can I contribute to this community of learners?"

YOU'VE WORKED HERE MOST OF YOUR CAREER. WHY?
I've had the privilege of working at St. Olaf in a number of different roles for 18 of my 21 working years. It's an honor to work in a community that truly believes that life is more fulfilling and enriching when you are surrounded by people who have a deep appreciation for, and understanding of, the importance of education in the world today. I am a strong proponent of being liberally educated. And I am a strong advocate for the classic, intensely residential, undergraduate experience. When you add to those elements the ideals of a faith-supporting community and one that integrates global learning and experiences, you have a school that honors timeless, enduring values while also being cognizant that students change and learning styles change. It is exciting to be at a place that preserves tradition and fosters innovation.

DOES YOUR BOND TO THE ST. OLAF COMMUNITY EXTEND BEYOND YOUR WORK?
Yes. Each year I head way north into Canada with my family and a number of friends from St. Olaf. The place we go is a remarkable setting in northwest Ontario. While it is very far away, the people who go on this trip have an established connection to St. Olaf College. One group includes recent graduates from the last seven years. Another group includes seven members of the Class of 1977 who, like me, were taught and mentored by Professor of Religion Charles Wilson, who also attends. My work before my current position included working with alums and donors across the country, and these people are also friends and members of the St. Olaf family.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?
I spend time with my wife and two daughters, who may be future Oles in classes of 2014 and 2017. I also love to travel, take walks in my St. Paul neighborhood, fish, garden and stay in touch with my college and high school friends. And it sounds corny, but I like to work! My work at St. Olaf is challenging, enriching and incredibly rewarding.

WHAT IS MOST PERSONALLY REWARDING ABOUT ENROLLING STUDENTS AT ST. OLAF?
St. Olaf students are remarkable human beings: bright, inquisitive, fun-loving, introspective and engaging. Today's challenges across the globe need the kind of leadership St. Olaf students already provide as 18 to 22 year olds. And they continue to provide it as engaged alumni citizens of the world.