Dr. Learie C. Nurse Named Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Dr. Learie C. Nurse has been named vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Kutztown University, announced Monday by university president Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson. Nurse will begin at KU July 1.

Nurse will oversee the comprehensive enrollment process from recruitment, admission, orientation and retention. He will also oversee areas related to student affairs and the quality of student life and success on campus.

“I am honored to have Dr. Nurse join the administrative team at Kutztown University,” Hawkinson said.  “He was the top selection of an extensive national search that attracted many outstanding applicants. Dr. Nurse brings vast experience to this important position and a very diverse background. His strong leadership skills will blend well with our talented Enrollment Management and Student Affairs staff to continue to fulfill our mission of preparing students to meet lifelong intellectual, ethical, social and career challenges.”

Nurse comes to KU from Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, Va., where he served as the associate vice president of Student Engagement and the Title IX coordinator since 2021. He served as a senior member of the student engagement leadership team and second in command in supporting divisional efforts towards student success and the achievement of the university strategic plan.

“Thank you to President Hawkinson, Provost Basden Arnold and the entire Kutztown University community for the tremendous opportunity to serve as the next vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs,” Nurse said. “I recognize that Kutztown is an excellent institution – with a beautiful campus – with intentionality and a vision to serve students. I am humbled and honored to serve. I am excited to leverage the collective talents and passions within the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs team, to help students imagine new possibilities and elevate their current experiences. More importantly, I am excited for the opportunity to invest with KU's campus partners of students, faculty and staff, to ensure students see themselves as successful change-makers thriving at Kutztown University.”

Prior to Mary Baldwin, Nurse served as the associate dean of students at New Jersey Institute of Technology (2018-21). He served as the senior administrator/adjudicator for student conduct and judicial affairs, which included academic integrity, code of conduct policies related to community standards, tracking and recording student behavior within and outside of the classroom. Prior to NJIT, Nurse served as the dean of students at Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado, where he provided general oversight, supervision, leadership, strategic planning, programs and vision for the functional areas of the division of student affairs.

“Dr. Nurse emerged from a pool of candidates with an impressive and wide-ranging level of experience,” said Dr. Lorin Basden Arnold, search committee chair, and KU's provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “His credentials, as well as the campus community’s extremely positive response to his visit, made it clear that he would be a wonderful addition to our campus and to the Cabinet. I look forward to working with him to continue supporting KU students, staff and faculty for their success. I am so appreciative of the work of the search committee and the many people across campus who dedicated their time to helping us bring Dr. Nurse to Kutztown University as the new vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.”

A native of Barbados, Nurse started his professional career in the hospitality industry after graduating from Barbados Community College with a degree in food and beverage operations. In 2000, he emigrated to the United States to further his education and earned his bachelor’s degree in food and beverage management at the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) in Vermont. He went on to earn his Master of Education in interdisciplinary studies and his Doctor of Education in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Vermont.

Nurse and his wife, Dr. Takiyah Nurse, have two energetic, amazing sons.