LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University has named Vanessa Liesik as director of Statewide and USU Online Recruitment. As part of the leadership recruitment team, Liesik will work closely with associate vice presidents, the director of students, the USU Online director and region-specific admissions specialists at USU’s various statewide campuses.
“We are thrilled to have Vanessa as part of the Enrollment Services team at USU,” said Katie Jo North, executive director of New Student Enrollment. “Vanessa brings years of experience and vision to this position. She will be integral in spreading those statewide and online opportunities to incoming students.”
Liesik transitions to the role after working as an admissions specialist and recruiter for USU Uintah Basin for the last five years. In her role, she was a top administrator in strategizing overall campus management and growth, was an adviser for USU’s Student Association, helped mentor incoming Statewide recruiting specialists and also was responsible for all aspects of concurrent enrollment and campus outreach. She has also overseen awarding of the Uintah County Resident Scholarship, strengthened relationships with the Ute Indian Tribe Education Department and built course sections for the Uintah Basin campus.
“Vanessa has the education, passion, drive, and most importantly, a proven track record of success in all that she’s been involved in at USU’s Uintah Basin region,” said Andrea Olding, assistant vice president for Statewide Campuses. “Her reach has spread beyond the region to mentor incoming Statewide recruitment specialists, and she has long been recognized for her leadership abilities. We are in good hands with Vanessa at the helm of Statewide’s recruitment efforts.”
While serving in her prior role, Liesik also graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree from USU Uintah Basin and the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. With this experience of recruiting and the added understanding of being a non-traditional student at a statewide campus, Liesik will bring a unique perspective to the role, having been both a student and staff member.
Liesik has already set goals for her first three months in the new role. She plans to regularly travel to statewide campuses to strengthen relationships with administrators and admission specialists and seek to fully understand individual needs, analyze data trends to identify focus areas for innovative and strategic recruitment campaigns, and identify strategies for expansion of USU Online.
In addition to higher education experience at USU, Liesik also worked at Weber State University in several positions as a financial aid counselor and has held positions in the private sector, being a co-owner of a small family business and working in the nonprofit sector, working as a supervisor providing early intervention services for children under the age of three who had developmental delays or disabilities. She joined USU Uintah Basin in 2017.
Vanessa and her husband Geoff have three sons, two of whom are attending USU. Their oldest son, Carson, will graduate in spring 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, while their middle son, Jackson, will finish his first year at USU’s main campus in Logan and is planning to study Mechanical Engineering. Their youngest son, Wilson, will enter Uintah High School this coming fall.
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