Moving up the MC ladder

By Lela French and College  Communications
Courier Staff

Recently, Monmouth College’s Admission Office promoted four hard working employees:  Kristi Hippen and Christine Johnston, who are both associate deans of admission; Michael Blaesing, now senior associate director of admission and Michelle Carlson, who has been with Monmouth College for a year, and is the assistant director of admission.

John Klockentager, vice president for enrollment, is in charge of delivering these promotions and said the promotions were a reorganization of each of the positions at the admission office.

He commented, “Working at the admission office is a fun job, because things change everyday.”

According to the Office of College Communications, Hippen graduated from Monmouth in 1993 and returned to MC in 1997.        Duties specifically assigned to her include overseeing special events and visit programs at Monmouth, as well as transfer students and mid-year admission.

Johnston, a 1988 Blackburn College graduate, began working at Monmouth in 1999, first out of her home near Rockford and, since 2001, at the college.

She oversees all the admission counselors and also handles out-of-state recruitment. In addition, she was the staff liaison overseeing the department’s recent transition to a new electronic data system.

A 1996 Monmouth graduate who joined the admission staff in 1997, Blaesing will continue to work with prospective students from the Greater Peoria area and a large section of western Illinois south of Peoria.

He also serves as the athletic liaison and has helped to develop the Scot Ambassador program, which is a volunteer group of students that serve as hosts and tour guides for visiting prospective students.

Currently, Blaesing is working to help his office improve its electronic communication with parents, students and counselors.

Carlson, who graduated in 2004 and immediately joined MC’s staff, works with recruits in Knox and Stark Counties as well as a large section of northern Illinois.    

She also works closely with the Scot Ambassadors.