Recognizing that strong, knowledgeable leadership is crucial to institutional success in enrollment management, NACCAP developed the Leadership Development for Enrollment Professionals (LDEP) program – a nine-month, online certificate designed for emerging enrollment leaders in higher education. Through LDEP, experienced faculty and mentors equip participants with insights into key enrollment trends and effective recruitment strategies, while also building a solid foundation for leading high-performing admissions teams.
LDEP is designed for admissions professionals with at least two years experience. Past participants have included:
Now accepting LDEP applications for 2026!
During each of the three eight-week modules, students will benefit from seven Monday evening lectures (7-9 p.m. Eastern Time). In addition, their cohort will meet weekly for one hour at a time convenient for the group. Participants will also enjoy a 1-on-1 with their mentor during each module. Each module will involve written assignments and reading, and during Module 2, each participant will give a brief presentation on a relevant enrollment topic.
LDEP is facilitated through a cohort model clustering participants in groups of 5-6 that remain together the entire program under the mentorship of an experienced enrollment professional with at least 25 years of enrollment experience. Cohort groups are established based on experience - emerging leaders (senior counselors and assistant directors), middle-managers, and senior-level administrators.
Geneva College is partnering with NACCAP to enable participants to earn six graduate credits through involvement in the LDEP program. The first 12 weeks of LDEP 2023 will be the basis for the first three credits, while the remaining credits will result from completing the final 12 weeks of the program.
The six credits can be applied towards Geneva College’s master of higher education degree, or participants can register through the college as a special, non-degree seeking student and simply have the credits available for transfer to other graduate programs. Both scenarios require a separate, short application to Geneva College. Further details can be found here: Geneva.edu/graduate/higher education.
The total cost for the six credit hours is $575, either as a non-degree student or as a student in the M.A. program. Geneva has pledged to provide a 30 percent discount on the remaining credit hours required for the M.A. after the certificate program is completed.
Additional information about the Geneva College M.A. in Higher Education as well as application information can be found here.
NACCAP recognizes that strong leaders are self-aware, possess emotional intelligence and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. To pursue this understanding, the LDEP program expects students to have completed a recognized assessment tool during the past three years, and if not, to take an assessment of their choice during the early weeks of the programs. All participants will reference these assessments in conversations with their mentor and in written assignments during the year.
| Tuition | Apply Before Dec. 15 |
After Dec. 15 |
| Member | $2550 | $2750 |
| Non-Member | $2750 | $2950 |
Graduate Credit: For those seeking credit (optional) $575
Textbooks Included ($75 credit once students submit receipts)
Assessment Tools: If needed, costs are the responsibility of the student or institution
LDEP Refund Policy
Full refund - before program start date (less cost of books*), to be handled by NACCAP staff.
$500 cancellation fee up to End of Module 1-Week 2 (less cost of books) No refund after End of Module 1-Week 2
Linda Hoffman has 35 years of experience in Christian higher education enrollment. She has served at both Malone University (8 years) and Roberts Wesleyan University (24 years) in nearly every enrollment position from Admissions Counselor to Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions to Vice President of Admissions & Marketing. Linda holds a MA in Communications from SUNY Brockport. Her BA is from Wheaton College which is where her career in enrollment management began with an admissions work-study position. She was hooked. She loves the “chase” of admissions, the campus connections admissions requires and staff development. Linda has served on the NACCAP board of directors as well as served as a commissioner on the CCCU enrollment commission. She was recently honored by NACCAP with a 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Having recently retired from enrollment management, she currently is working in her local public school district. In her spare time she enjoys playing her violin, teaching Sunday school, and hiking with her family. Linda lives in Canton, Ohio, with her husband, Joe, and their son, Jamee.
Jessica’s career in higher education spans over 30 years. She started her consulting firm, JM Partner Solutions, in 2021 and serves as a higher education consultant as well as focuses on executive coaching, leadership development, and sales and performance coaching and training. Previously, she served as a senior executive at Ruffalo Noel Levitz in the enrollment management division. She worked at RNL for over 10 years and served more than 200 institutions during her tenure with RNL, including many NACCAP campuses. She primarily worked with presidents, executive teams, and boards of trustees to support enrollment and fiscal health.
Additionally, Jessica is a product and strong supporter of Christian higher education, having served as the vice president for enrollment management and marketing at Vanguard University of Southern California, a NACCAP/CCCU campus, for 19 years prior to joining RNL.
Jessica and her husband, Merl, are based in Southern Nevada and are the parents of Josie and Noah.
Scott Shoemaker has served more than 35 years in Christian higher education, all at his alma mater, Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. He began his professional career in admissions and served for five years as a counselor and assistant director. After six years in student development, including the completion of his master’s degree, he assumed the role of director of admissions and chief enrollment officer, a role he has continued in various iterations for 22 years. Scott enjoys the day-to-day management opportunities with a large team, as well as strategic planning and forecasting aspects of enrollment management. As a part of this leadership journey, he earned his doctoral degree in education leadership in 2012. He has served on the NACCAP board of directors and as a member of the CCCU enrollment commission. Scott is a southern California native and enjoys backcountry hiking, skiing and of course, the beach. He and his wife, Michelle, live near the campus in Point Loma and have three adult children.
See below
Greg Vaughan is entering his sixth year as program director for LDEP. Greg retired from Biola University in 2019 after a 42-year career, primarily in enrollment-related positions. While serving as vice president for enrollment management his final 11 years at Biola, he had responsibility for admissions, financial aid, intercollegiate athletics, church relations, academic advising, youth arts programs, career development and retention. Since leaving Biola, Greg has been a consultant with Credo Higher Education and Fuller Higher Ed Solutions, and has served as interim vice president at three institutions — Pacific Union College, Bethany College (Kansas) and Fresno Pacific University.
Greg helped establish the Christian College Fairs™ in 1995 and was NACCAP's treasurer from 1995 to 2009. He was honored with NACCAP's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and the Chant Thompson Servant Leadership Award in 2024. Greg holds a B.A. in communication from Biola University and an M.A. in social science from Azusa Pacific University. Greg and his wife, Kathy, have been married 43 years, live in La Mirada, California, and have two adult children (Corey and Erin) and one grandson (Felix).
“In more than 25 years of service at a NACCAP member institution’s enrollment office, I observed college admissions change dramatically. It is more data driven, more competitive, more complex and more pressured than ever before. One consistent factor stands out among thriving institutions: mature, strategic leadership in enrollment management. If you want to ensure short-term and long-term stability and maturity on your enrollment team, I encourage you to consider NACCAP’s Leadership Development for Enrollment Professionals certificate program. Both the newest admission leader and the most seasoned veteran will benefit by participating in the LDEP program. NACCAP has existed for more than 50 years to support Christian college admissions efforts and this new leadership program is one of its most important endeavors.”
