While he wears a suit and tie, Lone Star College-CyFair’s new Dean of Enrollment Management chooses to trade a briefcase for a backpack, because he’s still a student, too.

Daniel Villanueva said his main goal in this new position is to streamline the enrollment process, to remove obstacles and make it easier for students to register.

“I have a unique perspective as I have always been a student,” said Villanueva, who will defend his dissertation soon in pursuit of a doctorate in higher education administration at Texas A&M University.

His academic and career path began with hopes of becoming band director and eventually moved toward higher education. This former drum major earned an associate degree in music education at Blinn College, a bachelor’s in political science at Texas Tech University and a master’s of psychology at Texas Christian University. He also worked in insurance and group sales at a travel agency before finding his niche in higher education.

Villanueva’s extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in enrollment management, recruitment, admissions, assessment, program evaluation, as well as student life and activities, began with a recruiter position at Texas Tech and later Blinn College. He also served four years as Director of Student Affairs at Blinn before joining LSC-CyFair in 2011 as Student Life Program Manager, Director of Enrollment Management and now Dean of Enrollment Management.

“Lone Star College-CyFair is a unique institution that allows for creative development, incorporation of technology as well as support and funding to be proactive and try new things to improve processes,” said Villanueva.

For example, the Enrollment Management and Student Success Departments collaborate to create podcasts for promoting events and use ipads for feedback and surveys for registration rallies, early registration awareness campaigns and a variety of other student events.

Villanueva’s new position will combine the best of both student life and enrollment management experiences as he works to improve and implement processes, programs and procedures in promoting enrollment and student completion.

Registration rallies are under way to help students enroll for winter mini-mester, which begins. Dec. 15, and spring semester classes, which begin Jan. 12. For information, go to LoneStar.edu/cyfair.