Dr. Troy Johnson
Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management
828-262-7244
Dr. Troy Johnson was named vice chancellor of enrollment management at Appalachian State University, effective April 1.
App State's vice chancellor of enrollment management reports directly to the chancellor and leads the Division of Enrollment Management. He provides strategic enrollment management for the institution, regularly collaborating across campus and coordinating campuswide student access and success initiatives. Overseeing the institution's enrollment management plan, Johnson works closely with the chancellor and the senior leadership team to establish enrollment goals and estimate annual resource generation, and supports the development of university marketing strategies that are managed and implemented by University Communications. He oversees the Office of Admissions, Office of the Registrar, Office of Transfer Admissions and Engagement, Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships. Johnson will play an important leadership role for App State's new Hickory campus, developing partnerships and pathways for success in this region of the state.
Johnson is a nationally known figure in the fields of student access and academic success. He is Texas' only three-time recipient of the Star Award, which is given for collegiate programs that show documented improvement of student access and success. He has served in many state and national leadership roles and is an elected member of the College Board's Guidance and Admission Assembly Council. His collaborative and engaging style leads to Johnson being frequently sought out for speaker and panelist roles, including regionwide higher education summits and doctoral leadership classes.
Prior to coming to App State, Johnson served as vice president of enrollment management at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), a Carnegie R1, Hispanic-Serving Institution of more than 40,000 students. At UTA, Johnson led more than 200 staff working in a comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and international set of enrollment offices, managed community partnerships and oversaw federal TRIO programs.
Johnson began his career at Texas Tech University, where over 12 years he ascended into roles of increasing responsibility, including assistant academic dean. At Texas Tech, he received the highest award for employee service and the Chancellor's Award for most impactful campus division. He has built a distinguished career working in Texas, California and Illinois, consistently leading enrollment operations that have established records for recruitment, retention and graduation rates. At Illinois State University, he led record enrollments, despite declining demographic circumstances in the state.
His career includes important contributions to increasing enrollment of international and underrepresented students. At UTA, he has achieved record student enrollment for six years in a row, growing the diversity and size of the first-year class far beyond what demographic projections predicted. His division was selected to present in Los Angeles at the national Prepárate conference that highlights national models that are successfully preparing Latino students for college success.
During his career in higher education, Johnson has been the recipient of numerous awards and has earned more than $8 million in external funding for student research and support from federal, state and private sources. He has spearheaded impactful external partnership development with counties and corporations, resulting in increased high school graduation rates, increased college going rates and strengthened workforce development. In 2022 he served on the Dallas Fort Worth Region Council of Governments' Strategic Planning Committee for Education. In community service, he has served as a chapter board chair and interim executive director for the American Red Cross.
His academic experience includes teaching in the graduate program at Texas Tech, teaching economics at Texas Tech and while serving as dean of enrollment at West Texas A&M University and teaching as an honors adjunct faculty member at Illinois State University.
Johnson holds a Doctor of Education in higher education administration, a master's degree in economics and a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas Tech University. He also completed graduate research and studies in finance and economics, as well as in education systems and policy, at Loughborough University in England.