The last of of four open forums to decide the new associate vice president of enrollment management and student success position featured a presentation by Erik D’Aquino on Friday inside the Memorial Union. 

D’Aquino, associate vice president of enrollment management and the interim executive vice president for student affairs for Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York, spoke on his thoughts and plans for the future of student achievement at Iowa State and why the social experience of college is critical to a student’s future.

Applying for the position after the characteristic of “humor” was identified as one of the wishes of the university, something he saw to be unique to Iowa State, D’Aquino felt a change from a two-year institution to a four-year university was a step worth taking.

“I so missed being at a four-year institution, because where I am right now, by the time I get to know a student, they have already graduated,” he said. ”I miss that vibrant student life.”

D’Aquino described his visit to Iowa State as an energy booster, putting him in a good mood as he watched students move to and from classes.

“I view this position as being able to take the leadership skills that I have built and being able to apply it to my dream job here,” D’Aquino said.

D’Aquino hopes to be able to address student success in both acquisition and retention, especially putting focus toward underrepresented populations.

Citing a “universal approach” to student success strategies, D’Aquino plans to take cues from the New York State Educational Opportunity Program in order to help those who are disadvantaged.

“It’s for students who are academically and financially disadvantaged and provides them with wraparound services in order to remove that success barrier,” D’Aquino said. ”My goal would be to take the best parts of that and find a way to replicate it and make it scalable. That way students have a connection point with the institution.”

Though D’Aquino sees this idea as a tall order, he believes strong connections between student services and enrollment services, as well as academics, can help make the goal a reality.

“I’ve been asked to define success and think to myself as a first-generation English learner and college student, but I believe that I truly picked the right institution for myself and had a blast while I was there,” D’Aquino said.

Hoping that each student’s four-year journey at Iowa State will be as memorable as his own college experience, D’Aquino sees the need to help students not get lost in the shuffle of university life as a key to success.

“I want to make sure students have a connection, because if they are engaged, then they’ll be successful,” D’Aquino said. ”Linking academic success and social success is critical, because you can’t just be successful in the classroom. If you aren’t enjoying yourself and feel like you belong in a community, you won’t be able to find success.”