Holy Cross Names Cornell LeSane Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

Cornell B. LeSane II has been appointed the inaugural vice provost for enrollment management at the College of the Holy Cross, Provost Margaret Freije announced Monday.

In this new leadership role, LeSane will oversee both admissions and financial aid. He will assume the position on January 4, and will report to the provost.

“I am delighted that Cornell will be joining us in this important role at Holy Cross,” said provost Margaret Freije. “He brings valuable experience in integrating admissions and financial aid, and leveraging data for recruitment and enrollment. We look forward to his leadership and his engagement with our campus and alumni communities to help us continue to bring in highly talented and increasingly diverse classes to Holy Cross.”

LeSane currently serves as the vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions at Allegheny College, where he has been since 2014.

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to accept this inaugural role at the College of the Holy Cross, one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges,” LeSane said. “With great anticipation, I look forward to building collaborative partnerships across the Holy Cross community to help expand on the College's time-honored success.”

LeSane brings to Holy Cross 20 years of experience in college admissions. A member of Allegheny’s Senior Executive Committee, he leads all aspects of enrollment and financial aid, balancing the College’s financial aid resources with enrollment goals. LeSane began his career in admissions at Carnegie Mellon University, focusing on multicultural recruitment, focusing on multicultural recruitment in the early years and progressing to a number of leadership roles which included leading teams and supervising and mentoring staff.

LeSane is actively engaged with the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, for which he serves as a Board Director. He is also a member of the International Association for College Admissions Counseling and the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling.

He earned his B.A. in political science from Hampton University and a Master of Public Management, with a focus in higher education leadership, from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to his professional responsibilities, LeSane is active in a variety of community activities, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Meadville Medical Center. Understanding the importance of a strong education, LeSane values having the opportunity to help students and families navigate the college admissions journey, and he remains steadfast in providing sincere guidance and encouragement to all students.