Dawn Medley is the Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management at Drexel University. Prior to joining Drexel, she served as the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Stony Brook University and the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Wayne State University (WSU). Prior to WSU, Dawn served as a vice-president at St. Andrews University, Warren Wilson College, Forest Institute and was chief enrollment officer at the University of Arkansas. She worked in enrollment and financial aid at Missouri S & T and Southeast Missouri State University. Dawn has a B.S. in English education from University of Missouri, a master’s in administration from Southeast Missouri State University, and an EdD from Lindenwood University. She completed her doctorate in educational leadership with research focused on student debt mitigation. Dawn is expert in financial aid, access, innovative support systems for students, technology for student engagement, and is a nationally recognized leader in financial aid solutions and technology adoption for enrollment management.

A first-generation Pell student from rural Missouri, Dawn understands the educational challenges that first gen/low-income students face and works to create opportunities for students that reduce financial barriers. Focused on bringing opportunity to students, she’s served on the team that brought the Lumina Talent Hub designation to Detroit. Dawn also created the “Heart of Detroit” Tuition Pledge that provides a “zero out-of-pocket” cost education for students as well as the “Warrior Way Back” program which was a “first in the nation” debt mitigation program. Dawn continues to work on paths of access and social mobility support for all students through a social justice focus on student access.