Tamara McClain Appointed New Director of Admissions and Outreach

In her new role as Director of Admissions and Outreach at College of DuPage, International Students and Campus Central, Tamara McClain is designing and implementing strategic student recruitment initiatives and generating innovative ideas to increase student enrollment.

“My job is to make sure each student starts off on the right foot at College of DuPage to ensure they can have a successful educational journey,” said McClain, who joined the College in 2016 as Manager of Admissions and Outreach. “This means playing an integral role in new students’ onboarding and providing them access to the best resources in everything from registration and advising to academic instruction.”

McClain also works collaboratively with cross-campus partners to ensure new students are aware of available resources, as well as informing the community about the benefits of a COD education. She equally enjoys meeting the various needs of the College’s international students. In addition, McClain leads the Campus Central team that is at the center of the Student Services Center, which serves as the front door to the Glen Ellyn campus. At Campus Central, students and community members receive assistance and have their questions answered from knowledgeable staff.

“I love collaborating with other student and academic affairs areas to make sure new students have the resources and tools to be successful,” she said. “From the enrollment process to students’ first experiences at COD, we want to make sure the process is as seamless as possible.”

Diana Del Rosario, Assistant Provost for Student Affairs, said McClain brings the necessary tenacity to her new leadership role.

“Tamara is creative and takes a collaborative approach that is needed for connecting with external partners in the local school districts,” she said. “Tamara leads a strong team that is adaptable and highly committed to providing the access to education that our community needs.”

McClain received her master’s in education from Loyola University Chicago and is currently working on her doctorate in Education Leadership from DePaul University.

The Plainfield resident has a passion for working at a community college and saw first-hand how education can transform lives in her prior roles as Multicultural Recruiting Manager at Harper College; Senior Associate Director at the Illinois Institute of Technology; and College and Academic Counselor at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

“I love working in college environments because they are so positive and I enjoy ensuring that people fulfill their educational goals,” she said. “I am a change agent.”

In light of COVID-19, McClain said she and her team are working hard to educate the community about the virtual opportunities the College has to offer and letting potential students know that COD is still able to meet their educational needs. McClain believes in developing positive teams. Under her leadership, Admissions and Outreach department was honored with the 2019 COD Team Award.

“We have a very dynamic team that is committed to serving College of DuPage and the community no matter the circumstance,” she said. “Although the pandemic has altered what it means to connect with prospective students, the adjustments that we have made in response to the public health crisis have led to many positive developments in student outreach.”

College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving approximately 21,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The College grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.