Our team from VenturEd Solutions® gathered just outside Alburquerque in beautiful Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico for the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP)’s Annual Institute event, which is the only gathering focused solely on cultivating world-class admission and enrollment professionals.
At AISAP’s Annual Institute, this year held at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa June 23-26, attendees elevated their expertise and learned how to thrive in today’s dynamic enrollment landscape. Participants immersed themselves in unique experiences to understand the power of belonging to a global independent school admission and enrollment community.
This year, VenturEd Solutions was a Founder’s Circle sponsor at the event to build business relationships and gain valuable facetime with hundreds of independent school admission and enrollment management leaders from around the world.
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Championing Enrollment Excellence
The conference featured a diverse track of presentations covering school branding, outreach, financial aid, data management, and more. As a major sponsor, the VenturEd team was in the spotlight with multiple high-visibility moments.
Hosting a session entitled, “Reimagining Enrollment: Data-Driven Strategies for Sustainable Growth,” VenturEd speakers Rebecca Mendoza and Carrie Lenzen explained how independent and faith-based schools can move beyond reactive enrollment tactics toward a sustainable, data-informed enrollment strategy that aligns mission, marketing, admissions, and retention. Key points included how to identify enrollment friction points, measure what matters most, and turn insights into action that strengthens both growth and community trust.
VenturEd Solutions also sponsored AISAP’s 20th Annual Institute celebration, proving to be a hit, with a DJ serenading attendees under the vast desert sky.
“AISAP welcomed both new directorship and longtime industry veterans into the heart of the Land of Enchantment for a week filled with sessions designed to challenge and engage professionals on a variety of enrollment topics,” said Mendoza, Senior Director of Marketing at VenturEd Solutions.
“The main takeaways, all centered on creating a community that encourages and invites belonging, support AISAP’s overall mission for members. We were so proud to be among the handful of trusted partners allowed to participate and present to this audience.”
The Human Side of Enrollment
Throughout the week, much was said of tactics, data, and revenue, but it was the keynote speaker who drove home the human impact of private K-12 admissions and enrollment.
The first session, entitled, “What Families Need: Admission as the Foundation for Character, Belonging, and Excellence,” featured Kiran Bhai, Executive Director at Making Caring Common, a branch of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As an advocate for empathy, ethical leadership, and mental health in the classroom, Bhai spoke on the relationship between competition and enrollment goals enrollment teams face versus the integrity and human relationships required to further school missions.
Bhai returned for the finale, “In Conversation: Strategy with Soul — Aligning Vision, Values, and Practice.” Similar in theme, she and the panel discussed ways to balance data-driven enrollment targets with human-led relationships.
The Tools to Power People-First Admissions
Among many important takeaways from the 2026 AISAP Annual Institute was the importance of prioritizing family relationships as the building blocks to reach enrollment goals, rather than operating from a transactional mindset.
The VenturEd Enrollment Suite™ provides the tools to make this happen. With powerful automations across admissions, financial aid, enrollment, and data insights, schools have more time to dedicate toward building family relationships that resonate – with in-depth insights to inform strategic decision-making across the board.
Horace Mann School in New York is a prime example of this mindset. Using Ravenna® for admissions workflows, their team annually processes 1,800 applications while ensuring each student and family receives personalized attention and dignity in every communication.
Imagine what the full power of the Suite can do for your front office. Learn how the Enrollment Suite is built to power your school’s enrollment growth plans.
