Northeastern Illinois University Appoints Kiantra D. Loza, Ed.D., as Vice President for Enrollment Management

Northeastern Illinois University has named Kiantra D. Loza, Ed.D., as its new Vice President for Enrollment. After a nationwide search, Dr. Loza joined the University on Aug. 3, 2026.

Dr. Loza is a nationally recognized higher education leader with more than a decade of experience in enrollment management, student affairs and institutional leadership. As Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dr. Loza will report directly to President Katrina E. Bell-Jordan, Ph.D., and sit on the President’s Cabinet.

“Throughout her career, Dr. Loza has led transformative initiatives that have strengthened enrollment outcomes, improved operational effectiveness and removed barriers to student success,” said President Bell-Jordan. She continued, “I look forward to Dr. Loza’s leadership of Enrollment Management at NEIU and to her partnership with our dedicated faculty and staff in advancing the University’s strategic enrollment initiatives, student success and retention, and the goals of NEIU’s new Strategic Plan.”

Prior to joining Northeastern, Dr. Loza served as Executive Director of Admissions, Outreach and Enrollment Services at the College of DuPage, one of the nation’s largest community colleges. She provided strategic leadership for admissions, recruitment, outreach, enrollment operations, onboarding, enrollment communications, analytics and student success initiatives. As Chair of the College’s Strategic Enrollment Management Planning Task Force, she led the development of a comprehensive Strategic Enrollment Management Plan that aligned enrollment growth with student success, workforce development and the institution’s long-term strategic priorities.

Dr. Loza’s career has centered on the student journey, with leadership experience spanning the full student lifecycle, from recruitment and admissions to onboarding, retention and student success. Prior to the College of DuPage, she served as Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment for the University of Illinois Chicago’s Medical College. She also held enrollment management and student affairs positions at Aurora University, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine and Lewis University, bringing experience across community colleges, public universities and health professions education.

Beyond her institutional leadership, Dr. Loza serves on the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Strategic Planning Task Force, is Co-Chair of the NASPA Student Success and Coaching Knowledge Community and was selected to serve as Co-Chair of the 2027 NASPA Community College Institute. She also serves as faculty for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ (AACRAO) Managing the Admissions Office program, where she supports the professional development of enrollment leaders from colleges and universities across the country.

Dr. Loza earned her Doctor of Education from Aurora University. She also holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies and Criminal Justice from Lewis University.

Top photo: Kiantra D. Loza, Ed.D.