Dear AU community,

With deep gratitude for her dedicated service to the American University community and her boundless positivity as an ambassador to our prospective students, I am announcing today that Vice President of Undergraduate Enrollment Management Evelyn Thimba will be departing the university this summer. After leading AU through some of the most challenging higher education enrollment years in anyone’s memory, Evelyn will start a new professional chapter at Temple University in Philadelphia, a city where she spent a number of years earlier in her career and one that also is close to her family.

During her time at AU, Evelyn elevated our enrollment approach across the university, achieving the two largest undergraduate application years in AU’s history. She expanded and enhanced recruitment strategies––including on-campus events like New Eagle Day and Explore and Soar–– creating dynamic experiences that attracted students to our university. Evelyn worked to cultivate and strengthen cross-campus collaboration because she understands that enrollment is an institution-wide team sport. To meet the ever-evolving enrollment landscape, she advanced a more data-informed and student-centered model and worked closely with me and other university leaders to expand our financial aid investments. Evelyn provided steady, decisive leadership during a period of significant enrollment headwinds and helped ensure our competitiveness.

Over the next six weeks, I will work with Evelyn and university leaders on the transition plan for the Office of Enrollment and ultimately the search for our next enrollment leader.

Please join me in thanking and celebrating Evelyn as she helps complete the recruitment of our incoming fall 2026 class and looks forward to her next adventure.

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger
President, American University