Michelle Cloutier ’05MBA, vice president of enrollment management at Bryant University, will celebrate 20 years at Bryant this May. For nearly two decades, she has helped shape incoming classes that have, in turn, helped the university’s rise in national and international rankings.
A year after enrolling its largest-ever first-year class, Bryant has received more than 10,000 applications for the Class of 2030 — the most in its history. This applicant pool is also the university’s most academically accomplished to date, reflecting growing demand for Bryant’s distinctive, outcomes-focused education.
But success, Cloutier argues, shouldn’t be judged solely by numbers. “We have the superpower to change lives,” she notes. That means helping students find pathways to both career success and to becoming the best versions of themselves.
“I enjoy what I do, but I especially enjoy doing it at Bryant because our academic and cocurricular programs are truly transformative,” says Cloutier. “I get to watch the leaders of tomorrow develop, and when I see our incoming classes assembled at events like Convocation, it feels like Christmas morning.”
Below, Cloutier shares insights into the modern enrollment landscape, helping students find the right fit, and why Bryant’s approach to enrollment works.
Q: Higher education is currently facing significant challenges. How would you describe the current landscape?
Cloutier: There’s a lot of competition right now in higher education. The demographic cliff we’ve heard about for so long is here, so there is a smaller pool of students overall. Add in a challenging job market and students and their families are more discerning than ever.
When they’re looking at colleges, they want to make sure they’re getting a good deal. That means a college experience they can afford but also one that will prepare students to excel not only in their careers, but in other aspects of their lives as well.
It’s not just ‘paying’ tuition anymore — it’s ‘investing in’ tuition.
Q: What do you look for in prospective students?
Cloutier: In the age of artificial intelligence, when it’s easier than ever to connect without making a connection, it’s crucially important for us to get to know prospective students as people, so we can help them make one of the most important decisions they’ve ever faced. The worst thing we can do is admit a student just to meet our class numbers if they’re not prepared, or if Bryant isn’t a great match for their ambitions or who they are.
First and foremost, we look for students who are academically ready to succeed. I want every student who enrolls to graduate — that’s the goal. But beyond that, we’re building a community.
We look for students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives who will be engaged, involved, and willing to challenge one another. Students who are curious, open to new experiences, and active in their communities are the ones who tend to thrive here.
Q: How does Bryant connect with prospective students in such a competitive environment?
Cloutier: The idea of “fit” is so incredibly important when it comes to choosing a college. When students are in a place where they are both challenged and supported, they can do things beyond what they ever thought possible.
We invite prospective students to visit Bryant at every step of the admission process so they can fully experience what it’s like to be here. We want them to meet our extraordinary community — including faculty, staff, and fellow students — make lasting connections, take part in classes ad events, and get to know the campus personally.
Everyone at Bryant plays a role in welcoming prospective students; I don’t know if I have a counterpart who benefits as much as I do from such a supportive faculty and staff during recruitment. They love what they do, and they do it for students. I’m also proud of the longevity of our Admission staff and the high percentage of alumni on our team — they know Bryant so well, and that makes such a difference.
Our students and alumni, of course, are our most powerful ambassadors. Even in a challenging job market, our graduates are thriving — 98 percent of our Class of 2025 was employed or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation — and that speaks to how well-prepared and sought-after they are. They’re also the first to tell you how special their time at Bryant has been to them.
Q: What makes Bryant’s approach to education so resonant to prospective students?
Cloutier: I don’t think it’s just one thing, it’s about how everything we do contributes to a larger picture that helps students thrive. That’s the result of a sustained vision of a transformative education and a commitment to student success that’s at the center of everything we do.
Bryant has grown so much during my time here, from new buildings like the Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center and the Puishys Residence Complex, to our embrace of new idea and programs, including our just launched Applied AI major that will help our students stand out as leaders, to a focus on wellbeing that understands that wellness is an important part of student success. But we’ve made sure that all of it is student-centered.
I think one of the biggest pieces is that Bryant students benefit from real-world application in so many forms — not just internships, but case studies, hands-on projects, and experiences that connect learning with impact. This generation wants to make a difference and we can provide them with what they need to do that.