Colby-Sawyer College Hires Valerie Leclair as Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid

Colby-Sawyer College has hired Valerie Leclair of Windham, N.H., as its vice president for admissions and financial aid.

Leclair, who will begin her role Jan. 3, comes to Colby-Sawyer with more than 20 years of experience in higher education enrollment. Most recently, Leclair served as the executive director of undergraduate and graduate admissions at Rivier University in Nashua, N.H., where she oversaw recruitment, outreach and enrollment efforts of the institution’s diverse student population.

“I am extremely excited to welcome Valerie as our vice president for admissions and financial aid,” Colby-Sawyer President Susan D. Stuebner said. “Not only does Valerie come with extensive knowledge and expertise in the realm of admissions, but she also brings high energy, knowledge of our markets and a deep understanding of undergraduate and graduate enrollment that will be greatly beneficial to the college.”

Leclair will manage a staff of 12 admissions and financial aid professionals in her role at Colby-Sawyer and will be tasked with designing and implementing a holistic strategic plan for the college’s long-term enrollment success. These enrollment strategies will include a growing number of graduate programs and pre-professional tracks to complement the college’s undergraduate offerings. New graduate programs include a Master of Social Work, a Master of Exercise Science and a Doctor of Nursing Practice to be offered online beginning in the fall.

In addition, Leclair will serve as a member of the college’s Senior Leadership Team, which advises the president on strategic issues associated with the institution. Members of the college’s Senior Leadership Team also work closely with the Board of Trustees to ensure the fulfillment of the institution’s mission to prepare students to thrive in, and make a positive impact upon, a dynamic, diverse and interdependent world.

“Colby-Sawyer is a special place that prioritizes giving students individualized attention so that they have the tools necessary to really make a difference and transform their lives beyond college,” said Leclair. “I am excited to be a part of that student journey, if only in a small way, and I look forward to helping advance the mission and vision of Colby-Sawyer.”

Prior to Colby-Sawyer, Leclair spent nine years working at Rivier University, serving first as its director of undergraduate admissions before being promoted to executive director of undergraduate and graduate admissions in 2018. In her most recent role, Leclair led a team of eight admissions professionals and more than 20 student workers, developing, executing and evaluating the college’s annual recruitment plans for both its undergraduate and graduate programs.

Leclair, a wife and mother of two, also spent nearly a decade as the director of admissions at Hesser College in Salem, N.H., and three years in the same role at The Salter School in Tewksbury, Mass. She holds a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Arts in theater from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

“Valerie will undoubtedly be an integral part of the Colby-Sawyer community and will help lead our admissions and financial aid teams through an ever-evolving admissions landscape,” Stuebner said. “She is a proven leader with a commitment to student success, and I am confident those attributes will endear her to our faculty, staff and students alike.”