STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Chris Crews
So Much More Than a Job: Chris Crews Appreciates the Close-Knit Ties Among Students, Staff and Faculty
"IU Southeast isn’t just a place to come and a get a degree, this is a family and we stick together and support one another.”
Family. Supportive. Caring.
These are all terms used by students to describe the IU Southeast campus community. For Chris Crews, Director of Admissions at IU Southeast, these words also describe his own personal experiences at IU Southeast.
Nearly 20 Years of Dedicated Service to IU Southeast Students
Crews started as the Associate Director of Admissions in 2005 and was named the Director of Recruitment and Admissions in 2014.
“I came to IU Southeast with the intent on staying for a couple of years,” said Crews. “I learned so much from the IU level resources, I learned about enrollment management and how to adapt to the technological and process changes. However, throughout the course of my work and career here I found something much more valuable—a family. It makes my job much easier when I am talking to potential students. IU Southeast isn’t just a place to come and a get a degree, this is a family and we stick together and support one another.”
Crews continues to refine IU Southeast’s ability to attract students in a very competitive environment for college applicants. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, college enrollment began declining nationwide in 2010. During the period from fall 2019 to fall 2023, undergraduate enrollment nationwide declined by 5.6%.
“A big challenge is to continually come up with new and interesting ways to attract students,” said Crews. “Our partnership with the 21st Century Scholars program, developing experiential learning opportunities with high school students, partnering with Greater Clark County schools to administer a new Pathways program are just a few examples of new ways to engage with future students. Throughout it all, our commitment to the students and our community has remained steadfast.”
Crews is quick to point out the quality and value of an IU Southeast degree. There has been a lot of national discussion about the cost of college and whether a degree is worth the money. The majority—51%—of IU Southeast students graduate with zero debt and 98% of graduates are either employed or in graduate school.
“One of my favorite parts of this job is watching students discover all the opportunities available to them here,” said Crews. “From their first campus visit to walking across the stage at commencement, it is very rewarding to be a part of every student’s journey at IU Southeast and providing the value-added service of personal attention.”
“A big challenge is to continually come up with new and interesting ways to attract students.”
Chris Crews and his wife, Monica.
Chris Crews and his mother, Alberta.
“One of my favorite parts of this job is watching students discover all the opportunities available to them here."
Supportive Work Environment
Around campus, Crews is also known for his charity work supporting Norton Cancer Institute’s Bike to Beat Cancer. For Crews, it’s a very personal cause. In 2010, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Treatment required a grueling amount of radiation and chemotherapy to defeat the cancer. Just a few years later in 2017, Crews’ mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and sadly lost her battle in 2018.
“During my cancer journey I remember seeing a brochure at my first oncology appointment advertising the Bike to Beat Cancer event,” said Crews. “Once I got through treatment and realized I needed to exercise more, I bought some bikes. My wife and I started biking and we decided to do the Bike to Beat Cancer ride. We named our team ‘Team 182’ to honor my mother, Alberta. She worked in retail for 28 years and her clock number was 182.”
Crews and his family have participated in six Bike to Beat Cancer events and plan to be there again on September 7, 2024.
“When I was going through cancer treatment, I had the full support and backing of my work family and that made a big difference to me; it was so encouraging,” said Crews. “I have a strong bond and connection to the campus and a loyalty to the mission of IU Southeast. I want to repay that kindness and share with students, alumni, and our community the understanding of how caring our institution really is.”
"I want to repay that kindness and share with students, alumni, and our community the understanding of how caring our institution really is.”