Dear Lynx community, 

After a thorough national search for our next Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success (SESS), I am excited to share with you that I have appointed Dr. Zina L. Evans to serve CU Denver in this critical role for the success of our students and future of our institution. She will begin on July 1, 2025.

Dr. Evans brings more than 35 years of exception al leadership experience in a wide range of areas reflected in the vital work of the SESS division, which include enrollment management, admissions, financial aid, and student success. She also brings experience from working at a variety of excellent public higher education institutions. Her expertise, visionary leadership, and deep commitment to access and student success align perfectly with CU Denver’s mission of providing equitable and transformative education to all.

Dr. Evans has held several distinguished positions in higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations that support their missions. Those include her current role at the Partnership for Education Advancement—an organization dedicated to enhancing student access to and success at colleges and universities with missions like ours. She serves there as Senior Vice President for Higher Ed Strategy, Enrollment, and Student Success. 

Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to develop and implement innovative enrollment strategies while fostering inclusive environments that support diverse student populations. As Vice President for Enrollment Management and Associate Provost at the University of Florida, she collaborated with deans, faculty, and other professionals across the institution. Her leadership resulted in groundbreaking initiatives expanding access to education for thousands of students. She holds a PhD in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy from the University of Maryland, a Master of Science in Human Development, Counseling, and Family Studies from the University of Rhode Island, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine. 

Dr. Evans’ dedication to leveraging data-driven strategies, technology, and collaborative partnerships with stakeholders across the institution and broader community will play a vital role in advancing CU Denver’s strategic goals, most notably in providing a seamless and supportive student experience from pre-enrollment to graduation. Her holistic understanding of enrollment management and student success will be instrumental in enhancing our efforts to attract, retain, and graduate our students. As she partners with all of you, with me, and with our new provost, her efforts will also help us to reinforce CU Denver’s position as a leader in social mobility and as our city’s higher education anchor in workforce and economic development. 

As Dr. Evans assumes this critical leadership position, I am confident she and the SESS team, in collaboration with all of you, will inspire and empower us to reach new heights in student engagement, development, and achievement. 

I hope you are all as excited as I am for the opportunity to work alongside such an accomplished leader. Dr. Evans' innovative spirit, deep experience, and unwavering commitment to student success will help propel our strategic enrollment and student success initiatives forward. She has also shared with me how excited she is to join the Lynx community. “I am deeply honored to join Chancellor Christensen and the entire CU Denver community at this pivotal moment,” Dr. Evans said. “I look forward to contributing to its transformative mission to make education work for all. Together, we will enhance access and excellence in education, ensuring every student thrives academically, personally, and professionally.” 

I want to thank the members of the search committee, which was chaired by Interim Provost Pamela Jansma and Vice Chancellor for Access and Campus Engagement Antonio Farias, for their diligent work in bringing well-qualified candidates to campus, resulting in Dr. Evans’ appointment. 

Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Evans as she prepares to take on her new role. 

Sincerely,