2025 Keynote Speaker: Kevin P. Thomas

Dr. Kevin Thomas serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Success at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). With a career spanning over two decades in higher education, Kevin has been a driving force behind initiatives that enhance student retention, success, and institutional growth.

Before joining UCA, Kevin was the Director of Retention and Student Success at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) from 2012 to 2019, where his leadership contributed to a 10% increase in student retention. His career trajectory also includes serving as Director of the Academic Advising and Retention Center at Western Kentucky University (WKU), where he was previously the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Advising Practices. Prior to his transition into academic advising in 2007, Kevin gained valuable experience in Housing and Residence Life at Murray State University, Ball State University, and WKU.

At UCA, Kevin oversees a broad portfolio within Enrollment Services & Student Success, including Academic Advising, Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar's Office, Online, Transfer, and Returning Student Services, Strategic Enrollment Communication, Student-Athlete Advising, Student Success, and the Veterans Resource Center. Under his leadership, UCA has launched transformative initiatives, including the UCA Commitment—a tuition and fee-free program for Arkansas students from families earning $100,000 or less. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the university's transition to a primary-role advising model and the redesign of scholarship criteria to focus on high school GPA rather than standardized test scores. These strategic efforts have strengthened student access, success, and graduation rates, contributing to a remarkable 26% increase in freshman enrollment in fall 2024.

Kevin is deeply involved in NACADA. His contributions include serving as Chair of the Advising Administration Community, Chair of the 2017 Annual Conference in St. Louis, and as a mentor in the Emerging Leaders Program. From 2019 to 2020, he was a member of the NACADA Board of Directors, and in 2018, he was recognized as an Outstanding Advising Administrator. Currently, he chairs NACADA's Administrators Institute and has served as a faculty member for the Institute since 2020. He is a sought-after speaker at national, regional, and institutional conferences, covering topics such as student retention, advising administration, and leadership in higher education.

Dr. Thomas holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Kentucky University and both his Master's and Bachelor's degrees from Murray State University. His passion for student success and institutional excellence continues to shape the future of higher education at UCA and beyond.