Kent Barnds

Executive Vice President for Strategy and Innovation

• Phone: 309-794-7662
• Email: wkentbarnds@augustana.edu
• Office: Seminary 108

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Kent Barnds oversees enrollment management functions, including admissions, financial aid, and communication and marketing. He also leads the college¡¯s strategic planning efforts. Since joining ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø in 2005 as the vice president of enrollment, he has contributed to record-breaking student enrollments, and his role has evolved to leading in campus innovation and building new institutional partnerships. 

Barnds is a respected figure in higher education, serving on the EAB Enrollment 360 Advisory Group and the national CASE Commission for Communications and Marketing. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has contributed regularly to Inside Higher Education and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Prior to ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, he spent 13 years at Elizabethtown ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø in Pennsylvania, advancing to become the dean of admissions and enrollment management.

"Strategy and innovation are keys to unlocking sustainable growth and long-term success for ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø." ¡ª W. Kent Barnds

Recent initiatives:

• Taking a leadership role in the college's 2024 strategic plan, Bold & Boundless, and co-authoring the ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø 2020 strategic plan
• Establishing the President's Advisory Council as a pipeline for trustee service
• Cultivating The Gerber Grand Challenge in Philanthropy, a $40 million commitment from Murry Gerber '75 
• With the Gerber endowment, developing the vision for ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø Possible ¡ª meeting 100% demonstrated financial need for high-achieving students with demonstrated need
• Co-chairing the Presidential Transition Committee for Andrea Talentino, ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø¡¯s ninth president
• Serving as acting president during President Emeritus Steve Bahls¡¯ sabbatical in 2012 
• Leading the task force behind the vision for the Gerber Center for Student Life
• Kent Barnds to lead strategy, innovation at ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø
• Academic Impressions articles by W. Kent Barnds
• Inside Higher Ed articles by W. Kent Barnds

More than a leader

Kent Barnds was born in Gering, Neb. He and his wife, Jennie, have three children, Martha, Sophie and Ben. Kent and Jennie are members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa. Kent enjoys traveling, cooking, jazz, Lyle Lovett, the Grateful Dead and cycling, and he believes "the option" remains the most exciting styled football offense. 

His expertise as a consultant ranges from performance management in college admissions to strategic planning for blood centers across the United States. Active in the community, Barnds served for nine years on the Rivermont Collegiate Board of Trustees; the Alumni Board of Directors for eight years at his alma mater, Gettysburg ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø; the Davenport Community Schools Board of Education; and the United Way Quad Cities.

A prolific writer and higher-ed thought leader, Barnds has published articles and/or been featured in Inside Higher Education, The Chronicle of Higher Education, University Business Magazine, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal, among others.

Specializations: ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø admissions, Financial aid, Higher education marketing, Public relations, Strategic planning, Higher education leadership, Admissions staff development, Admissions, Communication and marketing