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Mike Keaton will join Franklin & Marshall College as Dean of Admission in July. With over 25 years of experience in the field, Keaton has emerged as a valued and trusted leader in both admission and college counseling roles. 

Most recently, Keaton served as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. While at Ursinus, Keaton increased first-year enrollment by 6% in his first year on the job and, in 2024, enrolled the largest transfer class in the college鈥檚 history.

Prior to Ursinus, Keaton spent six years as director and dean of admission at Drexel University in Philadelphia, where he enrolled the largest first-year class in the institution鈥檚 history; five years co-directing the College Counseling program at Friends Central School in Wynnewood, Pa.; and 11 years at Haverford College in Haverford, Pa., during which he successfully progressed in leadership roles. Early in his career, he served as a recruiter for Northeastern University and Wentworth Institute of Technology, both in Boston.

Throughout his time in higher education, Keaton has been at the forefront of efforts to foster belonging and create access to transformational educational experiences for students from traditionally underrepresented communities. Keaton holds bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in speech communication from Syracuse University, which he has leveraged over the years to represent his institutions at leading higher-education conferences and events and as a media expert and spokesperson.

"I鈥檓 looking forward to leading the admission office and partnering with faculty, students and staff to find the next generation of talented and motivated Diplomats."

鈥擠ean of Admission Mike Keaton

In his role at F&M, Keaton will collaborate closely with enrollment leadership to develop strategies to enroll classes that meet the college鈥檚 goals; lead recruitment, selection, and yield; and mentor members of the admission team.

鈥淚 am honored to be the next Dean of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College. It is tremendously exciting to have a leadership position at an institution that uses its resources in a way that aligns with my values and approach as a college admission professional,鈥� Keaton says.

鈥淔&M鈥檚 dedication to access, affordability, community and belonging, and its local and global spheres of influence, provides a multitude of opportunities for intellectual and personal growth for its students. I鈥檓 looking forward to leading the admission office and partnering with faculty, students and staff to find the next generation of talented and motivated Diplomats.鈥�

Vice President for Enrollment M. Leslie Davidson says Keaton is an ideal fit for the team.

鈥淢ike brings to F&M broad and deep knowledge of admission and enrollment developed at a range of different institutions,鈥� Davidson says. 鈥淚 admire Mike鈥檚 wisdom, integrity, commitment to students, and love for the art and science of admission. He is experienced in leadership and management, knows how to recruit and select, and has a proven track record when it comes to developing individuals and teams. For all of these reasons and more, he rose to the top of a highly competitive applicant pool. I look forward to collaborating with him on new and innovative ways to make F&M鈥檚 transformative education possible for high-achieving students from all over the world.鈥�

Keaton is originally from Philadelphia and Willow Grove, Pa. He attended Upper Dublin High School, which in 2023 inducted him into its Hall of Fame for his career achievements in education. He鈥檚 an avid music fan who collects vinyl records, CDs, and attends concerts. His hobbies include playing guitar, cooking vegan cuisine, and trying new vegan restaurants.

F&M partnered with NES, an industry leader in recruiting admission and enrollment leaders, in its successful search.