Jeremy Bogan: Preparing a Farewell

By LINDSAY MORAN
Contributing Writer

The office is still full. Photos of family and mementos of years of school spirit grace the walls and fixtures. Boxes have not been packed, and more than a decade of memories have not been completed just yet. Jeremy Bogan, associate vice president of enrollment management, will leave The College of Saint Rose and move 3,000 miles west in December.
“I just have so much Saint Rose gear,” he joked, “what am I going to do with all of it?”
He accepted a position as associate vice president of admissions at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. After working in the admissions office for seven years, and being a member of the campus community for more than ten years, Bogan said the cross-country move will be a “big change.”
The Ohio native kept strong roots in the Albany area for the last 20 years. He moved to Clifton Park in 1994 when his father began working at the college as a professor of education.
Bogan attended Springfield College in Massachusetts for a year, where he was a member of both the soccer and track teams. He transferred to Saint Rose as a sophomore, and stayed for the remainder of his college years. He continued to play soccer at Saint Rose, which sparked a future connection and eventual career with the College.
After graduating with a communications degree, Bogan began coaching the men’s soccer team at the College. While coaching, he also did marketing work for Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady. He had been volunteering regularly as a speaker for Accepted Students Day at the college when he was offered a position in the admissions office.
Bogan balanced coaching and admissions work until he was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Admissions in 2007. In August of last year, shortly after earning his Master’s Degree in Higher Education Leadership and Administration, he was promoted to Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management.
“Once you start working in leadership positions in higher education, colleges start to put you on lists,” Bogan explained. “They want you to work for them.” He was intrigued by the position at Willamette University and “just couldn’t turn it down.”
The job is almost identical in its work, but the college and community environment at Willamette will be a new and exciting change.
Bogan’s mission, and some of his most exciting moments as an admissions leader, was his influence on students’ decisions to attend the college.
“You become part of their family,” said Bogan, “and it’s so great to watch the students grow and to know you played a part in that.”
R. Mark Sullivan, Director of the Institute for Leadership in Higher Education and former President of The College of Saint Rose, noted Bogan’s “tremendous rise in leadership” and his growth as a leader in the college community.
During his time as President, Sullivan frequently asked students what influenced their decision to attend Saint Rose, and they often spoke highly of Bogan.
“He is so many parts of a good person. He is engaging, he makes everyone feel good, but he is also a great leader, and he is an incredible loss to the institution,” Sullivan said.
As Bogan reflected on his time at Saint Rose, he admitted he will sorely miss the students, his admissions team, as well as the rest of his colleagues and friends. He considers Saint Rose a home away from home, and is thankful for the growth and success he has experienced during his many years at the college.
“Jeremy has had the incredible task of navigating admissions throughout the recent economic climate,” said Justin Hadley, coordinator of transfer admission, “and he has accomplished this task with both poise and intelligence.”
Bogan acknowledged that he did not expect the announcement of his departure to create such emotion from both students and faculty.
“The first thing I thought when I heard he was leaving was just wondering what we’re going to do without him,” said Jamie Breedlove, visit coordinator at the college.
Though he will miss his Saint Rose family and his family on the East coast, Bogan, his wife, and two children are excited for a new adventure, a new culture, and a new mindset. His five-year-old daughter is particularly excited for the move.
“We’re not leaving until December, and she’s been packing everyday. She’s just so excited,” said Bogan with a smile. His wife’s brother lives in close proximity to the place they will be calling home in a few short months, and said this will make the adjustment easier for both himself and his wife, as well as their children.
Bogan is also leaving longtime friends behind at the college.
“Jeremy and I have known each other for more than 20 years,” said Marcy Nielsen Pendergast, executive director of the academic success center at the college.
The two met their sophomore year of high school, went to college at Saint Rose together, and have also worked together since employed at the College. “We have shared each other’s most amazing moments, like getting married and having kids,” said Nielsen, “and he is one of my greatest friends.”
Nielsen said she values Bogan’s honesty, loyalty, and his gift of adding humor into any situation that comes his way. She is excited for Bogan and his family and the journey that they are to embark on.
“He will be missed a ton,” said Nielsen.
Bogan has high hopes for forming friendships and strong connections again at Willamette.
He admitted that his new school has many similarities to The College of Saint Rose. Founded in 1842, the University shares a close sense of community with Saint Rose, as well as its old roots.
“I will absolutely miss it here,” said Bogan, “but I’ll be back.”