Crone Resigns As Vice President For Enrollment

Marilyn A. Crone announced today that she will resign as vice president for enrollment and retention management at Baylor University to pursue other opportunities. She will be leaving at the end of June.
Crone joined Baylor as vice president for human resources in January 1998. During her term, the university built its human resources infrastructure through a strong staff of professionals; improved technology usage; greater communication of services and benefits to faculty and staff; increased emphasis on staff development, intentional succession planning and leadership development; and increased diversity of faculty and staff. Crone also saw campus participation increase significantly in several community-building events, such as Diadeloso, Heart Walk, Staff Forums and Faculty/Staff Christmas Dinners. In addition, a human resources benefits task force added new holidays at Christmas beginning in 2004.
"I have been so blessed to serve at Baylor for more than seven years in Dr. Sloan's administration, along with the university's dedicated faculty and staff members, and I am grateful for my colleagues in human resources, admissions, student financial aid and the Baylor Success Center," Crone said. "It has been a privilege to be a part of the creation of Baylor 2012 and to have co-labored with so many others in seeing much of it realized in just three years. With an anticipated record-breaking freshman class this fall, there is a great demand for a distinctively Christian and academically rigorous education delivered in Baylor's unique way."
"Marilyn's faithfulness to Baylor, her incredible professional attitude and her deep Christian commitment produced a great wealth of important advancements and improvements in both human resources, enrollment management and more recently in student retention," said Dr. Reagan M. Ramsower, acting vice president for finance and administration. "Her caring spirit was inspirational and contagious; and, she will be deeply missed by her colleagues and everyone who worked with her."
In September 2002, Crone added responsibility for enrollment management. During her term, the number, quality and diversity of incoming students increased significantly, Crone said, through strategic communication strategies and partnerships between admissions, financial aid, faculty and student life. Crone's division oversaw several campus visit events, including Premieres and Sic 'Em Days, off-campus receptions and high school counselor luncheons, office visits, and personal phone calls and emails from faculty and staff to prospective students.
In February, Crone assumed responsibility for retention management. She assembled a diverse task force of more than 60 faculty and staff members to build on the work begun in student life to address issues impacting student success at Baylor.
"The retention task force and action planning teams are each passionate about students succeeding at Baylor," Crone said. "Not only will the fall 2005 class benefit, but every undergraduate will benefit from the key initiatives these dedicated faculty and staff members have planned."
"Marilyn has been the best leader, mentor, motivator and encourager that I've ever had as a supervisor, and she's been a great advocate for faculty, staff and students," said James L. Steen, assistant vice president of enrollment marketing. "She cares very deeply for Baylor and led enrollment management through some challenging years with her efforts now resulting in the largest freshman class in Baylor's history."
"It has been a privilege working with Marilyn, who epitomizes professionalism. She is competent, articulate, hardworking and compassionate, and encourages staff to be the best and to maximize their potential," said Dr. Jaffus Hardrick, assistant vice president for human resource services and assistant vice provost. "She was dedicated to helping fulfill the mission of Baylor and achieving our 10-year vision. I learned a lot from Marilyn and will miss working with her."
"Marilyn's leadership focused on caring deeply about our team, about students - both prospective and current - and about Baylor overall," said Diana M. Ramey, assistant vice president for enrollment operations. "Her enthusiasm was contagious, and her ability to work in the trenches with us while also stepping out in front to lead us was truly unique. I so admire her commitment, appreciate her integrity and am inspired by her faith-based life. We will greatly miss her, but we will make her proud of all she has invested in us."
Crone earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Baylor in 1981 and a master of business administration degree from Baylor in 1982. Prior to joining Baylor, she served as senior vice president and senior commercial lender at NationsBank (now Bank of America) in Waco. She had held various positions since joining the bank in 1982.
Crone is a member of the board of directors for the Waco Family Practice Foundation and Rotary Club of Waco. She is a past president and former board member of the Baylor/Waco Foundation, and has served on the boards of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, Baylor Alumni Association and Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute. She is a graduate of the 1990-91 Leadership Waco program and a member of Highland Baptist Church in Waco.