Marc Harding

Key Areas

Student recruitment • enrollment • admissions • transfer students • financial resources • freshman applications • campus visits • access and affordability

Vice Provost Role

Vice Provost Marc Harding leads the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA). Its mission is to attract, recruit, enroll, and acclimate a diverse group of undergraduate students in numbers sufficient to meet University of Pittsburgh enrollment targets and to assist all students in funding throughout their collegiate career. OAFA strives to be a leader in college and university enrollment management services by developing processes and practices that are student centered and cutting edge. OAFA frames its work around seven values: Collaboration, Accuracy, Transparency, Speed, Confidentiality, Diversity, and Customer Focus.

Professional Biography

Marc Harding was named Chief Enrollment Officer in July 2012. He leads the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA) which includes a staff of more than 90 full-time employees and 200 student tour guides. Prior to Pitt, he spent 15 years at Iowa State University in enrollment services, including as Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Director of Admissions. In his 30-year career, Marc has also held enrollment positions at the University of South Florida, Virginia Tech, and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Harding is nationally recognized for his enrollment expertise and is regularly invited to present at national conferences including the College Board, American Marketing Association, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and the ACT Enrollment Planners Conference. His presentations cover a variety of topics including the use of students in recruiting, multicultural student recruitment, the recruitment of high-ability students, transfer students, marketing and innovation, training and development, the use of technology in recruitment and admissions, and current trends.

Under his leadership, OAFA has recruited the most academically talented and ethnically diverse classes in Pitt’s history. In addition, the University has experienced a dramatic increase in applications, a record number of international students, streamlined efficiencies and effectiveness of financial aid, and the launch of model programs in diversity recruiting during his tenure. Innovation, creativity, collaboration, and a strong customer service focus has helped OAFA successfully meet the University’s enrollment goals each year in the past five years.