In the Spotlight: Mr. Julian Gilner, Our New Recruitment Manager
By: M. Caroline Helms and Sandra Spiroff
The Graduate School is pleased to welcome Mr. Julian Gilner, the new Manager of Graduate Admissions, who brings a wealth of experience and passion for student engagement to his role. A proud native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Gilner is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi (UM), having earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004 and a master’s degree in Higher Education in 2007. He shared that his initial attraction to his new position stemmed from a deep-seated interest in recruiting and engaging with students.
Julian Gilner
“Recruiting is a strong passion of mine as I love to introduce the institution to prospective students,” Gilner said. He also cited the allure of returning to the Oxford campus as a significant factor that made the position “a really good fit.” Gilner reflected that his time as a graduate student “flew by, as I was a full-time employee of the university as an admissions counselor. It was a blur, but I enjoyed the ability to discuss current trends and how universities function.”
With a diverse background in higher education and student advocacy, Gilner brings valuable experience to his role. He has held positions in Alumni Affairs at UM, served as the director of student services at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and even ventured into the non-profit sector. Additionally, Gilner coordinated NSF-funded initiatives such as the Alliance for Graduate Education in Mississippi, a collaborative effort to support minority Ph.D. students in STEM fields. Gilner explained, “This grant was instrumental in diversifying the academy and launching the careers of many STEM graduates.”
Dr. Robert Doerksen, Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Dr. Robert Doerksen, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, shared his enthusiasm for having Gilner on board. “It is excellent to have Julian working in this position. He is able to interact with and provide information and guidance to potential graduate students through efficient software, social media, on-campus visits and events, webinars, and off-campus recruiting events in the state, region, nation, and beyond. He will be active in developing promotional materials that convey the value and unique qualities of graduate education at [The] University of Mississippi. He also will work systematically with the various graduate programs to help them maximize their recruiting efforts.”
Gilner oversees various initiatives to enhance recruitment efforts and increase enrollment in the Graduate School. His work includes assisting departments in filling their cohorts each year for the more than 170 graduate programs, including an additional focus on promoting newer programs. Specifically, he said, “The master’s [degrees] in athletic training, integrated marketing and communications, and our online programs are transforming how we reach prospective students across all geographic areas of the country.”
Another new campus program, which targets undergraduates, is the Center for Insurance Transformation’s certificate program. Gilner said, “I’m excited about [this] program,” explaining that it extends “opportunities for current undergraduate students at Mississippi’s four HBCUs to gain knowledge through online coursework and professional development in Oxford and Washington, DC. This program is a great collaboration and offers the students a formal entry point into insurance and brokerage.”
This initiative dovetails nicely with Gilner’s focus on “reigniting partnerships with historically black universities and colleges (HBCUs), both in state and regionally.” Specifically, Gilner wants to create stronger connections with statewide HBCUs, “fostering sustained partnerships that keep graduate students in [the] state.”
The Graduate School Ambassadors, a group composed of current graduate students from various disciplines, assist Gilner at events. The ambassadors, who Gilner manages, represent the Graduate School at events on and off campus. Gilner guides the ambassador team in promoting the Graduate School’s efforts to connect with prospective students. He shared that, “One of my favorite aspects of the job is to interact with current students.”
Gilner described himself as a lifelong student. He is currently working on a doctorate in higher education. His aim is not only to “continue learning about my profession” but also to understand the “policy and infrastructure of institutions of higher learning.”
So, what does our Manager of Graduate Admissions do for fun? Gilner said that he enjoys golfing, landscaping, traveling, and Saturdays in Vaught Hemingway Stadium. His favorite spot on campus is the Paris-Yates Chapel balcony, where he can look out at the J.D. Williams Library, or anywhere there is a great meal.
His advice for prospective students was “to be sure not to leave money on the table [and apply] for all available assistantships, fellowships, or grants that you may qualify for and to be sure that the program you select will ultimately propel you to new heights.” Interested in learning more about graduate programs at UM? We’d love to hear from you at gschool@olemiss.edu.
Spring 2024 Newsletter
- Welcome
- Doctoral Dreams: Commemorating Success at the 2024 Hooding Ceremony
- Elevating Voices, Fostering Community: Inside the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association
- Enhancing Graduate Student Wellness: The Graduate House Welcomes Embedded Counselor Caelyn Ditz
- In the Spotlight: Mr. Julian Gilner, Our New Recruitment Manager
- Across Continents, Graduate Scholars are Thriving Abroad