Terrell Odom, Ed.D.

Management & Leadership

• Collaborate with the offices of the President, Provost, Academic Unit Deans, Deans of Students, Campus & Student Life, Medical Center, Lab (Argonne, Fermi, Marine Biological) affiliates, and senior leadership teams in providing strategic vision, leadership, and growth across the areas of recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, onboarding, campus and student life, and support for military-affiliated persons (student, staff, and faculty)
• Provide budgetary reviews, compliance, and financial management of funds received from the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and foundations for military-affiliated projects
• Monitor and support implementation of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) and Affirmative Action plans customized for each unit’s needs
• Create, facilitate, and lead university-wide recruitment and enrollment management initiatives including the evaluation of outcomes based on data-driven decision-making, enrollment/hiring forecasting, and industry best practices
• Lead and directly supervise staff and interns, and collaborate with Director-level personnel, which provides leadership and support to student enrollment teams regarding recruitment, admissions, and onboarding processes
• Pro-actively engage external partners to identify additional initiatives that will increase partnership opportunities
• Develop and deploy university-wide professional development strategies that enhance organizational knowledge of enrollment, recruitment, admissions, and retention operations for military-affiliated students, staff, and faculty

Operations

• Oversee the operational practices of admissions, financial aid, records, and registration for all military-affiliated students
• Conduct ongoing analysis of operational trends, prioritize opportunities for improvement, and oversee implementation of enhancements to processes and systems that improve the overall student experience
• Create and implement strategic plans that will utilize systems and technologies to effectively communicate and build strong relationships with all internal departments, external partners, students, families, and governmental agencies
• Manage all Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for the University, Medical Center, and affiliates to ensure compliance with VA and DoD regulations
• Serve as DoC for the entire University to support students in crisis, title IX issues, and as the administrator for the campus community

Accomplishments

• Increased student headcount during extreme uncertainty and unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic leading University of Chicago to be named the #1 University for veterans by US News and World Report in September of 2020 and September of 2023
• Collaborated with academic and professional units to streamline admissions processes for all military-affiliated persons entering the University as students
• Championed and piloted programs (Skillbridge and Army Military Civilian Trauma Training Team) that solidified the transition of service members to live, work, and train at University of Chicago and University of Chicago Medicine
• Championed co-curricular programming that provides support to veterans inside of the criminal justice system via law, policy, social sciences, social services, and business units at University of Chicago

• Adjunct Instructor, Veterans Success, City Colleges of Chicago, 2017-Present
• Adjunct Instructor, Business, City Colleges of Chicago, 2015-Present

• Instruct students in classroom setting
• Assess student understanding of requirements to obtain GED and record student accomplishments
• Conduct a needs assessment of each participant and develop action plans
• Monitor participants' needs and remediate educational deficiencies as needed
• Provide administrative support and resources as needed

Management & Leadership

• Oversee daily office operations of Veterans Affairs staff
• Collaborate with employment partners, unions, and manage military workforce development programs within institutions
• Developed strategies that involved partnering with supportive services and student finance, to ensure that military-affiliated students were receiving comprehensive and holistic service from campus
• Develop and execute outreach goals to bring external services to campus for military-affiliated students

Operations

• Collaborate with student services partners (disability, wellness, testing, admissions) to ensure effective practices for admission of students
• Complied and analyzed annual recommendations for fiscal budgeting for student veterans
• Developed and executed streamlined processes, services ,and orientation for military-affiliated persons and their dependents entering college
• Ensured the institution's compliance with federal & state policies of the Department of Veteran Affairs which led to consistent designation as a Military Friendly School and approval of 62 associate degrees and 42 basic & advanced certificates for certification with the VA and Department of Defense tuition assistance program
• Generated and analyzed enrollment, retention and graduation data, to ensure that administration and programmatic offerings for students, meets needs for military-affiliated students
• Assess and create instructional design materials for student-veteran learning to include utilization of universal design and learning theories
• Serve as the student conduct lead for the campus, which included ensuring due process is given to all students, generating reports, and making disciplinary recommendations to the campus president
• Investigate, support, and provide referrals for students who are victims of Title IX harassment or discrimination
• Maintained open and neutral position to expedite communication with victims
• Counsel military-affiliated students on transferability of Joint Service Transcript credits, military and veteran education benefits, housing, food-insecurities, and advise on degree planning
• Serve as staff advisor for the student veteran chapter on-campus
• As a certified state and federal veteran services officer, assist military-affiliated students and their dependents with identifying and applying for applicable disability, indemnity, or retirement compensation

Accomplishments

• Implemented and executed strategies that increased veteran enrollment consistently by 150%, retention by 30%, and completion to over 50%
• Constructed referral list of agencies and community resources for victims' to provide aftercare services
• Implemented secure and online repository of disciplinary cases for campus leadership to share information between colleges
• Championed streamlined process for military-affiliated students which led to 92% placement for Gas Utility Worker Program for military-affiliated students

Management & Leadership

• Collaborate with senior leaders on outreach and recruitment goals
• Partnered with service organizations, employers, and other partners on workforce development initiatives for student veterans
• Accountable for overall management, staffing and training for new admissions office with over 100 employees

Operations

• Assisted the Director of Admissions with designing and implementing training and continuous development programs for all new hires and current employees
• Developed strategies that successfully improved outreach presentations and sales processes resulting in increased sales revenue and improved employee performance
• Manage budgets, fiscal planning, and auditing of Admissions department
• Create and implement strategic planning for community engagement and partnership outreach campaigns, employee performance, risk management, and recruitment initiatives
• Travel to educate departments and campuses about military processes and procedures on VA benefits, tuition assistance, and vocational rehabilitation

Accomplishments

• Achieved all levels of Admissions Advisor (I-IV) from 2007 to 2009
• Recognized as a leader during the organization's annual recognition events as a top recruiter (top 2% of the organization) for all years employed
• Collaborated with dean of admissions and university presidents to establish military recruiting operations in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois

• Ensure the health and safety of all Sailors and Marines within the unit
• Administer and manage immunization, assessment and treatment plans
• Assist medical physicians and nursing staff with surgical procedures in a hospital and combat field setting
• Serve as a combat medic in urban warfare environment and render care to the injured
• Train members on First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Developed and implemented nursing care plans
• Recorded patients' medical history, vital statistics and test results in medical records
• Appropriately diagnosed and treated a variety of diseases and injuries in a general practice setting
• Ordered and executed diagnostic tests and analyzed diagnostic images to further investigate patient conditions
• Administered and prescribed appropriate courses of treatment, including pharmaceutical medications
• Advised and educated patients regarding diet, hygiene and effective disease prevention methods
• Inspected medical instruments, equipment and operating rooms to maintain proper hygiene and sterility
• Monitored patients' condition and progress and re-evaluated treatments as necessary
• Continuously maintained proper safety and took precautionary measures to avoid the spread of disease and infection