Dr. Ryan Hargraves is the Executive Director, University Admissions & Outreach at the University of Toronto. In this role, he provides institutional leadership in national and international student recruitment and admissions, advising senior administration on policy, planning and strategic decisions that shape enrolment goals, the University’s brand, and the prospective and current student experience. Dr. Hargraves also provides strategic coordination and operations leadership for first-entry divisions, advancing divisional and institutional goals while protecting the University’s broader interests.

A driver of a transparent, collaborative, and student-centric decision-making culture across the University, the Executive Director, University Admissions & Outreach is responsible for:

• overseeing the development of outreach, recruitment, marketing, and communications strategies to attract top students locally, nationally, and internationally;
• monitoring government, university, and secondary school policies and practices nationally and internationally that may affect the University’s ability to meet its enrolment objectives;
• evaluating the impact of and developing recommendations or options for the University to consider with respect to admissions and recruitment;
• capturing and analyzing student and global market trend data that anticipates upcoming opportunities and risks, and monitoring their impact on university admissions goals and resources;
• collaborating with relevant portfolios to further the University’s continuous improvement of recruitment and admissions automation and systems;
• ensuring the quality and security of admissions data and decisions; and
• working closely with academic divisions and institutional units to advocate for regulatory and process changes and champion operational efficiency.

Dr. Hargraves brings more than two decades of experience in strategic enrolment management to the University of Toronto. He previously served as Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Vermont and as Senior Associate Dean of Admission at the University of Virginia. His experience spans the full spectrum of enrolment management – from developing innovative recruitment models and marketing strategies to advancing diversity, inclusion, and international outreach.

A collaborative leader, Dr. Hargraves is known for uniting stakeholders to achieve shared institutional goals. At the University of Vermont, his team achieved a fifteen-year peak in yield and student quality. He is recognized for his expertise in organizational restructuring, equity-focused recruitment, and team leadership.

Dr. Hargraves earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biological Chemistry and Master’s degree in Social Foundations of Education at the University of Virginia, and his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Toronto. His research examines the impact of admissions committee leadership at highly regarded universities.