Victoria (Tori) Neason Wallace has been appointed vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid at Bates College, effective July 1.

Neason Wallace brings with her more than a decade of leadership in undergraduate admission work and expertise in strategic enrollment planning, recruitment, and student engagement. She joins Bates from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, where she currently serves as executive director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and previously served as deputy dean of admissions. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Tori Neason Wallace to Bates as our next vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid,” said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins. “This is a critically important position for any college, and Tori has a breadth and depth of experience that — along with a deep commitment to the liberal arts, talent for strategic thinking, and innate collegiality — will make her an outstanding asset to the enrollment endeavor at Bates.”

At Colby, Neason Wallace has played a key role in advancing enrollment strategy through cross-departmental initiatives, data-informed analysis, and special projects spanning admissions, financial aid, student outcomes, athletics recruitment, and advancement. Her work includes strengthening global high school counselor engagement, evaluating and improving strategic enrollment programs and partnerships, leading exploration of artificial intelligence tools for enrollment operations, and securing grant funding to support access-oriented initiatives. 

“An innovative and ambitious leader, Tori skillfully navigates the complex work of building a class with care, balancing a data-informed approach with the needs of prospective students, their families, and the college. She will also serve as a passionate ambassador for Bates as we continue to advance our commitments to academic excellence and access. I look forward to having Tori as a part of our senior leadership team, where we will all benefit from her dedication to our students and to Bates’s distinctive mission,”Jenkins added. 

Neason Wallace joined Colby in 2020 as associate director of admissions and has held various roles in the admissions office, including senior advisor to the vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid. Neason Wallace’s work has also extended across the college through collaboration with Colby senior leadership on advancement opportunities, human resources projects, and pivotal graduate school partnership relationships.

As she prepares to lead the Bates offices of admission and student financial services, Neason Wallace looks forward to continuing her work as a champion for liberal arts education, recruiting and supporting the next generation of Bates students.

“I’m incredibly excited to join Bates and believe deeply in the transformative liberal arts education it provides,” Neason Wallace said. “There is a powerful story to tell about the phenomenal resources, opportunities, outcomes, and impact that a Bates education provides. Alongside the exceptional admissions and financial aid teams, I hope to share that story in meaningful ways with students and counselors, broadening the college’s reach and helping talented students from across the globe see themselves at Bates.” 

Prior to her time at Colby, Neason Wallace worked for six years in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at her undergraduate alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, first as assistant director of admissions, then as senior assistant director for student volunteers. Across her time at both Colby and Wash U, Neason Wallace has worked closely with students, managing student employees and developing innovative and engaging campus visit experiences. She understands the kind of student who will thrive at a small liberal arts institution. Through her work in the NESCAC and with colleagues at other top-tier national colleges and universities, Neason Wallace has developed a vast network that will inform and bolster her work at Bates, while also expanding Bates’ presence in new and emerging markets. 

“Enrollment is a collaborative endeavor for the entire campus,” Neason Wallace said. “In my interactions with the Bates community so far, I’ve been struck by how talented, curious, and grounded each individual is. I know we’ll be able to do good work together, and I look forward to leading that effort.” 

Neason Wallace holds a master of education degree from Harvard University and a bachelor of arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Jenkins expressed gratitude for the successful work of the campus search committee, co-chaired by Kristen Lainsbury, vice president for communications and marketing, and Robert Strong, director of national fellowships. WittKieffer, a leading executive search firm, assisted with the search. 

Neason Wallace succeeds Leigh Weisenburger, who led the admission and student financial services teams at Bates from 2012 to 2025 before transitioning to the role of vice president for institutional affairs and secretary of the board of trustees, also at Bates. Mark Hatch ’87, vice president for enrollment emeritus at Colorado College, has served as the division’s interim enrollment leader during the 2025-26 academic year.