Jeffrey Papa
Jeffrey Papa, Ph.D., President and Partner
T. 804.739.7213
F. 804.739.8742
E. JP@SimpsonScarborough.com
When he’s not pursuing his dream of ordering Chinese delivery from every Marriott in North America, Jeff—a k a The Nicest Person on the Planet—is traversing the country cultivating strong client relationships for SimpsonScarborough and steering the company’s strategic plan.
Areas of specialty: Enrollment management and retention. Jeff spent the first 20 years of his career working in enrollment management and marketing on three college campuses—the University of Maryland, Colby-Sawyer College, and Randolph-Macon College. He was one of the first in college admissions to develop a quantitative system for determining—at any point during the recruitment season—which students were most likely to apply, gain admission, and ultimately enroll. Prior to joining SimpsonScarborough, he served as Executive Vice President at Carnegie Communications, where he specialized in providing research, consulting, and creative services to a variety of colleges and universities.
Industry leadership: Jeff is a frequent presenter at professional national conferences focusing on admissions and marketing. His many credits include gigs at NACAC, AACRAO, NSEMC, and NSCAC.
Most people don’t know: That in 2000, a 10-year-old child prodigy who was being heavily recruited by every Ivy-League school in the country enrolled at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. The college’s lead recruiter? Dr. Jeffrey Papa.
What clients say: That Jeff “gets” them. As an Empathizer, he has an innate ability to become part of a campus community and make its challenges his own. Jeff’s willingness to roll up his sleeves and dive into the nitty gritty of an institution is what makes his work so powerful and the applications so long-lasting.
Education: B.A. and M.Ed., Kent State University; Ph.D. in higher education administration, University of Maryland College Park. His doctoral dissertation focused on undergraduate student retention.
About Jeffrey
What movie do you know every line to?
“All About Eve”, a 1950’s classic starring Bette Davis. There are so many classic lines in that movie, like “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”
What’s your top karaoke pick?
Born to Be Wild. I actually sang that song in an Italian disco. Don’t ask—it was “one of those nights”!
What you thought you were going to major in in college.
Dentistry. And then I volunteered at a dental hospital and saw my first surgery. After that I changed my major to psychology.
Describe your best ’70s look.
Big afro, silk shirt, and high-waisted pants.
What was the first band you saw in concert?
When I was 16, I saw The Carpenters, front row!
