New admission leader poised to recruit future classes

The largest first-year class ever at Tulane University is settling into campus this month.

The 1,849 students in the new class “are paving the way for many years of exciting classes,” said Satyajit Dattagupta, new vice president of enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admission. 
 
Tulane has had 10 years of rebuilding post-Katrina. “I think Tulane is at a pivotal point,” Dattagupta said. “And a person in my role can make an impact. President Fitts’ leadership was one of the biggest attractions to this place for me. He’s creating a team that is going to make a difference.”

“Tulane attracts students who are brave, adventurous and creative.”

Satyajit Dattagupta, vice president for enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admission

 
The students that Dattagupta will be looking for are those who are “qualified to succeed at Tulane, come from different walks of life and are excited to be at Tulane.”
 
Most close to his heart, said Dattagupta, is finding new classes that are “more representative of the world.” That means more international students and more students of color.
 
“I want our students who graduate from Tulane to be part of a classroom that is very much like the real world,” he said.
 
Academics are the top selling point for Tulane. And the relationship that Tulane shares with New Orleans and the service-learning component of the curriculum are great draws.
 
Tulane is a distinct “brand,” said Dattagupta. “Tulane attracts students who are brave, adventurous and creative.”
 
Tulane’s engagement in the community resonates with prospective students, he said. “When you talk to a student who asks what sets Tulane apart, you can talk about being at a place that is balanced and academically diverse with world-class faculty, where you can cross boundaries to change the world in an environment and city that is supportive of that. It is a message that has been well received by our students. So we’re going to double down on that.”