Pomfret will welcome Debra Johns, assistant vice president for undergraduate admissions at the University of Notre Dame, to the Hilltop. During Family Weekend, on October 23 and 24, she will deliver the 2026 W.P. Carey Lecture, giving students and families the opportunity to hear directly from one of the nation’s leading voices in college admissions.

Johns is a longtime, respected leader in higher education, having devoted more than thirty years to admissions. She frequently serves in leadership positions and on national and regional committees for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, New England Association for College Admission Counseling, and College Horizons, and as a featured presenter and moderator at national enrollment conferences.

After fifteen years with the Yale University Office of Admissions, Johns joined Notre Dame in 2023. Before her tenure at Yale, she served as senior associate director of admissions at Fairfield University and assistant dean of admissions at Marquette University, as well as in several admissions and alumni relations roles at the University of Vermont, Saint Michael’s College, and Connecticut College.

“Debra brings an extraordinary depth of experience and perspective to the college search process. In addition to nearly forty years in higher education and admissions at institutions including Marquette, Fairfield, Yale, and Notre Dame, she also understands the process as a parent who has guided her two children through their college searches,” says Senior Associate Director of College Counseling Bruce Wolanin. “Her long relationship with Pomfret makes her visit especially meaningful, and the perspective she’ll share with families is one we hope they’ll carry with them."

During Family Weekend, Johns will share her insights in multiple sessions. On Friday, October 23, she will deliver two lectures — one for students and one for families. On Saturday, October 24, she will co-lead, along with Connecticut College Director of Admission Emily Petersell, a workshop on college financing and financial aid. 

Additional Family Weekend sessions will explore holistic admissions practices, testing, and college athletics. Binghamton University Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions Doug Harrington and Bentley University Senior Assistant Director of Admissions Olivia Olcott will discuss how colleges evaluate the whole student beyond the numbers. Brown University Senior Associate Director of Athletics Colleen Kelly and Wesleyan University Athletic Director Mike Whalen will present a workshop on college athletic recruiting to students and families. 

Following the workshops, students and families can explore more than twenty-five colleges and universities at the College Exploration Fair. Together, the weekend's college counseling programs will give Pomfret students and families an opportunity to hear directly from admissions professionals and gain practical insight into the college search and admission process.

Since 1994, the W.P. Carey ’48 College Admission Lecture Series has brought distinguished college admissions leaders to Pomfret as part of Family Weekend, connecting students, parents, and faculty with national experts and the latest perspectives on the college admissions process. These annual lectures offer valuable insight and spark informed conversations as Pomfret families navigate the college search and admission process.

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