Working in higher education wasn’t always the plan for either Richard Beatty or Mark Cortez – at least until they each became student tour guides at their respective undergraduate institutions. Captivating prospective students on cross-campus adventures proved to be a foundational experience for both of their professional careers. Today, they are happy to work together in Stony Brook’s Division of Enrollment and Retention Management.

“Our entire team is excited to have these experts join us,” says Dawn Medley, Vice-Provost for Enrollment Management and Retention. “The skills and knowledge they bring will propel us forward as we recruit amazing students.”

Richard Beatty
Associate Provost for Enrollment Management

After graduating from Lafayette College in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science, Richard became a field organizer for political campaigns. He helped candidates connect with constituents, coordinated outreach efforts and contributed to big-picture campaign planning. After a couple of years in the business, he decided that working for politicians wasn’t exactly his cup of tea.

“I noticed that the skill set was very, very similar to higher education, especially in the admissions realm,” he says. “And when I started looking for jobs, I realized I was only getting excited about applying to the higher ed positions.” This realization marked the beginning of a whole new career path for Richard.

He started out as an admissions counselor at a small Catholic school in New Jersey and earned his master's degree in higher education from Drexel University in 2011. Richard went on to climb the ladder with various admissions and enrollment jobs at Long Island University and Farmingdale State College before he proudly joined the staff at SBU. 

“Stony Brook has always been the aspirational school,” he says. “Whatever we’re doing, everyone else is trying to follow suit. So when the position opened up, I was very happy to apply.” 

Having worked in higher ed for more than a dozen years, his expertise is complemented by an eagerness to advance his knowledge and build his repertoire. All of his efforts are devoted to optimizing the enrollment process at Stony Brook.

“There’s a ton of opportunity to streamline things, improve procedures and foster an overall better student experience,” Richard says. “And it’s exciting – taking a look at it, breaking it down, and going ‘How can we make this better? What’s an area we can tackle each day?’ I’m never doing the same thing twice.”

One major project he’s managed is the process of integrating the enrollment landscape onto a single software system, which is soon to be rebranded. Known as the applicant portal for now, this platform serves as an interactive checklist that helps students track their enrollment progress with individualized guidance.

The average prospective college student receives 200 emails from different universities each week, Richard says, which can add stress and anxiety to an already overwhelming time. The applicant portal allows students to see the full picture from day one so they can get familiar with the process and anticipate what’s next.

“Students in the 21st century expect ease of access,” he says. “And we’re also working with first generation students who may not know all the ins, outs and jargon of higher ed. So my specialty really boils down to looking at things from the student perspective, then reorganizing our processes and procedures with the student in mind.”

The rapidly evolving digital landscape will undoubtedly keep Richard on his toes, he says – and he welcomes the challenge. Noting the ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence, decreasing levels of enrollment in higher education, and the unique dynamics of younger generations navigating the changing world, he emphasizes the importance of raising awareness of the value and opportunities that come with a college education.

“We’re seeing very different students than we were 10 years ago, and many of them will have jobs that don’t even exist yet,” he says. “It’s going to be exciting to see how things progress, and I look forward to helping Stony Brook get ahead of the curve.”

When it comes to life outside of work, Richard is a devoted soccer dad – minivan and all. He and his wife Haiwen share two elementary-age sons named Alex and Emeric. They also have two cats, Nola and Cookie, who, according to Richard, “decide that every piece of clothing must be covered in cat hair.”

Mark Cortez
Executive Director of Admissions

Mark moved to Long Island – a place where he and his husband Corey can see themselves settling down for good – from his home state of Ohio to assume a brand new role at Stony Brook. As executive director of admissions, he’s responsible for managing admissions personnel and processes to maximize the success of Stony Brook’s recruitment, admittance and enrollment services.

“I’m a collaborator by nature,” he says. “And as a leader, my guiding principles are to support and advocate for the team, communicate transparently with the team, and demonstrate value and recognition of the team – because ultimately, I stand on the shoulders of every single staff member who's under my umbrella.”

This approach encourages a positive workplace culture and creates an environment that people enjoy being part of, Mark continues. So far, he’s been delighted to discover he’s not alone in his passion for collaboration.

“Everyone has approached my arrival with open arms,” he says. “I've had the opportunity to meet with a couple of campus partners and gain some insights into their work, and the conversations have always centered around how to best combine forces for the benefit of Stony Brook.”

Mark’s extensive background as a team player in the higher ed space renders him well prepared to spearhead SBU’s evolving admissions efforts – as does his experience as a student. After he completed one year of his education at Owens Community College, he had to shift focus to his full-time job in the restaurant industry and press pause on his college career.

He decided to return to school a few years later, this time at Ohio State University, where he received a BA in communication. Mark found a beloved mentor in the director of enrollment at Ohio State while he worked as a student orientation assistant, and she invited him to join the staff as an admissions counselor upon his graduation.

Mark held the position for about two years before he rose in the ranks and pursued a master's degree in higher education administration, which he earned from Tiffin University while continuing to work full-time at Ohio State. With another degree under his belt, Mark accepted a job in the Ohio Department of Higher Education in an effort to try something new. 

He was grateful for the experience, but he couldn’t ignore how much he missed being an active member of a campus community. So he quickly seized an opportunity to return to Ohio State as director of outreach and recruitment for undergraduate admissions.

One day, he came across a public job posting for the position he now holds at Stony Brook. All it took was a few conversations with colleagues and friends to sell him on the idea of making the transition. On a personal level, he and Corey were intrigued by Long Island’s many natural landscapes juxtaposed with the region’s proximity to New York City. Professionally, he was drawn to the esteemed work being done at Stony Brook and the positive reputation of the school’s culture. 

“This is a university that truly cares about making sure students come to a welcoming, inclusive environment,” Mark says. “And also ensuring there are systems in place to support the transition and make it as efficient and as easy as possible. One of our main goals is to remove hurdles and create access.”

SBU is well aware that systemic barriers may exist for students, he adds, and while many similar-sized institutions tend to avoid taking direct accountability, Stony Brook is unafraid to “take the hard action and have the hard conversations.” He believes this is a testament to the network of faculty and staff who care deeply about the Stony Brook community and the advancement of the university.

In order to encapsulate the Stony Brook story and portray everything the school has to offer to any and all prospective students, Mark is working to translate the virtual campus tour into as many languages as possible. He’s determined to make sure all students and their respective support systems feel included, valued, and comfortable hearing our message. 

“I hope other institutions start looking at Stony Brook as a national model for how to break down those barriers and really serve students in an impactful, wholehearted way,” he says. “Despite being new to the area and new to the university, I want people to know that I care immensely about the communities we serve as well as the opportunities and outcomes provided by Stony Brook.”