Vice President for Student Success, Enrollment, and Institutional Effectiveness

Brenda Stopher was appointed vice president for student success, enrollment & institutional effectiveness in July 2025, after serving previously as chief of staff to the president and vice president for strategic operations. In this role, she oversees efforts to provide students with the tools, support, and environment they need to thrive academically, personally, and professionally, both during their time in college and beyond. This includes focus on making an IU education more accessible; improving customer service efforts for current students, prospective students and their families; and efforts to ensure an IU education prepares students for productive and rewarding careers.

Additionally, she advises on various operational and organizational initiatives, including collaborating closely with executive leadership across the university to ensure IU2030 is fully realized. Her institutional effectiveness portfolio encompasses strategic initiatives and enterprise effectiveness and accreditation.

Stopher is a seasoned professional with extensive higher education and private sector experience in finance, business, audit, enrollment management, and athletics. Before joining IU, she held several integral positions at Kennesaw State University, most recently as vice president for enrollment management. Prior to that, she served as special assistant to the president and associate vice president for business and finance, director of facilities budget and finance, and associate athletic director of business affairs. She was also a consultant to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia where she assisted with a two-year review of intercollegiate athletics.

Before her 22 years in higher education, Stopher held various roles in the private sector including vice president, finance and controller at LandAmerica OneStop, as well as senior positions at CarMax and Coopers & Lybrand.

Throughout her career, Stopher has demonstrated exceptional leadership and financial acumen. She is a Certified Public Accountant with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Richmond and a master’s in accounting from Kennesaw State University.