Eastern Michigan Athletics
Inside the Ride: Katie Condon Drives Eastern’s Mission Forward with Purpose and Connection
10/17/2025 5:19:00 PM | Baseball, General
EMU’s enrollment leader focuses on teamwork, access, and community impact
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The latest episode of Inside the Ride Presented by LaFontaine Kia Ypsilanti rolled through the heart of Eastern Michigan University, as head baseball coach Robbie Britt welcomed Katie Condon, vice president of enrollment management, for an honest conversation about community, access, and leadership. The drive mixed lighthearted moments with clear insight into how Eastern serves its region and its students.
The episode opened with laughter. Condon joked, "You have your driver's license, right?" before cueing up John Denver's classic line. "If I were to say, country roads," Britt asked, and Condon immediately responded back, "Take me home." That lyric framed the discussion. Condon called West Virginia her alma mater, a place she spent a decade, but said she feels a similar connection to Eastern Michigan because of its sense of community. "Eastern is here to serve the southeast region of Michigan," she said. "Nearly 90 percent of our students are within 100 miles of us on campus, and so we are here to serve the Detroit metro area, Jackson to Monroe area."
Condon pointed to a statistic that shows how deep that connection runs. "One in five of our college-educated individuals from Jackson to Monroe are EMU alums," she said. "Not only are we enrolling students from our local and regional area, but they also study and make our community better." She described Eastern's impact as generational. "You get to see your alumni come and then they have kids, and that legacy connection to Eastern is something that I'm really proud of."
That pride came with a practical message. When Britt asked how she would advise parents thinking about college costs, she emphasized Eastern's personal approach. "We are a people-oriented institution," she said. "If you talk with one of my admissions counselors, Haley, for example, Haley's going to help you through the whole process. You're not going to be jumping around with different people. You're going to work with us." Condon encouraged families to take advantage of October's Free Application Month in Michigan. "Even if you're not quite sure Eastern is the right fit for you right now, applying to Eastern is free during the month," she said. "I would highly encourage you just to consider applying to Eastern, and then kind of making decisions as they go further."
She then laid out the university's scholarship opportunities in detail. "We have this scholarship program for high school students called the Emerald Scholarship, and that is upwards of $12,000 a year awarded to students," she said. "It's non-competitive, so as long as you meet the criteria of that award, you're going to get that award." Beyond that, she credited alumni and community donors for keeping education affordable. "We also have a really great alumni base that gives a lot of money in scholarships every year," she said. "Our community members give money to scholarships. We also have numerous other scholarships outside of just the regular merit scholarships that our students continue to get during their time at Eastern to make it as affordable as possible."
The conversation then turned to leadership. Condon joined Eastern two and a half years ago, in her first vice president role, and inherited an office in transition. "About a third of my entire division is new at Eastern," she said. "Nearly 35 percent of our division has worked at Eastern less than what I have, and I've only been here two and a half years." She remembered being asked what to do in unfamiliar situations. "People would ask me, like, what do we do in this situation? I was like, we're going to have to figure this out together, because I've also only been here six months, and I don't know." That openness helped her rebuild the division from the ground up.
Condon said she takes pride in shaping a team that shares one mission: the student always comes first. "Everything that we do, how can we help our students be successful, how can we help our counselor community be successful?" she said. "We're answering our phones, we're answering our emails. I think that we are the front line to the institution, and we want to give the best first impression possible." She said seeing that vision take root is one of her proudest accomplishments. "It was a challenge, but now it's one of my favorite things that I've gotten to grow and shape my team in a way, and that we all have the same mission and value, and that the student is always number one."
The discussion also highlighted how Condon's leadership extends beyond process and staffing. She brings a mindset focused on experimentation and student outcomes. Her office launched a Loan Repayment Assistance Program, a pilot designed to encourage enrollment by providing early career financial support. "We offered a $2,000 housing grant or a Loan Repayment Assistance," she said in a related interview. "One hundred percent of the students chose the LRAP as opposed to the housing grant." The university later expanded the initiative under the EMU Educator Promise, which supports education majors entering the workforce. "We wanted to pursue this loan repayment assistance for educators," she said. "We have great deans who are excited about talking with future educators about how EMU invested in them, not just while they're here, but also making sure that they're financially stable as they enter into their first couple of years."
Condon's focus on data and responsiveness reflects how she approaches enrollment challenges. She understands that students expect clarity and transparency about costs. "They're asking, 'What will my degree cost the day I start?'" she said. Her division works to meet those expectations through better communication and planning tools. The goal is to help families see Eastern as both accessible and accountable.
She also recognizes how the next generation interacts differently with institutions. "Students spend up to nine hours on their phones daily, and about four hours on social media apps," she said. Her team uses those insights to meet students where they already spend time. At the same time, she knows parents remain a major influence. "We're also exploring how to engage parents better, so they have the right information to support their students," she said.
Condon's leadership style combines data and humanity. She values asking questions early and often. "Ask 'why' relentlessly early on," she said in another discussion. "Later, questions seem suspicious." That approach, she said, helps uncover what an organization truly values. It also helps new leaders build trust before change begins.
Her message about inclusion is direct. She wants Eastern to serve a diverse population and reflect the communities it draws from. "We want to have first-generation students, underrepresented students, minority students," she said. "People learn best when they're surrounded by people who look different from themselves." She sees diversity as central to Eastern's identity, not an optional initiative.
Condon also believes culture change requires participation across the campus. In one outreach effort, Eastern encouraged handwritten notes from staff and student-athletes to prospective students. She said it made recruitment personal. "It boosted belonging by making recruitment everyone's job," she said. For her, engagement at that level reinforces that Eastern's strength lies in relationships.
By the time the ride ended, Britt had done what every good host hopes for: he helped his guest reveal not only her professional insight but her personal belief system. Condon's answers circled back to a single idea: that public education works when people care enough to connect. Her pride in Eastern comes not from institutional size or ranking, but from impact. "We're slowly building something during my time here," she said. "We're the front line to the institution, and we want to give the best first impression possible."
Inside the Ride offered a rare glimpse at the person behind the policy. Condon's work is technical, but her purpose is simple: to make college more personal, more affordable, and more human. Her story matched the tone of the show itself, friendly and accessible, grounded in everyday experience.
For listeners, the message was clear. Eastern Michigan University is not chasing prestige. It is building trust. That trust begins with people like Katie Condon, who view leadership as service and progress as a collective effort. For her, every student who walks through the door represents the community's investment in its own future. That's the road she's driving on at Eastern, and it leads straight home.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The latest episode of Inside the Ride Presented by LaFontaine Kia Ypsilanti rolled through the heart of Eastern Michigan University, as head baseball coach Robbie Britt welcomed Katie Condon, vice president of enrollment management, for an honest conversation about community, access, and leadership. The drive mixed lighthearted moments with clear insight into how Eastern serves its region and its students.
The episode opened with laughter. Condon joked, "You have your driver's license, right?" before cueing up John Denver's classic line. "If I were to say, country roads," Britt asked, and Condon immediately responded back, "Take me home." That lyric framed the discussion. Condon called West Virginia her alma mater, a place she spent a decade, but said she feels a similar connection to Eastern Michigan because of its sense of community. "Eastern is here to serve the southeast region of Michigan," she said. "Nearly 90 percent of our students are within 100 miles of us on campus, and so we are here to serve the Detroit metro area, Jackson to Monroe area."
Condon pointed to a statistic that shows how deep that connection runs. "One in five of our college-educated individuals from Jackson to Monroe are EMU alums," she said. "Not only are we enrolling students from our local and regional area, but they also study and make our community better." She described Eastern's impact as generational. "You get to see your alumni come and then they have kids, and that legacy connection to Eastern is something that I'm really proud of."
That pride came with a practical message. When Britt asked how she would advise parents thinking about college costs, she emphasized Eastern's personal approach. "We are a people-oriented institution," she said. "If you talk with one of my admissions counselors, Haley, for example, Haley's going to help you through the whole process. You're not going to be jumping around with different people. You're going to work with us." Condon encouraged families to take advantage of October's Free Application Month in Michigan. "Even if you're not quite sure Eastern is the right fit for you right now, applying to Eastern is free during the month," she said. "I would highly encourage you just to consider applying to Eastern, and then kind of making decisions as they go further."
She then laid out the university's scholarship opportunities in detail. "We have this scholarship program for high school students called the Emerald Scholarship, and that is upwards of $12,000 a year awarded to students," she said. "It's non-competitive, so as long as you meet the criteria of that award, you're going to get that award." Beyond that, she credited alumni and community donors for keeping education affordable. "We also have a really great alumni base that gives a lot of money in scholarships every year," she said. "Our community members give money to scholarships. We also have numerous other scholarships outside of just the regular merit scholarships that our students continue to get during their time at Eastern to make it as affordable as possible."
The conversation then turned to leadership. Condon joined Eastern two and a half years ago, in her first vice president role, and inherited an office in transition. "About a third of my entire division is new at Eastern," she said. "Nearly 35 percent of our division has worked at Eastern less than what I have, and I've only been here two and a half years." She remembered being asked what to do in unfamiliar situations. "People would ask me, like, what do we do in this situation? I was like, we're going to have to figure this out together, because I've also only been here six months, and I don't know." That openness helped her rebuild the division from the ground up.
Condon said she takes pride in shaping a team that shares one mission: the student always comes first. "Everything that we do, how can we help our students be successful, how can we help our counselor community be successful?" she said. "We're answering our phones, we're answering our emails. I think that we are the front line to the institution, and we want to give the best first impression possible." She said seeing that vision take root is one of her proudest accomplishments. "It was a challenge, but now it's one of my favorite things that I've gotten to grow and shape my team in a way, and that we all have the same mission and value, and that the student is always number one."
The discussion also highlighted how Condon's leadership extends beyond process and staffing. She brings a mindset focused on experimentation and student outcomes. Her office launched a Loan Repayment Assistance Program, a pilot designed to encourage enrollment by providing early career financial support. "We offered a $2,000 housing grant or a Loan Repayment Assistance," she said in a related interview. "One hundred percent of the students chose the LRAP as opposed to the housing grant." The university later expanded the initiative under the EMU Educator Promise, which supports education majors entering the workforce. "We wanted to pursue this loan repayment assistance for educators," she said. "We have great deans who are excited about talking with future educators about how EMU invested in them, not just while they're here, but also making sure that they're financially stable as they enter into their first couple of years."
Condon's focus on data and responsiveness reflects how she approaches enrollment challenges. She understands that students expect clarity and transparency about costs. "They're asking, 'What will my degree cost the day I start?'" she said. Her division works to meet those expectations through better communication and planning tools. The goal is to help families see Eastern as both accessible and accountable.
She also recognizes how the next generation interacts differently with institutions. "Students spend up to nine hours on their phones daily, and about four hours on social media apps," she said. Her team uses those insights to meet students where they already spend time. At the same time, she knows parents remain a major influence. "We're also exploring how to engage parents better, so they have the right information to support their students," she said.
Condon's leadership style combines data and humanity. She values asking questions early and often. "Ask 'why' relentlessly early on," she said in another discussion. "Later, questions seem suspicious." That approach, she said, helps uncover what an organization truly values. It also helps new leaders build trust before change begins.
Her message about inclusion is direct. She wants Eastern to serve a diverse population and reflect the communities it draws from. "We want to have first-generation students, underrepresented students, minority students," she said. "People learn best when they're surrounded by people who look different from themselves." She sees diversity as central to Eastern's identity, not an optional initiative.
Condon also believes culture change requires participation across the campus. In one outreach effort, Eastern encouraged handwritten notes from staff and student-athletes to prospective students. She said it made recruitment personal. "It boosted belonging by making recruitment everyone's job," she said. For her, engagement at that level reinforces that Eastern's strength lies in relationships.
By the time the ride ended, Britt had done what every good host hopes for: he helped his guest reveal not only her professional insight but her personal belief system. Condon's answers circled back to a single idea: that public education works when people care enough to connect. Her pride in Eastern comes not from institutional size or ranking, but from impact. "We're slowly building something during my time here," she said. "We're the front line to the institution, and we want to give the best first impression possible."
Inside the Ride offered a rare glimpse at the person behind the policy. Condon's work is technical, but her purpose is simple: to make college more personal, more affordable, and more human. Her story matched the tone of the show itself, friendly and accessible, grounded in everyday experience.
For listeners, the message was clear. Eastern Michigan University is not chasing prestige. It is building trust. That trust begins with people like Katie Condon, who view leadership as service and progress as a collective effort. For her, every student who walks through the door represents the community's investment in its own future. That's the road she's driving on at Eastern, and it leads straight home.
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