Strategy & Program Design
Turn a promising idea into an aligned, sustainable program. Scott develops the roadmap, operating model, measures, messaging, and tools needed to move forward.
Strategic planningStudent success & retentionSTEMImplementation
Higher education consultant · strategist
Turn complex challenges into practical progress.
Scott Silverman helps higher education leaders clarify priorities, align people, and build solutions that work in real institutions.
Built for leaders who need
Independent perspective•Institutional fluency•Practical deliverables•Disciplined executionWhere I add value
The right partner for work that cannot stall.
As a higher education consultant, I bring an operator’s understanding of how colleges work, a researcher’s discipline, and the practical judgment to move strategic planning, student success, institutional effectiveness, and fundraising engagements from discovery through delivery.
External Reviews
Get a clear-eyed, collegial assessment grounded in evidence. Findings are translated into practical priorities and next steps.
Program reviewInstitutional effectivenessStakeholder engagement
Fundraising Consulting
Build a compelling case for support and strengthen donor engagement, stewardship, campaigns, and planned giving.
Fundraising strategyDonor engagementPlanned giving
Special Projects
Give high-priority work the momentum, coordination, discretion, and experienced leadership it needs to reach a strong finish.
Executive projectsChange leadershipStudent leadershipCapacity building
Areas of deep experience
These are selected areas in which Scott brings especially deep experience, not limits on the challenges or opportunities he can help an institution address.
STEM Student Success
Learning communities, cross-campus partnerships, grant-aligned growth, and systems that help more students persist and succeed in STEM pathways.
First-Year, Transfer & Returning Student Success
Orientation, transition, retention, belonging, and student-support strategies designed around pivotal entry points in the college journey.
Continuing Education, Noncredit & Adult Learners
Adult and continuing education, noncredit programs, lifelong learning, community education, enrollment growth, and sustainable program design.
Student Leadership & Engagement
Leadership development, engagement, campus traditions, student organizations, and programs that help students find purpose and make an impact.
Enrollment, Retention & Belonging
Enrollment strategy and student-centered systems that strengthen connection, persistence, completion, and the overall student experience.
Institutional Effectiveness & Program Review
Evidence-informed assessment, external review, stakeholder engagement, and practical recommendations that support improvement and accountability.
Speaking & facilitation
Ideas that move a room and move the work.
Explore tailored keynotes, workshops, retreats, facilitation, and public-speaking coaching for leaders, teams, associations, and students.
Visit the speaking page →Experience that translates
Senior-level perspective.
Hands-on follow-through.
Across more than 24 years, Scott has led in both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, with substantial work in enrollment management, institutional effectiveness, student success, continuing education, community engagement, fundraising, and organizational development.
That range matters. It means understanding what should happen and how decisions move through real institutions. It also means knowing how to build confidence among executives, faculty, staff, boards, students, foundations, and community partners.
✓Public four-year✓Private four-year✓Public two-year✓Nonprofit✓Education technology
Bring Scott into your work →0+Years across academic and student affairs
0Institutional effectiveness review teams
$0M+Foundation assets under oversight
$0MTotal annual operating budgets managed
Selected institutional impact
Strategy measured by what changes.
Scott’s work combines institutional fluency with concrete execution. He builds programs, restores financial health, expands student access, and leaves sustainable systems behind.
Noncredit certificates annually
Expanded accessible pathways while aligning programs, curriculum, outreach, and student support.
STEM learning-community growth
Exceeded a multimillion-dollar NSF grant enrollment target three years ahead of schedule.
Community Education turnaround
Implemented pricing, portfolio, partnership, and operating changes that restored fiscal sustainability.
Emeritus enrollment recovery
Led a post-pandemic recovery from 2,400 to approximately 3,450 enrollments.
License successfully secured
Successfully applied for the TEDxCLU site license while serving at California Lutheran University, building on prior experience as a TEDxUCR emcee.
Hiring processes chaired in one year
Chaired ten searches in a single year, helping teams navigate consequential talent decisions with rigor, fairness, and momentum.
Advocated, opened & activated
Advocated for a new Student Union, led its opening, and launched programming that brought the space to life for students.
Selected results from leadership roles at Santa Monica College and the University of California, Riverside.
Leadership beyond the role
Service that strengthens organizations and communities.
Board, association, and community leadership that extends Scott’s experience in governance, fundraising, advocacy, communication, and organizational stewardship.
Nonprofit & community leadership
Community Animal Treatment Center (CATC) Burbank
President, Board of DirectorsProvides board governance, financial oversight, fundraising and donor development, and leadership on grant applications.
The Bahar Foundation
Co-founder & Corresponding SecretaryAdvances safe mobility by helping older drivers continue driving as safely as possible.
Inland Empire Against Religious Discrimination
Founding CEOFounded the organization to combat religious discrimination in graduate-school admissions.
Higher education & professional leadership
SMC Management Association
VP, 2020–2022 · President, 2022–2025 · Past President, 2025–presentStrengthens communication among managers at all levels and senior staff while supporting campus morale and leadership.
NODA, Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education
Board of DirectorsProvided national leadership through board service for the leading professional-development organization in orientation programming.
Selected past clients & collaborations
Trusted across institutions and education organizations.
Selected engagements reflect work with colleges, education companies, leadership organizations, and publishing projects.
Colleges & universities
Moreno Valley CollegeGolden West CollegeWoodland Community CollegeGavilan CollegeCapitol Technology UniversitySaint Mary’s College of California
Education, technology & leadership
UnituSwift KickVisualZenThe Perseverance Group
Publishing collaboration
How to Survive Your Freshman Year
Scott was the primary contributing author for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th editions and one of the lead contributing authors for the 6th edition.
Buy the 6th edition on AmazonThe Silverman approach
Listen deeply.
Name what matters.
Build what works.
Understand the real assignment
Clarify the outcome, context, stakeholders, constraints, and decisions that the engagement must support.
Find the signal
Combine listening, evidence, institutional knowledge, and candid analysis to reveal what is helping and what is getting in the way.
Create the path
Turn insight into priorities, a practical roadmap, usable tools, and clear ownership. The result should be used, not left sitting on a shelf.
Stay through execution
Facilitate, coach, communicate, and solve problems until the institution can carry the work forward with confidence.
About Scott
A higher education insider with an outside perspective.
Scott Silverman, EdD, is a dean, author, researcher, nonprofit executive, and higher education consultant with more than 24 years of progressively responsible leadership experience across academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, and external programs.
At Santa Monica College, Scott leads Noncredit and External Programs, including adult and continuing education, Community Education, and Emeritus lifelong learning. Previously, he held leadership roles spanning Student Life, STEM student success, University Honors, orientation, and first-year programs at California Lutheran University and the University of California, Riverside.
His work bridges strategy and service: designing programs, navigating governance, implementing legislation, developing partnerships, strengthening organizations, and translating ambitious goals into systems people can actually use. He earned his doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California and is a published scholar, long-serving journal editor and reviewer, and lead contributor and special editor of How to Survive Your Freshman Year.
Connect on LinkedIn ↗Selected recognition
Work recognized across higher education and community leadership.
Awards and professional credentials spanning student success, research, program development, teaching, and service.
Community Leader AwardEthos Film Festival
Certified Program PlannerLERN, The Learning Resources Network
Exemplary Program AwardNCCET · Certified Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide dual certificates
College Success Book Readers’ ChoiceAbout.com · How to Survive Your Freshman Year, 4th edition
Student Organization Volunteer Advisor of the YearAlpha Epsilon Pi
Outstanding Research AwardNODA
Silver Award of ExcellenceNASPA · Commuter Pit Stops and related support programs
Silver Award of ExcellenceNASPA · First Year Success Series
Teaching Assistant of the YearUniversity of California, Riverside
Start a conversation
What important work
needs to move now?
Share the challenge, opportunity, or audience. We’ll determine the right first conversation and whether Scott is the right partner.
Available for select consulting and speaking engagements