Staff Spotlight: Meet Ellie Walton, UNM Online Student Recruitment Specialist
February 10, 2025 - UNM Online Staff
Ellie Walton (left) is the newest member of the Marketing, Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention (MORR) team, joining UNM Online in October 2024.
As a Student Recruitment Specialist, Ellie helps prospective and current students navigate the world of online education at UNM. Her background gives her a wealth of knowledge regarding online enrollment, degree options, and all the resources students need. She especially enjoys working with non-traditional students, working adults, and learners who are spread out across the globe – you know, the folks who choose online learning to fit their busy lives.
Ellie's not just a great resource for students; she's also a strong advocate for online learning. She's passionate about making sure students feel supported throughout their online journey.
A Veteran of Online Learning
A relatively recent UNM graduate, Ellie attended UNM from Fall 2020 to Spring 2024 earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a double minor in Economics and English Studies as well as completing a certificate in Technical and Professional Communications.
When we asked her if she took any online classes, she responded with an enthusiastic, “Yes! I took a lot of online classes. Because of the Covid Pandemic, my first year at UNM in 2020 was fully-online, so I experienced both synchronous and asynchronous formats.” Even after returning to in-person learning, she took every opportunity to enroll in online courses, especially 8-week ones, which, she says, helped her balance work and school while advancing her degree faster.
Before college, Ellie also had experience with online learning in both middle and high school. Her senior year of high school was partially online through Edgenuity, a third-party platform, mixed with in-person instruction.
“Overall” she enthused, “I loved online learning as it gave me flexibility, let me work at my own pace, and often had multimedia elements like videos and discussions that kept me engaged.” The ability to revisit lectures and materials was also a huge plus, especially compared to large in-person lecture courses.
Wearing Many Student Support Hats
Ellie's experience at UNM goes beyond just being a student. Before joining UNM Online, she held several roles at UNM during her undergraduate studies, which really prepared her for this position. From 2021 to 2022, she worked as a Student Registration & Marketing Assistant at UNM Continuing Education (UNMCE). In this role, Ellie primarily assisted students with non-credit course enrollment, addressed customer inquiries, and contributed to marketing and outreach efforts. This experience provided her with direct hands-on knowledge of enrollment processes, student support, and effective marketing strategies, all of which she utilizes daily in her current role.
Ellie Walton. UNM Online's newest student recruitment specialist
Reflecting on her experience, Ellie noted that “these roles taught me how to communicate effectively, guide students through processes, and create a supportive environment, all of which have been essential in my role for recruitment and retention in online education.”
Understanding Students’ Needs
Ellie understands that every student's situation is unique, so she takes a student-centered and solution-oriented approach in her work. Typically, she focuses on:
- Understanding students’ goals and challenges by considering:
- Are they a working adult?
- Do they need flexibility?
- Are they balancing school with family responsibilities?
- Providing clear and honest guidance by helping students explore degree options, costs, and time commitments while making sure they have the right information to make an informed decision.
- Empowering them with resources, whether financial aid, advising, or technical support. Ellie always does her best to connect students to the tools they need to succeed within the UNM community, as UNM has so many incredible resources at student’s disposal.
- Highlighting the benefits of online learning. Many students worry about time management or engagement in online classes, so when I can, I share strategies and my own experiences to reassure them that it can work.
Ultimately, her goal is to help students feel confident and supported in their decision to pursue an online degree at UNM.
Outside of work, Ellie loves reading, exploring new textile hobbies — She’s currently learning how to knit! She also enjoys watching a good show, or spending time with friends and family. “When I have time,” she said “I like exploring new places, watching documentaries, and working on other creative projects.”
You can connect with Ellie and the UNM Online student support team for Virtual Advisement Hours. They’re a great way to get individualized support, questions answered, and to learn more about UNM. The sessions are hosted through Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Can’t make that time? You can email the team at online@unm.edu or call 505-277-9000, no appointment needed. Join the Tuesday / Thursday Virtual Office Hours via Zoom
