Episode Details

David Barron, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Texas at Tyler, has spent 26 years doing what every mission-driven leader is trying to figure out: how do you reach the people who need you most, remove the barriers standing between them and opportunity, and scale that impact — without unlimited resources?

In this conversation, you'll learn:

✅ How a peer mentor model expanded from 4 to 46 communities and more than doubled access for first-generation students

✅ Why removing barriers — not louder outreach — is what actually moves the needle for underserved populations

✅ How to use AI tools to extend your team's capacity without losing the human connection that drives real change

This episode is for mission-driven executives, program directors, and operations leaders who are trying to serve more people with the same — or shrinking — resources.

👤 ABOUT DAVID BARRON:
David Barron is the VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Texas at Tyler, where he has helped transform the institution from a second-choice to a first-choice university in East Texas. Over 26 years, he has led three 
universities to their highest enrollments in history by building community 
partnerships, removing access barriers, and deploying peer mentor models that meet underserved students exactly where they are.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-barron-2720122a/
UT Tyler Website: https://www.uttyler.edu

🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE:
Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain Lozada sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization.

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