Drew Richardson
Associate Director for Enrollment Systems
Enrollment Services & Student Success
Email: arichardson8@uca.edu
Office: Harrin 127C
Phone: 501-450-3222
Drew Richardson serves as the Associate Director for Enrollment Systems at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), where he plays a key role in building a more connected, data-informed campus environment that supports student success and strengthens faculty and staff collaboration. His work aims to streamline workflows, increase access to meaningful insights, and create a culture of shared responsibility for positive student outcomes. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (2015) and a Master of Business Administration (2021), both from UCA.
Drew’s career path began in the private sector at 121 Digital Marketing (now Flypaper) in Little Rock, where he gained experience in customer retention, technical systems, and analytics. He joined UCA in 2017 as the Evening Supervisor for Tutoring Services and progressively advanced through roles in Student Success, eventually becoming Assistant Director before being named the inaugural Associate Director of Enrollment Systems in 2025.
Throughout his time at UCA, Drew has been deeply involved in developing and coordinating student support programs. He spent over six years overseeing the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program—first as an undergraduate SI Leader for chemistry and biology, and later as the full-time coordinator. Under his leadership, the program grew significantly and achieved external accreditation from the International Center for SI. In 2023, he also coordinated UCA’s Success Coaching program, helping students build essential academic skills through peer-to-peer mentoring and contributing to improved retention and graduation rates.
In his current role, Drew is focused on implementing Slate as UCA’s Student Success Management System. His goal is to create systems that allow departments across campus to collaborate more effectively, share data in real-time, and ultimately make more informed decisions that better support students. He believes that meaningful communication and thoughtful timing are key to reaching students when they need support the most.
Drew defines student success holistically as the combination of academic achievement, personal well-being, and access to essential resources. He believes students succeed when institutions remove barriers and make key resources—like financial aid, tutoring, mentorship, and basic needs support—easily accessible at the right time. He values the power of human connection and believes a trusted relationship—whether with a peer, faculty member, or staff mentor—can be pivotal in shaping a student’s experience and success.
A proud UCA alumnus, Drew is passionate about making higher education more accessible and impactful for Arkansas students. He’s especially excited about the promise of UCA Commitment and the opportunity to support first-generation and low-income students as they pursue their degrees.
Outside of work, Drew enjoys baking and playing chess, hobbies that remind him to slow down, stay focused, and appreciate the details. That same attention to detail guides his work at UCA, where he focuses on building systems that anticipate student needs, simplify access to resources, and support long-term success from enrollment to graduation.
His advice for students is “Keep inventory of and manage your time and energy! College takes a lot of time and effort and you have limited amounts of both. Set aside intentional time to study and prepare for your classes and don’t concede that time lightly. Make sure you’re adjusting your study time if you’re not getting enough done. You should dedicate enough study time to preview your reading and class material before it’s covered in class! I’d also recommend finding someone in your life who genuinely cares about your success in college and lean on them for accountability and help. This can be a family member, a close friend, a classmate, a mentor, or a trusted UCA professor or staff member. If you don’t know who this person is in your life, find them!”