Armbrecht Appointed SLU's First Senior Advisor to the President for Strategic Growth
SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., has appointed Associate Provost Eric Armbrecht, Ph.D., as the University’s first senior advisor to the president for strategic growth, effective December 1, 2023.
In his new role, Armbrecht will oversee university-wide efforts to grow revenue and expand the reach of Saint Louis University’s educational mission. He will collaborate with leaders across campus to identify new areas for investment and explore new partnerships with other universities.
“Over the next few years, it is critical that SLU sustains momentum – reaching new communities, growing enrollment and amplifying our impact,” Pestello said. “With the Global Graduate initiative, Dr. Armbrecht led a program that has increased SLU’s international graduate student enrollment by more than 600%. As senior advisor for strategic growth, Dr. Armbrecht will engage faculty and staff across the University to implement additional initiatives that will build on SLU’s distinctive strengths and expand our revenue base.”
For nearly four years, Armbrecht served as the founding director of the Global Graduate Initiative – building new strategies to diversify the student body, increase revenue and advance Saint Louis University’s global impact. As a result of the Global Graduate Initiative, total international graduate student enrollment at Saint Louis University (USA campus) increased from 426 (fall 2019) to 2,840 (fall 2023). Armbrecht also coordinated projects that enrolled hundreds of American graduate students into business, public health, nursing, and social work programs.
“I am grateful for the entrepreneurial spirit and determination Dr. Armbrecht brought to growing international graduate student enrollment at SLU. His work laid a solid foundation upon which the Enrollment Management Division, Office of International Services and Student Development Division will integrate and sustain Global Graduate Initiative operations,” said Provost Mike Lewis. He noted that Saint Louis University is continuing to invest in new faculty and staff to deliver outstanding academic and social experiences for Global Graduate Scholars and prepare them for successful careers in the modern global economy.
As senior advisor for strategic growth, Armbrecht will manage a small, focused portfolio of projects sponsored by the president, provost, vice president of medical affairs and chief financial officer. Armbrecht will be charged with forming a new multi-stage initiative to elevate the University's national and international reputation in all facets of the global healthcare economy – technology, business, ethics, biomedical research, engineering, and social services, as well as clinical care.
“We have so many exceptional, mission-driven people who believe in the bright future of our University community,” Armbrecht said. “I look forward to supporting innovative faculty and staff to design and implement new growth strategies that position Saint Louis University as an international leader in higher education.”
Armbrecht is a tenured full professor in the School of Medicine. He studies the effectiveness of prevention and treatment for chronic conditions and advocates for affordable access to health care. He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Saint Louis University and Johns Hopkins University.