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About Mark Butt, Ed.D.

Welcome!  Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised across Canada, I am a higher education expert currently residing in Georgia, USA. My career is dedicated to advancing the educational missions of universities and supporting student journeys. Over the years, I have had the joy of reviewing over 25,000 applications for first-year and transfer admission. Currently, I serve as the Director of Admission at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

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As a first-generation college graduate, I am passionate about improving access to post-secondary education. My interests lie in how universities navigate their enrollment objectives with the needs of students and society, particularly for first-generation and marginalized students. I am committed to enhancing students' lives, supporting educational institutions, fostering socioeconomic mobility, and promoting the greater good of democratic societies.​

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As a scholar-practitioner, my research directly informs and drives my leadership in the field of enrollment management. I have published in journals such as Teachers College Record, The International Journal of Educational Organization and Leadership, Strategic Enrollment Management Quarterly, Teaching Philosophy, and College & University, with my most recent research exploring digital resource utilization among high school students in the post-COVID era. In Seeking Access, I examine how undocumented students experience acute role strain as they navigate familial responsibilities, legal limitations, and aspirations for higher education—highlighting both their emotional labor and the structural inequities they face.

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My dissertation focused on letters of recommendation in the highly selective admission process and was published after blind peer review in journal format. Through quantitative research, I examined the relationship between assessments of these letters and various contextual elements of a student's application, such as school size, school type, and indicators of hardship/systemic challenges.

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My current research investigates how college applicants acquire and utilize information during the search, selection, and application process, with a particular emphasis on first-generation college students (FGCS). Grounded in the theoretical framework of Connectivism, this work explores how digital tools, cultural capital, and familial relationships influence students' decision-making and transition to higher education. It also examines the role strain FGCS often experience as they navigate competing demands between academic aspirations and familial or cultural obligations and is set for publication in January 2026.

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Outside of work, I strive to understand the world through a vast variety of lived perspectives. A former professional figure skater with Disney on Ice, I explore the world through literature, art, numbers, music, maps, and cultures. My partner and I currently live in Atlanta, while my immediate family resides in Ottawa, Canada.

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Thank you for visiting.

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Education

Bachelor's - University of Delaware

​Master's - University of Pennsylvania

​Doctoral (Ed.D.) - University of Alabama

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Professional Experience

  • Emory University (GA)​

  • Pine Crest School (FL)

  • Johns Hopkins University (MD)

  • Ohio University (OH)

  • University of Pennsylvania (PA)

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© Mark Butt  |  2025

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