Remembering Dr. Lee Noel

Dr. Lee Noel, one of the founders of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, passed away recently at the age of 89. Lee was a remarkable leader who left a lasting mark on higher education and in our hearts.

Lee had a lifelong dedication to higher education, both as a professional and as a student. He received his bachelor’s in business from Illinois State University in 1956 and his master’s in educational administration in 1963, before receiving his PhD in educational psychology from Northwestern University. He began his career in higher education at Illinois State as the assistant dean of students and financial aid administrator, and in 1963, became the associate executive director of the Illinois State Scholarship Commission. His work received enough notice that he was invited to accompany Bob Hope and others on a USO tour of Vietnam to share information about the GI Bill.

In 1971, he moved to ACT as a regional vice president, and that move would set up Lee to become a major figure in college student success and enrollment management. He would go on to create the ACT National Center for the Advancement of Educational Practices, serving as the executive director. After 13 years there, he and fellow ACT colleague Randi Levitz cofounded Noel-Levitz (one of RNL’s legacy firms) in Iowa City, Iowa. The company would go on to be the firm for student and institutional success, and Lee became a national authority, publishing numerous articles and three books, with 1985’s Increasing Student Retention becoming a landmark on the topic. To recognize the important work institutions were accomplishing in college student success, he and Randi Levitz launched the national Retention Excellence Awards in 1989, with more than 170 colleges and universities being recognized over the years. One of his crowning achievements was founding the annual National Conference on Student Retention in 1987—attracting 1,000 attendees in its first year—which continues to this day as the RNL National Conference. We had a record 1,700 attendees at the conference this past year, and that enthusiasm for coming to the event to learn how campuses can better recruit, retain, and serve students is a testament to the dedication and vision Lee had.

Noel-Levitz continued to grow in the 1990s, merging with the firm Williams Crockett in Denver and pioneering a number of practices we take for granted today—financial aid management, predictive modeling, student satisfaction assessment, and early alert and intervention. Lee retired from the company in 2001, but he continued to attend the National Conference for a number of years after, as well as visit the Noel-Levitz office.

I didn’t spend as much time with Lee as others at Noel-Levitz, but I am proud to be called a member of his legacy. His commitment to the company and his passion for excellence became a part of our DNA.

Lee’s wisdom, kindness, and ability to bring out the best in each of us will be remembered with deep gratitude and admiration. Though Lee hasn’t been a part of the organization in recent years, his spirit and influence will forever remain a guiding light, reminding us of the values and principles that define R-N-L. I will continue to carry forward his legacy with profound respect and reverence.

I also asked a few colleagues to share their thoughts about Lee.

Andrea Gilbert, Chief Solutions Officer
“As a client of Noel-Levitz dating back to the late 90s, I felt a kinship to Lee Noel because of his legacy within higher ed in Illinois. When I joined Noel-Levitz in 2005, Illinois State was one of my first clients, and I knew the importance of helping carry the torch forward on behalf of Lee. I remember meeting him for the first time at one of the National Conferences and then again once I joined the company. He and his wife, Mary, welcomed me like family, even as the new kid on the block. We will continue to make you proud, Lee, and do our best to help campuses reach their goals.”

Julie Bryant, Vice President for Student Success
“My father Peter Bryant cites Lee Noel as being one of his top five mentors in his professional life. Lee also had a positive influence on me when I joined the company in 1993. While it is true that Lee made a significant impact on higher education with his leadership in student retention, it is his commitment to his family, the joy he found in each day, and his kindness to everyone he met that will stay with me always. I am grateful to have learned from Lee and to have been a member of his work family.”

Brandon Trissler, Senior Vice President, Marketing Content
“Lee Noel had a presence when he entered a room. He had this combination of being a wise authority while also being one of the most approachable people I have known, talking to you like a friend five minutes after you first met. His passion was always apparent—not just for higher ed and student success, but for his family, friends, and the many people whose lives he touched. Every time I saw him at the office or the National Conference, my day was better for it.”

Derek Flynn, Vice President, Financial Aid Services
“Lee Noel was a leader in student success and retention. I joined the company he co-founded nearly two decades ago, viewing it as the Olympic team of higher education consultants. He built a team of dedicated former campus practitioners who brought care and compassion to helping colleges and universities because they had sat in their seats and felt their pain. Lee was a consummate professional and always brought joy and positivity to any room he entered. Watching Lee Noel and Dave Crockett (co-founder of Williams Crockett) flipping “transparencies” while alternating between overhead projections was a master class in how to engage an audience, contextualizing what was in his brain with what was on screen. I believe Lee Noel coined the phrase that summed it up best: ‘Do some good, have some fun, and make some money.’”