Faculty Profiles

Gary Ray has served as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Texas State University since 2016. In this role, he leads the undergraduate enrollment management division, which encompasses the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships, the Welcome Center, the One-Stop Center, the University Registrar, and Veterans Affairs.

Under Mr. Ray’s leadership, Texas State has experienced unprecedented undergraduate enrollment growth. Over the past eight enrollment cycles, the university has set freshman class records in seven years, with the only exception occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic in Fall 2020. The first-year class has grown by 63%, from 5,732 to 9,329 students, while total undergraduate enrollment increased from 34,244 to 39,380 in Fall 2025. Texas State was ranked the 35th largest university in the United States in Fall 2024 and the 4th largest in Texas in Fall 2025.

Mr. Ray has overseen the development and implementation of several strategic initiatives, including: a new Future Student Welcome Center, a new university’s branding campaign, "TXST Next"; scholarship optimization strategies, Bobcat Family Portal, comprehensive enrollment dashboards, test-optional admissions policies, strategic transfer partnerships, "Bring Bobcats Back" - a stop-out recruitment initiative that has graduated 499 bobcats since June 2020, and a centralized One-Stop Student Support Center.

Prior to joining Texas State, Mr. Ray served as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, Texas. During his six-year tenure, TWU’s enrollment grew by 14.6%, from 13,300 to 15,600 students, including five record-setting first-year classes.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Ray was Vice President for Enrollment Management at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. Over two decades, he led the university through a 151% enrollment increase and achieved 20 consecutive years of record enrollment.

Mr. Ray’s contributions have been recognized with several honors, including:
Induction into Lee University’s Athletic Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service (2015), Alpha Gamma Chi Alumnus of the Year (2010), Membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (TWU 2010), Helen DeVos College of Education Alumnus of the Year at Lee University (2024). In 2010, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers named Mr. Ray a national finalist for the Strategic Enrollment Management Award of Excellence.

Over his career, he has contributed to 28 institutional enrollment records and 24 record-breaking first-year classes.

Mr. Ray holds a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Lee University. He has also completed educational leadership certification programs at the University of West Georgia and Harvard University’s Management Development Program.