RALEIGH — Campbell Law School Registrar Dr. Connie Shipman Newsome has begun her term as president for the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO).
Newsome joined Campbell Law in June 2014 and has brought a wealth of experience in higher education. As registrar she oversees, manages and coordinates all student records, registration, grade reporting and transcripts.
A community of her peers chose Newsome for the national role, which she will serve through the 2028 cycle. Her term with AACRAO began this spring at the annual conference in Seattle.
“It’s an honor to be chosen to help lead such an incredible organization,” Newsome said. “I’m excited to continue my service on the Board as the organization advocates for a broad range of diverse learners at diverse institutions, all married to the same goal of providing the critical and necessary support for learners to complete their studies with some level of credential.”
Newsome also sits on the National Network of Law School Officers (NNLSO), which each year awards three first-time attendee grants that helps attendees with expenses to attend the AACRAO annual meeting.
“The only major request we have for recipients is that they provide a summary of their experience, focusing on how the grant has benefited their career,” Newsome said.
A grant recipient who attended the meeting in Seattle said a session with a Campbell connection, “Advocating for College Learners: Examining Administrative Policies that Limit Access and Equity,” was particularly impactful.
That session’s presenters were Campbell Law’s M. Vanessa Jackson, associate registrar; and Meredith Chilausky, director, Academic Success and Accessibility; as well as, David Williams, who is registrar for the N.C. Central University School of Law.
“I attended as many sessions as I could at AACRAO, but the NNSLO-related sessions were especially helpful to me,” the attendee said. “One common theme that came out of the discussion at this session was how we can support students who need extra classroom and exam support through accommodations.
“It was helpful to hear from other institutions about how they do this and the overall volume of students other institutions have,” the attendee said.
AACRAO is a nonprofit, voluntary, professional association of more than11,000 higher education professionals who represent some 2,600 institutions in more than 40 countries. Its mission is to provide professional development, guidelines and voluntary standards to be used by higher education officials regarding the best practices in records management, admissions, enrollment management, administrative information technology and student services. AACRAO represents institutions in every part of the higher education community, from large public institutions to small, private liberal arts colleges.
The association promotes the well-being and advancement of professionals in the higher education community by engaging members in the collaborative pursuit of excellence in admissions, registration and enrollment services. The association provides relevant programs, professional development tools and information resources necessary to chart the course for professional success.
In 2021, Newsome was elected as vice president-at-large for a three-year term for AACRAO that began at the annual conference in April 2022. During her career, Newsome has also served as a graduate program liaison and program support associate at East Carolina University, project coordinator for Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County, a consultant to the Washington County Child Advocacy Council, program director for the Bertie County Partnership for Children and adjunct professor at Martin Community College. Newsome holds a B.S. and M.P.A. from East Carolina University. She completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in June 2013.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 5,000 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2026, Campbell Law will celebrate 50 years of graduating legal leaders and 17 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.