Rick Wright helps online students find their path at CMU

Rick Wright knows what it’s like to feel lost in college. Now, he makes sure others don’t have to go it alone.

Wright, Assistant Director of Enrollment for Online Student Services at Central Michigan University, once faced academic dismissal as an undergraduate. “I was taking accounting, econ, business law and statistics—no one told me that might be too much,” he said. After a reset at Mid Michigan College, he returned to CMU to earn a degree in entrepreneurship and later completed his MBA.

Those early struggles shaped his professional philosophy. “I tell students to think of me like a concierge,” Wright said. “I’m not your academic advisor or professor, but I’m here to take stress off your plate and get you connected with the right resources.”

Wright works within CMU Innovation and Online, which connects prospective students with career-focused degrees and professional development in flexible online formats to meet them where they are. Whether learners are pursuing their first degree or returning to school after years away, the Innovation and Online team is designed to support their success—academically and personally.

“Our office handles everything from recruitment to retention,” Wright said. “We don’t cold call students—we work with people who’ve reached out because they’re ready to take the next step. And we stick with them through the whole process.”

Wright brings empathy and experience to every conversation. “I was the first in my family to go to college. I’ve used stepparents’ financial aid info. I’ve struggled with grades. I’ve been there,” he said. “So when students open up about feeling overwhelmed, I listen—not with a script, but as someone who gets it.”

He also champions the value of entrepreneurship education—not just as a business venture, but as a mindset. “Entrepreneurship teaches you to communicate, adapt and lead. It’s not always about starting your own company—it’s about showing up as your full self and thinking independently.”

As more students turn to online education, Wright sees connection and support as more important than ever. “Online students are often balancing jobs, families and life,” he said. “My job is to make sure they don’t feel invisible—that they know someone has their back.”