I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming release of my new book, "The Enrollment Cliff: A Leadership Fable About Transforming Higher Education When Survival Isn't Enough."

Since leading the Public Sector Team for Microsoft in the Netherlands, for the past 25 years, I've been immersed in some of the most pressing challenges facing higher education today: the demographic cliff that threatens to close hundreds of small colleges and universities across the country. What started as research into enrollment trends became something much more personal—a story about courage, community, and the choice between managing decline or daring to transform.

Why This Book, Why Now?

Over 1,000 small colleges in the United States face an existential crisis. Starting in 2025, the number of high school graduates will plummet by 15% nationally—and even more dramatically in certain regions. For institutions already struggling with declining enrollment and mounting debt, this "enrollment cliff" could mean closure.

But within this crisis lies opportunity. Through extensive research and conversations with higher education leaders, I discovered institutions that refused to accept extinction. They found innovative ways to serve new populations, build unexpected partnerships, and transform their operations while maintaining their missions.

What Makes This Book Different?

Rather than write another policy paper or academic analysis, I chose to tell this story as a leadership fable—following the fictional Riverside University through its 175-day fight for survival. Through the eyes of five compelling characters—a new president, a skeptical provost, a data-driven enrollment VP, a cautious CFO, and a Silicon Valley technologist learning patience—readers experience the messy, human reality of institutional transformation.

The story reveals:

• How to unite fractured communities around shared purpose
• Why the "shadow population" of stopped-out students might hold the key to enrollment growth
• When to choose values over dollars (and why it might save rather than sink you)
• How to transform resistance into partnership
• Why transformation is ultimately personal, not just institutional

Who Should Read This Book?

While set in higher education, the lessons apply to any organization facing disruption:

• College and university presidents, boards, and administrators
• Faculty and staff working to save institutions they love
• Business leaders navigating industry transformation
• Anyone leading change in tradition-bound organizations
• Leaders who believe mission matters more than mere survival

Beyond the Story

The book includes a comprehensive implementation guide based on real-world successes:

• The Five Stages of Institutional Transformation
• Coalition Building Strategies
• Data-Driven Decision-Makingon Making Frameworks
• Sustainable Financial Models
• Technology as Transformation Enabler
• Personal Leadership Development Plans

Join the Conversation

The enrollment cliff is real, but it doesn't have to be fatal. Across the country, institutions are proving that crisis can catalyze transformation when communities choose courage over comfort.

I invite you to join this vital conversation about the future of higher education—and about how any organization can transform when survival isn't enough.

"The Enrollment Cliff" is now be available on Amazon.

Have a transformation story of your own? I'd love to hear it. Reach out at to stijn.hendrikse@listening.education

Together, we can ensure that the institutions that change lives don't just survive—they thrive.

Stijn Hendrikse is an experienced leader, educator, and author specializing in technology transformation for education. At Microsoft, he led global marketing for educational productivity solutions, including Office 365, and managed public sector initiatives serving government, healthcare, and education. Stijn guided the global adoption of the ISO 29500 open document standard, enabling broad access for educational institutions. He currently serves on boards of technology companies focused on higher education and is the author of the influential book T2D3.