The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of chief enrollment management officers in the state of Ohio. Using a constructivist phenomenological approach, the study was conducted to make meaning of the chief enrollment officer's lived experiences that have led them to serving as a chief enrollment officer at their respective institution. Data were collected from eight chief enrollment management officers from Ohio's various 4-year institutions through a semi-structured interview. The research led to 6 key findings related to research question 1, which was "What experiences have influenced chief enrollment management officers' ability to lead?" There were 8 key findings related to research question 2, which was "Through their experiences, what competencies are essential for chief enrollment management officers to be successful in this area of the country?" The 6 key findings related to RQ1 were: the need to take on more responsibility before the role, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the technology revolution and push toward automation, CEMOs' professional development opportunities, CEMOs being mentored, and the length of time spent in their role. The 8 key findings related to RQ2 were: understanding enrollment management trends and practices, understanding and utilizing data, the ability to lead, successful supervising, being technologically savvy, having an ability to work with presidents, having an ability to work with campus partners, and recognizing your weaknesses. With a better understanding of these individuals, one can learn more about how to be successful recruiting students in the study's context. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]