The concept of GISEM was first introduced in Georgia in the mid 1990's by Joe F. Head, Kennesaw State University, as a national certification program for Collegiate Enrollment Officers. A select group of GACRAO leaders envisioned a plan to develop a Certified Enrollment Professional (CEP) career path with the goal of industry credentialing.

• Ernie Beals, Georgia State University
  
• Don Buckner, Brewton Parker College
  
• Bud Dyer, Young Harris College
  
• Bill Edmonds, Gainesville College
  
• Fred Fresh, Clark Atlanta College
  
• Joe F. Head, Kennesaw State University, Chair
  

The initative was quickly adopted by AACRAO and funded for a three year development to create the plan and certification exam. As a result of complications with AACRAO's financial status in the late 1990's all Special Task Forces were suspended and the CEP project was abandoned with all materials tranferred to the AACRAO Washington Office.

Georgia's interest to renew this project has never died. A similar idea was introduced in 2005 and the professional track surfaced again in the form of an Advance Track Curriculum for veteran enrollment officers. The pilot was launched with the leadership of John McElveen, Middle Georgia College, Donna Findley, Georgia Military College and Katherine Sweeney, Augusta State University.

The advance track held at Jekyll Island was considered a success and was submitted to AACRAO for consideration to receive the Elbert Ockerman Award for State and Regional Professional Activities. The program was selected to receive the award and recognized at the national AACRAO conference in San Diego. The award was received by Donna Findley.

As a result of these accomplishments, the GACRAO Executive Committee asked Joe F. Head to lead a new effort to establish a permanent advance track program within the GACRAO annual conference. This opportunity gave rise to borrow elements from the previous good work done by the national AACRAO CEP Task Force and establish the GACRAO Institute for Strategic Enrollment Management (GISEM).

The objective of this Institute is to provide advance track sessions for the veteran GACRAO membership and to offer an optional career path certificate for both veterans and younger members who wish to complete a prescribed curriculum and gain a GACRAO Registry endorsement.