What do you see as the biggest barrier to community colleges enrolling more international students? “Community colleges need to focus not just on recruiting international students but retaining the ones already enrolled. Understanding who these students are and proactively engaging with them creates a stronger reputation and will ultimately attract more international students to that […]
Academics The mantra of “if you build it, they will come” has a bit of truth when recruiting international students to community colleges. “The most fundamental thing that we do is make sure we’re providing quality programs, because the best way to attract new students is through word of mouth,” says Denise Kinsella, interim dean of […]
International students coming to the United States can mean a financial boon for community colleges as well as the towns and cities where they reside. Nearly 100,000 international students attending U.S. community colleges contributed $2.4 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 14,000 jobs during the 2016-17 academic year, according to data released […]
NASHVILLE, Tennessee—When Glenda Baskin Glover applied to college, her decision wasn't whether to enroll in a historically black university, she says, but which one she chose to attend. "There were schools I couldn't get into because of the racial climate of the day," says Glover, who graduated from Tennessee State University in 1974 and became […]
Admissions at the University of Mississippi recently began incorporating language about landscaping services' many accomplishments in mailers to prospective students. For example, they now mention various awards that the department has earned over the years, such as most beautiful campus by USA Today. Others include "You had me at Hotty Toddy," an Ole Miss expression […]
In my last article, I discussed how digital media channels can reach prospective students and build a pipeline of candidates. This time, we'll focus on nurturing those prospects to bring them closer to application and deposit. Whether you are recruiting undergrads, degree completers, adult professionals or parents of prospective students, it's getting harder and harder […]
Governors State University in Illinois opened in the 1970s as one of a handful of two-year “upper division” schools for students finishing their degrees. It quickly proved unsustainable as far as attracting students and providing a complete education experience. In Leading Academic Change: Vision, Strategy, Transformation (2018, Stylus Publishers), the university’s president, Elaine Maimon, discusses […]
On the road from acceptance to enrollment, would-be students stray, often stepping off the intended path. However, led by admissions offices, higher ed institutions are enticing accepted students to officially enroll by using innovative communication approaches, developing peer connections and making students feel as if they are already part of the family. That process starts […]
Standardized tests, once thought to be the best way to compare students from diverse backgrounds, are criticized as being biased and inconclusive. A small but growing number of colleges have made such testing optional for applicants. Does a test-optional policy result in a more diverse student body or improve attainment and retention rates? Measuring Success: […]
Academia continues to evolve for women aspiring to move into leadership positions. Once a career environment that offered few opportunities and minimal support for women's leadership, the situation is improving for faculty and administrative positions, at colleges and universities, public and private, large and small. In my own career path, I navigated through the university […]
