Recruitment 101: Highlighting efforts across campus

TTU’s overall enrollment goal of 10,000 students by 2005 has been fairly well publicized. Much less familiar, though no less important, is how this goal translates at the school, college and departmental level.

“The responsibility for meeting TTU’s overall enrollment goal is a shared one,” says Rebecca Tolbert, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and enrollment management.

Judging from some of the recruitment efforts going on across campus, it’s a responsibility that TTU’s colleges, schools and departments are taking seriously.

Here’s a peek at just some of what’s being done across campus to encourage prospective students to give TTU a try:

• The College of Agriculture & Human Ecology has seen its enrollment grow by 10 percent through its recruiting efforts. First on campus to have student ambassadors, the college hosts two primary recruitment events, the Fall Fashion Frenzy and the Rodeo Round Up. The college also produces brochures detailing majors and concentrations (they also have one aimed at non-traditional students), maintains tabletop displays, distributes promotional items, and has a recruitment CD. Ag & HEC student ambassadors write letters to and telephone prospective students, guide campus tours, visit area high schools and welcome new students. The college also maintains a recruitment committee to generate and implement recruitment ideas.

• The College of Arts & Sciences has its own team of student ambassadors, THE Society of Arts and Science Students. The college sends attendees to receptions around the state, honors inspirational high school teachers with awards, and surveys student satisfaction levels. In addition, the college is in the process of acquiring promotional items and developing a presentation to show to prospective students. Recruitment efforts are also conducted by various departments housed within the college. For example, individual departments might send letters to those requesting information and visit area high schools upon request.

• The College of Business’ recruitment efforts include distributing promotional items and brochures, conducting advisement satisfaction surveys and having a team of student ambassadors who write and call potential students in response to information they record on the Admissions VIP cards. The college is also working on a PowerPoint presentation fashioned after the Family Feud game to educate prospective students about business course offerings and majors.

• The College of Education recently created a position especially for recruitment, plans to implement a team of education student ambassadors by the fall and is also working on display boards for use on and off campus. The college has seen its greatest enrollment growth in transfer students thanks to partnerships with Roane State and other community colleges.

• In addition to providing information to those who inquire and visiting high schools and community colleges, the College of Engineering reaches out by hosting unique events such as the FIRST Lego League Tennessee State Tournament which last year drew teams from across the state. The college also offers the engineering scholarship exam (ESAP) each spring to hundreds of TTU engineering hopefuls. Plans are also in the works for a team of student ambassadors for the College of Engineering.

• Meanwhile, TTU’s School of Nursing currently finds itself in the position of having more applicants than it does openings for new students. However, this doesn’t mean the school has abandoned recruitment efforts. Instead, energy and effort have been focused on enhancing communication with alumni, attracting greater numbers of African-American students and trying to cultivate a higher profile in the community through partnerships with local hospitals, participation in area health fairs and the development of new programs aimed at encouraging working nurses to return to school for their bachelor’s degrees.

In the end, regardless of the specific tactics employed, it’s encouraging to note that each of TTU’s colleges, schools and departments are making significant contributions to reaching the university’s enrollment goals.

(Editor's note: Recruitment activities conducted by the university's School of Interdisciplinary Studies were not covered in this article because at the time of this writing, this school was yet to be instituted.)

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