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Session 3253

Broad-based, Sustained Initiatives Benefit Recruitment of New Students Migri Prucz West Virginia University

Abstract

A consistent and diverse recruitment effort, planned to reach prospective students on a regular basis, through a wide variety of communication channels, has paid off for the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources (CEMR) at West Virginia University (WVU). The size of its freshman class has risen considerably in recent years, with the current enrollment exceeding by 62% that of 1995, despite a declining pool of high-school graduates in the state of West Virginia. The paper underscores the importance of combining a broad spectrum of initiatives for disseminating information about the college, over a wide surrounding region, with effective coordination across a broad team of participants, ranging from university faculty, alumni, and administrators to high school personnel, parents, and other relatives of potential students. A study of enrollment trends, as well as response patterns from surveys of admitted students and their parents, indicates that the quality of personal service and attention they receive from the institution is often, at least as critical as the quality of its academic curricula and reputation. Advanced, careful planning of recruiting materials and events is, nevertheless, essential for capturing the highlights of the educational programs offered by the college, with respect to both their contents and methods of instruction.

I. Introduction

The proliferation of advanced technologies throughout the global economy demands changes in all aspects of life, including industrial and academic activities. New market opportunities, competitive pressures, and government regulations have triggered a widespread wave of changes across the industry, in regard with both its technical and business practices. The dynamics of these changes propagates, obviously, also to the area of engineering education, since the industry is the "ultimate customer" of universities, where their graduates are to be employed and expected to pursue professional careers [1].

In response to the emerging needs of industry, modern technologies, and changing demographics of the U. S. population, a systematic reforming process is under way in engineering education [2]. It entails not only major re-alignments of instructional topics and methods, but also updated strategies for student recruiting, admission, services, and development. National initiatives for upgrading undergraduate engineering programs in the U. S. include the "Engineering Education Coalition" [3], task forces for "Engineering Education Assessments"[4], as well as revised criteria for ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation [5].

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Prucz, M. M. (2000, June), Broad Based, Sustained Initiatives Benefit Recruitment Of New Students Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8187