5 minute read
Recruitment Initiatives
“Unique students want to come here, where the small class size and Franciscan values allow them to be known as a person,” Dr. Randyll Bowen Driving Hilbert Recruitment Strategies
Randyll Bowen, Ed.D, joined Hilbert College in January 2020 as the Vice President of Enrollment Management . After 25 years in higher education enrollment, Randy was drawn by Hilbert College President Dr . Brophy’s leadership, management style, and vision for investing in the educational programs and career opportunities sought by prospective students . The engaged faculty and staff and the emphasis they place on student success also demonstrated to him a profound sense of belonging and community .
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Not only did all that draw him as an administrator, but he notes it also positions Hilbert College to be competitive in recruiting prospective students .
“Unique students want to come here, where the small class size and Franciscan values allow them to be
known as a person,” Randy said . “A fundamental understanding and appreciation for others, including service learning, is the fabric of who we are … and this is a big piece for families to know that it’s a safe and comfortable environment . ”
Managing recruitment during COVID-19 has underscored this point; the three key aspects of Randy’s strategy—athletics, international students, and removing obstacles—all look to a brighter future . “We have the capacity for an enrollment of over 1,000 students and part of our push to get back there is understanding how athletics will be a recruitment tool,” said Randy, who played football as a SUNY Brockport undergrad .
Twenty-five percent of the current Hilbert College student population are athletes . The gift of the FSSJ Fields for Hawks baseball and softball are just the beginning of the campus improvements that will assist Athletics, which is already an active recruitment partner, in attracting even more student athletes .
“Hilbert College has the most active [in recruiting] athletics department I’ve seen in my career,” Randy said . “Furthermore, I’m proud that over the last decade our athletes average a GPA of 3 .0 or higher .” The planned Track and Field complex is part of the Hilbert 2025 strategy for capital investment, expansion of sports team offerings and enrollment growth, and is expected to greatly help prospective student athletes choose to attend Hilbert College .
Athletics in Recruiting
In the early 2010s, Hilbert College was at its highest enrollment ever of just under 1,200 students. It was a time when all colleges had grown to manage the influx of more high school graduates . While enrollment numbers have corrected nationally since then, Hilbert College celebrated an enrollment of just over 800 students in the Fall of 2020, the College’s highest in five years.
COVID-19 Challenges
Connecting with any prospects in the past year has been a challenge, as it has been for all college recruiters . While both in-person and virtual tours of the campus were up last fall, the cancellation of national and regional recruitment events has driven down the number of applicants . The decrease owes to that disruption, but also to general uncertainty among students nationwide .
“Prospective students still want to know the feel of an institution, which is something our personable admissions counselors are very good at conveying during recruitment events,” Randy said . He credits the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science niche programs as being a major draw at college fairs and adds that Hilbert College is also often a ‘discovery’ during such events .
“It’s hard to be discovered when you’re not there—but to be clear, no one is there,” Randy said of recruitment events sidelined by COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and travel .
For his own part, Randy sees the national drop in college applications as a time for the sector to collectively think more deeply about how to serve students .
His remedy includes relationships—a Hilbert College strength that will make easier the job of Meghan Harmon, the newly appointed Director of Undergraduate Admissions . Meghan brings to the role 14 years working in higher education, including experience managing a staff of both professionals and students implementing recruitment and outreach strategies .
How Graduates Can Help
The ambitions of Randy and his recruitment team are backed not only by the College’s academic programs, athletics, and dedication to Franciscan values . Hilbert alumni also play a role .
From taking on interns to simply sharing their own stories, Hilbert graduates provide a unique point of view to prospective students .
Students from Near and Far
A framework for serving more students is taking shape for when Hilbert College is back to providing the full in-person educational experience .
Part of that effort is the significant planning that has already gone into growing the College’s international student program . Recruits from overseas colleges will enter a 3+1 program, wherein they can earn a bachelor’s degree in their home country then another from Hilbert College . Validated coursework (90 credits) will be mapped from schoolto-school and approved by Hilbert College division chairs .
While student visas are currently limited, when COVID-19 recedes, the pieces will be in place to recruit international students more aggressively . Brandon Moran, Director of International Admissions and Multimedia Productions at Hilbert College, joined the Enrollment Management staff in November . He brings expertise to help the College transform its brand both locally and internationally in the years to come .
Another effort focuses on an issue closer to home and in alignment with Hilbert’s Franciscan values to provide access and opportunity in pursuit of an education .
Transportation
Hilbert College now runs a shuttle bus program that twice daily loops through four quadrants around the City of Buffalo. The wi-fi-enabled buses are available to faculty and staff as well, but the buses’ primary purpose is to support students who are part of the Say Yes to Education program . Say Yes scholarships are offered by the City of Buffalo to qualifying students .
“These students are valuable to the Hilbert community—they are key contributors and campus leaders,” Randy said . Removing obstacles such as transportation, is important in supporting educational and, in turn, leadership goals .
As Hilbert College continues to invest in students, Randy and his team are poised to spread the word .
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