84 minute read
Conference Session Summaries
Continuity in a Crisis: How Liaison Helped Graduate Programs Weather the Challenges of 2020 and Grow Stronger for 2021
Presented by Jillian Baer, Liaison International; Jennifer Chelstrom, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Stacey O’Connor, University of South Dakota; Rick del Rosario, Liaison Reported by Katie Ruetz, Marquette University
The Transition Back to Campus
• The transition back to campus is a team effort, with everyone on campus involved in the return to reopen all services for students, faculty, and staff.
Many will try to keep some online services available as new processes that work well were developed during the pandemic. Some of these new online processes allowed for additional accessibility for online students and families.
• How do you make this transition work? o Get as many people involved in the process and planning as possible. It is not an easy job, and you need as many people on board as possible.
Supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Due to the pandemic many students experienced hardships. To provide some relief some institutions waived application fees and/or standardized test requirements. They recognized the needs of students and worked to evaluate the equity in application materials to attempt to remain holistic in their review process.
Today’s Trends and Tomorrow’s Predictions (deferrals, budget cuts, enrollment trends – how do you do more with less?)
• Some institutions encouraged early retirement that provided some budget relief but also resulted in a smaller staff with the same number of responsibilities and expectations. • Institutions continue to rely on their implemented technology (CRM and
GradCAS application) to assist in minimizing manual processes. They are also working to reevaluate staff responsibilities if possible, launching new programs, utilizing student employees, etc. • Enrollment related: international student interest has increased due to their presence on GradCAS. Many international students deferred their admission due to the pandemic but hope to return this fall.
Tools of the Trade – What will schools continue to use postpandemic?
• Institutions believe that many of their tools will remain post-pandemic including GradCAS, Liaison CRM, virtual events, and API tools. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Marcus Hanscom, Roger Williams University; Mark Cunningham, Carnegie Dartlet Reported by Katie Ruetz, Marquette University
This presentation featured survey results from NAGAP and Carnegie Dartlet’s annual Digital Insights for Graduate Enrollment Report. Key survey questions/ responses from graduate professionals include:
Institutions reported they consistently use a variety of channels and strategies as part of their digital marketing efforts including paid social media, pay per click, search engine optimization (SEO), and online display/retargeting. Goals for digital marketing tactics include lead generation, increase in applications, program branding and awareness, and overall branding for graduate schools and programs. Due to the onset of the pandemic, institutions have changed some of their digital marketing strategies to meet the needs of where students are at, which include investing more heavily in the digital marketing space, updating or enhancing graduate school websites, changing some of their digital channels, and developing inbound marketing content. Institutions reported goals of developing a stronger emphasis on strategic planning and fully demonstrating ROI. Challenges brought on by the pandemic include many budget limitations, time and resources (staff), and the ability to prove ROI. Finally, regarding the prospective student search, institutions described the most significant changes as an increase in recent undergraduates interested in graduate education, students looking solely for online programs, and students seeking a career change. The survey also engaged prospective students for their feedback and thoughts on seeking graduate education. Prospective students reported they most frequently reviewed school websites in their graduate program search followed by web searches, direct communication, social media, and virtual information sessions to name a few. Social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Twitter) continues to play a large role in how students seek information, yet many did not solely use it for specific research on their graduate program of choice. Pay per click and SEO also remain high on the list of how students seek graduate program information. When prospective students seek information, they are prioritizing their search to include cost, financial aid/scholarship opportunities, program information, timelines, and how to apply. The presenters offered recommendations to work to deliver a great user experience, find ways to differentiate yourself and connect with prospective students, and provide clear and relevant information. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Enhancing Your Global Access: Working with EducationUSA for International Graduate Student Recruitment and Retention
Presented by Rebecca Pisano, U.S. Department of State; Ana Villavicencio, EducationUSA; Vincent Flores, EducationUSA Reported by Amanda Miller, The Heller School at Brandeis University
EducationUSA is a global network of U.S. State Department-sponsored education advising centers that promotes U.S. higher education to students abroad by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities for study in the United States. With more than 430 advising centers in nearly 180 different countries, EducationUSA offers the U.S. higher education community several powerful tools for international recruitment and retention, including: • Student Mobility Fact and Figure
Sheets – Country-specific information and regional overview of key student mobility data: https://educationusa.state.gov/ us-higher-education-professionals/ recruitment-resources/student-mobilityfact-sheets
• EducationUSA Global Guide – Regional profiles and trends, country-specific opportunities, and economic factors that relate to student mobility, with 2020 COVID supplement: https://educationusa.state.gov/ us-higher-education-professionals/ recruitment-resources/global-guide • Open Doors Report – Statistical analysis on international student mobility to and from the United States funded by the State Department’s
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs and implemented by the Institute of International Education: https://opendoorsdata.org/ Institutions can engage with EducationUSA by visiting EducationUSA’s events page to find engagement opportunities, contacting advising centers to help grow strategic engagement, participating in EducationUSA Virtual Fairs, engaging in EducationUSA’s DC and Regional Forums, hosting EducationUSA advisers for a virtual campus visit, and following @EducationUSA on their social media properties (@EdUSAHEI on Facebook). During this session, Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REACs) shared trends in graduate recruitment for their region: • Western Hemisphere o Students are looking for more affordable options and more funding o Growing interest in online or hybrid programs o Popular areas of interest: STEM, MBA, and LLM (Master of Laws) o Opportunities: institutional partnerships for virtual exchanges growing, EducationUSA Fall WHA Virtual Fair, LLM Webinar Series, EducationUSA WHA Regional Forum in spring 2022 • East Asia and the Pacific o Cost, employability, and work experience are major considerations o Several emerging and untapped markets o Popular areas of interest: Law, business, STEM, arts, other (varies) o Opportunities: Indonesia and the Philippines are niche markets for graduate students, especially for short-term programs; Oceania, especially Australia, is seeing a major increase in Fulbright funding; Pacific islands have no recruitment presence; potential for institutional partnerships in Korea; target diaspora communities • Brunei o 10% increase in the number of Bruneians pursuing graduate study in the United States, most of whom are government-funded o Highlight courses that are essential to realizing Brunei’s 2025 Digital Economy Master Plan • Pakistan o 64% of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30; there is a 6.1% increase in Pakistani students studying in the United States o Pakistani students are particularly interested in engineering, physical sciences, business, and social sciences
• Peru o Applications to study in the United States have been steadily increasing for seven years o Peruvian students are particularly interested in the STEM fields or other areas of research, MBAs, MPPs, and LLMs o Government-based scholarships available
• Saudi Arabia o Saudi students are interested in STEM, medicine, or other programs related to the Vision 2030 Program o New scholarship program from the Ministry of Education o Alumni and social media are powerful tools for Saudi student recruitment, especially Twitter, Snapchat, and Clubhouse n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Utilizing Authentic Relationships to Build and Maintain Trust Among Students of Color
Presented by Moises Orozco Villicana and Victor Jones Jr., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Reported by Amanda Miller, The Heller School at Brandeis University
In today’s racially hostile climate, it is more important than ever that GEM professionals (the majority of whom are white) engage in critical self-reflection and take the time to build authentic relationships with students of color. Moises Orozco Villicana and Victor Jones Jr. began by sharing NAGAP’s November 2019 Flash Feedback survey highlighting the importance of building authentic relationships. Authentic relationships are honest, transparent, and genuine. Authentic relationships create an opportunity for faculty and staff to collectively shift an organization's culture toward accountability and responsibility and help it restructure on issues of equity and inclusion. Orozco Villicana and Jones also emphasized the importance of recognizing our own implicit biases. They caution against aligning ourselves along with the myth of colorblindness. Instead, GEM professionals should celebrate students’ unique experiences and viewpoints and recognize students' value separate from what the student can do for you or your program. Orozco Villicana and Jones then shared some actionable strategies for both the recruitment and retention of students of color that effectively leverage authentic relationships:
Recruitment
• Establish relationships with staff and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-
Serving Institutions (HSIs), and
Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) • Present and exhibit at conferences designated for Black, Indigenous, and
People of Color (BIPOC) members • Participate in campus-level diversity initiatives
• Advocate for application fee waivers • Create programming specifically for historically underrepresented students • Utilize holistic admissions practices • Champion competitive financial aid packages for underrepresented student populations • Model sensitive language in the assessment of applicants
Retention
• Create safe spaces by being a resource for students, including studentonly spaces • Develop programming that celebrates racial, ethnic, and cultural differences
• Utilize alumni networks to encourage mentorship opportunities for students • Investigate the role that the admissions review process plays in the retention of students
By leveraging authentic relationships, GEM professionals can help to promote a more equitable, accessible, and inclusive environment on their campuses. Supporting students of color at the admissions stage helps create selfreplicating systems that will change policies, practices, and mandates on an academic unit and campus level. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
It Takes a Village: Policies for Attracting Academic High-Achievers to Graduate School in Teacher Education
Presented by Zid Mancenido, EdM, Harvard Graduate School of Education Reported by Ana M. Casado, PhD, The Ohio State University College of Engineering
Overview
Graduate programs in teacher education aim to recruit and yield academically high-achieving (AHA) students, as teachers’ academic achievement is correlated with their students’ academic achievement.
Zid Mancenido describes his doctoral research, which focuses on attracting academically high-achieving students into teacher education graduate programs. Based on the fact that academic achievement in United States teachers has fallen since the 1950s, Mancenido posits that there are student archetypes graduate programs wish to attract, but many times, these students enroll in graduate programs other than teacher education.
Methods
Mancenido presents a study that focuses on the career exploration and decision making of academically high achieving undergraduate students, and why they often choose alternative careers despite having interest in teaching. His research focuses on two primary questions: 1) How do AHAs become interested in teaching? 2) How do AHAs overcome strong social pressures not to choose teaching? This in-depth qualitative study chose 96 academic high achievers with varying levels of interest and commitment to teaching using academic and residential mailing lists on four elite college campuses.
Findings
Mancenido offers multiple reasons why respondents were not interested in a teaching profession. At the forefront were concerns about bureaucracy in the educational system and lack of prestige afforded to teachers. Additionally, many high-achieving students, especially in STEM fields, were pushed down other paths, such as medicine or engineering, without being given an opportunity to try teaching. Mancenido asserts that particular life experiences can stimulate interest in AHAs by engaging them in teaching-related activities early in the undergraduate setting. Engaging in education-related programs can allow them to feel successful as teachers, building confidence in the discipline. In other words, students who might otherwise be streamed into alternative career paths might find an interest in teaching by being given chances to perceive their impacts as teachers (an example given in the session was allowing undergraduates to assist in teaching summer school in K-12 settings). Another finding from this study was that social pressures against teaching were overcome by allowing undergraduates to develop a nuanced understanding of the varying teaching positions that exist (e.g., teaching internationally, teaching with Fulbright, working in educational policy). The understanding that teachers are not all positioned in K-12 classrooms helped some respondents see the profession in a different light and were more likely to pursue it.
Policy Implications
Citing direct quotes from his study respondents, Mancenido offers the following policy suggestions: 1.Graduate programs should develop more outreach programs to give AHAs teaching experience and show them they can be successful as teachers. 2.Graduate programs should facilitate more social connections between
AHAs with emerging interests in teaching and AHAs who are already committed to the profession. Study respondents expressed concerns about not knowing any teachers and facing a lack of community. 3.Graduate programs should partner with undergraduate programs to expand offerings and garner faculty support. n
NAGAP Chapters
Join or Start a Chapter Today!
For those of you looking to get more involved with NAGAP, your local chapter is a great place to start. Chapters provide a wonderful opportunity to network, to participate in regional workshops and conferences, and to assume leadership positions. They are also a great resource for learning more about GEM, especially if you are unable to attend the GEM Summit.
NAGAP has eight regional U.S. chapters, one international chapter, and two special interest chapters. To find out which chapter your state is a member of, visit NAGAP’s Chapters page. Here you will find contact information for each chapter president, and a link to the chapter’s website or social media page. Most chapters have a “join” or “contact us” link on the landing page. If you find your state is not affiliated with a chapter, you may be interested in beginning a new chapter. For more information, review the How To Get Started overview. Questions? Please contact us at info@nagap.org.
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
What Did You Say to Me? Actionable Communication Tools for a Successful Workplace
Presented by Michelle Vakman, Columbia University School of Professional Studies Recorded by Caela Provost, Suffolk University
When we first enter the workplace as educators, advisors, recruiters, and higher education leaders it is generally expected that we join our respective office teams with an understood set of skills:
• We have to be leaders.
• We need to be able to think critically. • We must be committed to our career and self-development. • We should advocate for equity and inclusion.
• We have to be team players. • We must be skilled in the necessary technology. • We need to exude high levels of professionalism. • We must be effective communicators.
Many of us may recognize the skills above as the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Career Competencies: talents necessary for career readiness. However, while the list is certainly key in our understanding of the efficacious modern day workplace, it is this writer’s opinion that there is one in particular among the eight that holds the key to strengthening the rest: communication.
Enter into this career space presenter Michelle Vakman, who guided session attendees through a conversation about how GEM professionals can learn and utilize actionable communication tools and styles in order to foster strong relationships, build trust, and create an environment of efficiency and equity in the workplace. Vakman took summit participants through the four communication styles and their corresponding colors: • The Dictator/Director (RED) - driven, focused, goal-oriented • The Harmonizer (BLUE) - sympathetic, understanding, people-oriented • The Analyzer (GREEN) - organized, rational, detail-oriented
• The Socializer (YELLOW) - expressive, bubbly, talkative, intuitive The group was encouraged to take the four communication styles quiz to determine how they best communicate, and how they prefer to receive tasks, orders, and communications from others. The ultimate lesson learned was that while there is no right or wrong communication style, how we communicate with one another (in and out of the workplace) should be based upon our desire to build and preserve healthy relationships. Without a doubt the frequently quoted saying is accurate: communication really is key. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Stressed, Tired, and Overwhelmed: How to Manage Change at Your Institution
Presented by Kristen Sterba, PhD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Cammie Baker Clancy, MS, SUNY Empire State College; Francesca Reed, MA, Neumann University Recorded by Caela Provost, Suffolk University
It wouldn’t be “a leap” to assume that all of us, personally and professionally, have been asked the following question ad nauseam during the course of our global battle with COVID-19: “How are you doing?” When people ask us this question, we frequently respond with one of the emblematic one-word answers of the over-worked masses: “fine,” “okay,” or simply “meh.” We don’t go into detail. We don’t elaborate about our stress and anxiety. We don’t admit that we’re overwhelmed. We just keep going. GEM professionals in attendance at the summit presentation given by Kristen Sterba, Cammie Baker Clancy, and Francesca Reed were, conversely, encouraged to speak up, share their stories, and provide insight into how to manage change (and stress!) in our work spaces. The session — conducted as an open dialogue discussing strategy, institutional change, and persevering through life in general — was guided by three questions: 1) How do you manage realignment within your organization and keep staff engaged and motivated? 2) How do you manage work-life balance for yourself as well as for your team?
Are there specific examples that you found have been successful? 3)What do you do when you are under major budget restraints and have to make choices on previously used services in GEM as well as professional development? In talking with one another, led through each question and its responses by the session presenters, we found camaraderie and validation in each other’s responses, and acquired new strategies for navigating the current rough seas of higher education. Some key lessons addressed were: • Embracing the importance of
communication and transparency • Learning to celebrate small victories and goals achieved • Scheduling time for reflection, wellness, and breaks • Asking for help when necessary • Remembering that we all are human • Seeking out professional development via podcasts, webinars, and regional opportunities By the end of the session, it became starkly clear to the group that while we come from different roles, institutions, states, and regions, our collective experience as educators and professionals in GEM during the pandemic will always unite us. We may all be “stressed, tired, and overwhelmed” as the title of this session suggests, but we are also resilient, creative, innovative, and adaptable…and those are the qualities that will continue to define us. n
The NAGAP Experts Bureau
The NAGAP Experts Bureau provides members, as well as outside media, with valuable and reliable resources in the matters of GEM. NAGAP members benefit from having well-respected colleagues within the organization who can confidently and respectfully respond to their best-practice questions or concerns.
Areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: • Recruitment & Marketing • Graduate & Adult Student Services • Ethical Issues in GEM • International Recruitment & Retention • Staff Professional Development • Admissions Policies & Procedures and Operations & Technologies • Diversity & Inclusion in GEM • Academic Program Development • STEM, Biomedical, Medical School
Recruitment and Retention
Questions, concerns, or feedback for the Experts Bureau may be directed to nagapmedia@gmail.com.
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
What's the Plan? Shaping a Steadfast Personal Development Plan
Presented by Teisha Johnson, Illinois College of Optometry; Jennifer Kulbeck, Saint Mary's College of California Recorded by Caela Provost, Suffolk University
Any runner preparing for a marathon knows that finishing the race depends upon the creation of a dedicated training strategy. It’s not enough to simply want to be able to run 26.2 miles in a set amount of time. It’s not enough to envision what it feels like to accomplish a 26.2 mile run. Successful runners train, plan, revise, and repeat for months (sometimes years!) leading up to the big day. Simply put, marathoners have plans, and they stick to them in order to accomplish their goals. Each and every GEM professional knows that plans and goals aren’t exclusive to runners. We depend upon our calendars, datebooks, planners, and checklists to get through workdays, pursue educational endeavors, and overcome professional foibles. However, many of us fail to look beyond our spreadsheets and our screens in order to pursue our personal goals and dreams. Summit presenters Teisha Johnson and Jennifer Kulbeck, throughout the course of their session, gave professionals in attendance tools and exercises in order to encourage us to make our personal goals priorities in our lives. Personal development plans can be written, generated via apps, formulated in our minds, or fashioned through a combination of many different mediums. While the prospect of creating one can appear daunting, Johnson and Kulbeck outlined four exercises for attendees to utilize in order to set goals, identify objectives, and make solid personal development plans: • Exercise # 1: Identify times in your life and/or career when you have been prompted to think about your personal/ professional development. • Exercise #2: Identify missed opportunities throughout your life or
unintentional experiences where you were picking up new skills and gaining experience in specific areas without realizing it or intentionally planning it. • Exercise #3: Review the lists and notes that you generated in the previous exercises – consider the parts, check for gaps, and think about what you see. • Exercise #4: Share your plans with someone who will encourage you and keep you motivated. Attendees went through each exercise with the guidance of the presenters, shared their ideas in small groups for feedback, and “signed out” of the virtual meeting space with solid plans to review, revise, and make manifest in the weeks, months, and years to come. We brainstormed. We shared. We made our plans. Now it’s time to run those marathons. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Complexity Leadership in GEM
Presented by Tracy Collum, EdD, Idaho State University Recorded by Kristin Smith, MS, Penn State College of Medicine
Graduate Enrollment Management (GEM) is a Complex Adaptive System (CAS). CAS are changeable, linked, and overlapping systems with multiple hierarchies and individuals connected in a dynamic and interactive network. It can be thought of as messy and unpredictable, and one leadership size does not fit all. GEM handles many diverse constituents and areas of expertise. GEM is complex. Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) is based in chaos theory and can be viewed as holistic. Leaders need to adjust to a changing environment and foster creativity, learning, and adaptability when involved in CAS. GEM leadership encompasses many areas and as a result, can utilize CLT.
CLT includes three leadership perspectives – administrative, adaptive, and enabling – which interact with each other in GEM.
Administrative leadership – traditional, bureaucratic notions of hierarchy, alignment, and control • About finding efficiencies • Finding ways to be proactive vs. reactive • Plan as much as possible so when things go wrong, it’s not a crisis Adaptive leadership – emergent change behaviors under conditions of interaction, interdependence, asymmetrical information, complex network dynamics and tension • Requires interaction with individuals • COVID – almost everything has had to be adaptive over the last year as a result • Adapt to changes in process, technology, systems, and best practices Enabling leadership – structures and enables conditions such that CAS are able to optimally address creative problem solving adaptability and learning • Allows leader to use critical thinking skills rather than make decisions from standard operating procedures • Requires interaction with individuals • Delegate and enable others to do things and make decisions in which they are capable. Guide them and set boundaries but don’t steer the process, allowing them to come to their own conclusions and decisions. • Raising future GEM leaders – if uncomfortable, start small by adding them to a committee. Mentor them to lead the project next year, and explain your thinking and process so they can learn.
In summary, our work in GEM is complex, and leadership must reflect that complexity. Complexity Leadership Theory and administrative, adaptive, and enabling leadership styles will help GEM leaders navigate the complex and everchanging landscape. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Exploring Curricular Innovation Through the Eyes of Influential Stakeholders
Presented by Rebecca Gavillet, The University of Texas at Austin Reported by Ginger Dickens, The University of Texas at Arlington
Dr. Gavillet was recently hired as Managing Director of the Working Professional MBA at the University of Texas at Austin. Her NAGAP presentation was largely based on her dissertation research, which was done pre-pandemic but proved to be especially useful when the pandemic started to significantly impact higher education.
There is no question that the world has experienced an extraordinary amount of change since March 2020, and higher education is no exception. In her presentation, Dr. Gavillet defined a stakeholder as, “anyone who is invested in the welfare and success of a school and its students, including administrators, teachers, staff members, students, parents, families, community members, local business leaders, and elected officials.” Her department’s program needed to “fulfill current and prospective student needs” but also “satisfy programmatic and institution mission and goals.” She shared how she gathered information about what students, faculty, and administrators wanted regarding curriculum change and what motivated the people in the three groups to seek curriculum change and innovation in the first place. Her body of research included interviews with faculty, administrators, and students, observations of five curricular design meetings, and document analysis such as student exit surveys. Dr. Gavillet found that not only did departments need to examine and understand the challenges that face higher education today, but also needed to have flexible timeframes for how often programs are reviewed. It is also important to seek input from the right stakeholders, such as varied industry partners and community leaders, not just those actually employed by or enrolled in the university. While method and theory on this topic were presented, specific innovations discovered in her research or enacted on her campus were not shared in this presentation. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Diamonds in the Rough: Building a Resilient Team
Presented by Amy Middleton, Bailee Bannon Murray; Claire Alfus and Caitlin Plamp, Metropolitan State University of Denver Reported by Ginger Dickens, The University of Texas at Arlington
In this session, the presenters show how they “created, refined, and polished a graduate enrollment management (GEM) team that now not only welcomes change, but thrives when faced with it.” In fall 2011, designated university staff were tasked with creating, and successfully did create, a new graduate social work program. The program became difficult to manage within about five years, even with significant staff additions, due to growth of 304%. Since adding even more staff was not the best option, the team looked inward to examine their individual and collective strengths with the aim of creating a meaningful mission statement, a vision for the future, and outlining a series of goals. By building a strong culture within their team, developing team dynamics to show a shared purpose, and using some creative strategic planning, they built up a support system to drive continued success in their ever-growing program, even without adding more staff. The team uses their mission statement to continually remind themselves, and show others, why what they were doing matters and to encourage the team to continue to strive for excellence. The team even began to make a point to encourage each other through individual employee and team recognition. The team also uses various university outlets to publicize their successes, such as keeping upper administration informed of accomplishments and write-ups in school publications. This encouragement plays a large role in team success and employee job satisfaction. By having clearly defined goals, leaning on each other’s strengths, continuing to build trust, and using a shared decision making model, the team members are able to get through whatever change and growth is happening so as to remain a supportive and resilient GEM team. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
New Graduate Student Orientation: What, When, Where, Why, and How?
Presented by Jennifer Sayre, Bowling Green State University Reported by Ginger Dickens, The University of Texas at Arlington
The term “New Student Orientation” (NSO) has been around for what seems like forever, but with the dramatic and drastic changes that have occurred in our world within the last year, we’ve all had to revisit how we do what we do. In her presentation, Dr. Sayre shared how her institution now handles NSO, and asked the collective audience what orientation is, when it should occur, why we host the event at all, and considered options on how it should be completed in these changing times. Much of this presentation focused on asking yourself and your team questions related to what would work best for your university and/or department. WHAT: Often, new students are already overwhelmed when they arrive at a new institution. What information should be included in the event? Should there be a broad coverage of many subjects from academic policies, to research training, to harassment prevention, to mental health? Alternatively, should the event concentrate on exactly what the hosts of the event handle themselves?
WHEN: Sure, NSO should be held before the semester starts, but before which semester? Before every semester? Before every spring term? How long before the semester starts should NSO occur? Should there be more than one NSO held? Should there be follow up NSO style events? WHERE: Will NSO go back to being in-person? Should there a hybrid option? Where will the hosts be when the event is happening? WHY: Why does NSO exist? Is it beneficial to students? (Dr. Sayre would say an enthusiastic “Yes!”) HOW: Is this a campus-wide event or a small departmental event? Will there be lectures only, or workshops, break outs, and possibly games? Should NSO be held like a course with assignments and a grade or a single day event? After asking these questions and showing points to consider, Dr. Sayre spoke about how she and her constituents at Bowling Green handle NSO. She oversees both a broadstrokes macro NSO and facilitates micro-NSO events in which various departments share webinars showing students what they need to know about the particular departments or administrative offices.
In conclusion, by examining what the goals are for your NSO, looking at what types of technology you can leverage, and seeking who wants to participate, you can make NSO a truly meaningful part of student onboarding at your institution. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Stacey Kalima, EdD, Indiana University; Eva Bachman, PhD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Reported by Jacqueline McDermott, PhD, Purdue University
The inclusion of historically underrepresented and first-generation students is integral for the evolution of higher education. In this NAGAP GEM Summit session, the speakers shared their experiences as first-generation students and discussed methods to attract and retain underrepresented and first-generation students.
Why Diversity? The world is becoming increasingly diverse. This, in combination with the expected decline in college aged populations over the next five years (or “baby bust”), drives higher education professionals to develop new and adapt existing initiatives to recruit and retain graduate students.
How can we attract?
• Engage with students early. Freshman and sophomore students might not be considering graduate school, but YOU can get them interested early! • Connect with relevant state and federal programs. Build the bridge between established programs, students, and your institution. Various programs include: TRIO, McNair, 21st
Century Scholars, and others. • Attend relevant fairs and events. Your university representatives should be knowledgeable in areas beneficial to underrepresented students, including information on research, cultural centers, professional development resources, support offices, etc. • Focus on marketing and communications. How can you use your CRM to share student journeys and tailor your marketing to specific populations? Students like to see others like them represented. It is important to be honest with your campus representation. • Don’t underestimate the power of grassroots efforts. Encourage student visits, highlight current students and alumni, and promote student connections with other students and faculty. Connections are key.
How can we support?
• Don’t reinvent the wheel. Focus on existing programs at your institution.
Partner with these programs instead of building from scratch. • Reduce the fear of college debt.
Identify funding for undergraduates,
and talk about free academic services. Demystify assistantships and/or fellowships and educate on what funding covers. Tell students that money exists for them to attend graduate school. • Showcase diversity in your programs.
UNL has “First Gen Fridays” and
IUPUI encourages staff/faculty to identify as first-generation. Share lived experiences as representation matters in all academic positions. • Advocate for continued support.
From dissertation writing groups to mentoring structures – ensure your students have access to resources they need or help build these structures. In addition to these areas, there was discussion regarding the intersectionality between first-generation and underrepresented students with an emphasis on funding diverse graduate students. The speakers stressed the importance of seeking continuous improvement in programs by surveying students to learn what is effective and developing advisory boards. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Chelsea Overstreet and Marcos Hernandez, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Biomedical Informatics Recorded by Janice Cheng-McConnell, Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Choosing the right marketing agency to aid in the enrollment strategy of your institution can be difficult and expensive. The team at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI) provided a case study of their own experience. Chelsea Overstreet and Marcos Hernandez at UTHealth SBMI demonstrated key factors of a successful agency partnership, outlined the unmet needs that led to the termination of their own partnership with an agency, and discussed what they learned while managing the SBMI Google Adwords campaign in-house. As the smallest school at UTHealth with a limited marketing budget, SBMI sought out an agency partner who could help not only recruit a non-traditional student body but also support expansion to new prospective student populations. However, their partner agency did not offer guidance on how to create effective landing pages for their marketing campaigns or how to convert interested students to the next stage, such as capturing contact information for follow-up. The agency also failed to provide insight on key performance indicators other than a superficial overview of user traffic and could not offer metrics that indicated return on investment. The SBMI team was left in the dark about how their spending impacted conversion. Due to these unmet needs, the SBMI team decided to discontinue their partnership.
To help colleagues from other institutions learn from their experience, Overstreet and Hernandez proposed the following benefits that an ideal agency partner should provide: • Support in the development of effective landing pages to optimize performance, • Guidance during the creation of an integrated marketing communications plan to foster inquiries beyond the first point of contact, • Insight about key performance indicators specific to the institution’s defined goals, • Recommendations for tactics for conversion based on real-time campaign performance, and • Identification of ideal audience(s) through market research, user surveys, and focus groups.
Integrated Marketing Communications
Developing an integrated marketing communications plan (IMC) was critical to SBMI’s success in managing their marketing campaigns in-house. The IMC plan helped SBMI create a holistic profile of their ideal target audience. The IMC plan offered touchpoints for the SBMI team to influence their audience at every stage of the enrollment funnel. The IMC plan also highlighted valuable missed opportunities that SBMI can utilize to further encourage conversion such as retargeting students who did not complete their programs.
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2020–2022 NAGAP GOVERNING BOARD
Officers
President
Jeremiah Nelson
Wake Forest University
School of Business Vice President
Kristen Sterba
University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences Secretary
Naronda Wright
Georgia Southern University Treasurer
Andrew Kim
Memorial University of
Newfoundland
School of Graduate Studies Immediate Past President
Keith Ramsdell
Ashland University Interim Executive Director
Christie Ross
NAGAP, The Association for Graduate Enrollment
Management
Directors
Paula Baker
University of Minnesota
Katherine Beczak
Rochester Institute of Technology
Gregg Henderschiedt
University of Florida
Stanley Kania
Geisinger Commonwealth
School of Medicine
Jennifer Kulbeck
Saint Mary's College of California
Dana Mordecai
University of North Texas
Amanda Ostreko
University of Kansas
Mary Pascarella
Sam Houston State University
Ryan Taughrin
University at Buffalo
Publications Committee
Denise Bridwell
University of Kansas
Dave Fletcher
Barry University School of
Podiatric Medicine
Caitlin Getchell
University of Tulsa
Kate McConnell
Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies
Amanda Miller
Brandeis University
Kittie Pain
Kutztown University
Troy Sterk
Seattle University
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Report, Evaluate, Optimize
Overstreet and Hernandez emphasized the importance of creating an IMC plan that is based on a thorough understanding of the user journey for each audience segment. This includes weekly reports to ensure that campaigns are running as intended and catch any errors before too much money is spent. At the end of each campaign, an overview report should be provided to key institutional stakeholders to ensure transparency and continued support. n
The Exchange
Check out NAGAP’s The Exchange: a social networking resource library to communicate with colleagues, share ideas, and get the most up-to-date NAGAP and GEM-related news. Learn more about this members-only platform and its various functions by visiting nagap.org, and join a discussion today!
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Assessment in Action: Applying Focus Group Findings to Enhance Online Student Programming
Presented by Dana Horne and Joshua Hine, University at Buffalo School of Social Work Recorded by Janice Cheng-McConnell, Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Students in distance learning programs face a unique set of challenges in feeling connected with their academic community. When investigating students’ experience in their online master’s and doctorate programs, the University at Buffalo School of Social Work (UBSSW) found their graduate students felt isolated from their cohorts and faculty members, which negatively impacted academic performance and program persistence. The UBSSW team dug deep into industry literature and found evidence from researchers Vincent Tinto and Terrell Strayhorn that indicated positive socialization with peers and faculty is directly correlated with increased performance and retention. Regardless of the method of instruction, students want to feel a sense of belonging to their community. To identify possible solutions, UBSSW utilized focus groups in January 2019 to implement qualitative assessment of their online programs. The focus groups were semi-structured virtual meetings during which organic dialogue was encouraged. The team transcribed the conversations and sorted the data to identify reoccurring themes. Two of the four major themes that emerged from the focus group data are: 1.Students experience a sense of isolation from their peers. 2.Students feel disconnected from their faculty.
Enhanced Student and Faculty Connections
To improve these areas of concern emphasized by the focus groups, UBSSW added a “virtual connection” page to the pre-orientation course in their online learning management system. Using the video discussion tool Flipgrid, students and faculty could upload short videos introducing themselves and respond to each other’s content. The team also encouraged faculty who taught during the first term to attend orientation programming so new students could meet professors who would be teaching them in that same semester.
Community Meetings and Peer Support Network
UBSSW also hosted monthly virtual community meetings. The first half of these meetings featured guest speakers for specific topics, such as time management, work/school balance, and academic strategies. The rest of the time was dedicated to freeform conversation.
In addition, UBSSW developed the Peer Support Network. Incoming students were assigned to small groups led by a volunteer student leader who is in their second or third year in the program. Student leaders are trained and expected to hold group meetings at least once a month. UBSSW introduced the Peer Support Network to new students during orientation as well as a sign-up survey immediately post orientation.
Looking Ahead
The team is looking ahead to create more opportunities for all students in their programs to feel connected with one another, regardless of their method of instruction. Data from 2020 shows this to be particularly true for the Peer Support Network, which according to Hine “may be helpful for all of our students, not just those in online programs.” Specifically, the team will closely monitor group activities to ensure consistent frequency and quality. The team will also conduct a new round of focus groups to further evaluate the effectiveness of these new efforts. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Strategies for Engaging Faculty in the Recruitment Process
Presented by Keith Ramsdell, MEd, Ashland University Recorded by Jennifer Faunce, MEd, Texas A&M University-Commerce
After a year of COVID-19 and everyone working off-campus, this session gave insight into how to once again include faculty into the recruiting process. Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing from Ashland University Keith Ramsdell said that faculty could play a key role in recruiting and retaining the right graduate students for their particular program. “We are currently facing the same issues: a shortage of time, conflicting priorities, shifting resources, and no incentives to promote programs.” So, what is the leverage needed to get faculty buy-in and expertise? As a graduate enrollment specialist, the first item on the list is to develop a marketing and recruiting plan that incorporates the ideas from program coordinators and campus stakeholders. Once the marketing plan is distributed, make sure it is dynamic; don’t be afraid to change or adjust the recruiting strategy throughout the process. Once the marketing plan is developed, come up with ways to strategize and engage the faculty, such as: having them help with communication, cost-sharing initiatives, seeking out networking opportunities for them to be a guest lecturer at professional student associations or a nearby university that may not have a graduate program, or using gate undergraduate courses to recruit potential graduate students. Institutions can also conduct surveys of why students attended the graduate program closer to the semester census date and constantly review webpages to ensure attraction to graduate students. Also, institutions can provide relevant program-level data that shows the faculty how their program compares to past growth and future growth projections. Finally, create a template and tools for the programs for inquiries, applicants, and those enrolling in the program. How do you do this? • Fact Sheets – can answer some of the most commonly asked questions about a program • Webinars or Live Informational sessions – to capture the attention of prospective students and to ask questions • Postcards – limited design, pull content from fact sheets; keep the information short and informative • Letters – standard paragraphs remove content from fact sheets; quick and easy • Email – consistent messaging for inquiries, missing docs, orientation, etc. Having a particular brand for the templates can also add to the recruitment process because it keeps everything consistent. Ramsdell said delivering consistent information to your prospects and applicants is imperative in keeping them in the Graduate Enrollment Management admissions funnel. n
NAGAP Volunteer Opportunities
NAGAP is a member-driven association, and there are many ways to get involved!
The annual Call for Volunteers occurs each spring after the GEM Summit.
For more information, or to talk to someone about ways to become more involved with NAGAP, you can email a member of the Leadership Cultivation & Elections Committee. We hope you will take the time to consider the opportunities for volunteer participation, and that you will discover a way to become more involved in NAGAP.
The Leader in Graduate Enrollment Management
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Virtual Creativity: Incorporating Virtual Fairs into Your Foundational Recruitment Strategy, Post-Pandemic Version!
Presented by Brett DiMarzo, Simmons University; Gayle Oliver-Plath, CareerEco Reported by Jennifer Sayre, Bowling Green State University
Virtual fairs are here to stay according to the presenters Brett DiMarzo from Simmons University and Gayle OliverPlath from CareerEco. In fact, Ms. Oliver-Plath shared that platforms, such as CareerEco, will continue to evolve to incorporate new technologies to reach audiences in new and innovative ways. Since many of us in the world of recruitment have ventured into the virtual world, Mr. DiMarzo shared that we may want to include virtual fairs as part of our recruitment plan. Mr. DiMarzo shared the following as benefits of incorporating virtual fairs into his recruitment strategy: ability to target a specific region or area of the country, subject area, or institution for recruitment; partnership with professional organizations to reach members of certain professions looking to further the education or train the next generation; branding power/awareness as your name is present in front of those in attendance at the fair and you have opportunities to promote your university/ program through sponsorships; and it is budget friendly with no associated travel expenses. Of course, there are challenges with virtual fairs. It is important to find and engage in the right opportunities for your university/program while realizing it might take a while to gain recognition in new areas. Also, it is key to consider how attending the virtual events impact your other recruitment activities. You need to have a balance of activities that meets the needs of various populations. Other challenges include how to access student information and track the effectiveness of the event, especially for those events that have low student attendance with minimal interactions. Finally, it is difficult to get used to the various formats and platforms for the virtual fairs. Even with challenges, do not forget about the benefits mentioned earlier. Mr. DiMarzo shared various ways to maximize the benefits of the virtual fairs. It is important to not just rely on the virtual fair organizer to lead students to the event. You should market your attendance there as well. Also, be proactive in utilizing the tools that fair provides. Use the text or video chat features that are available. Take advantage of the pre- and post-event names that are provided to engage with the registrants. We have all learned new technologies during this pandemic that have allowed us to adapt and change. The virtual fair is one tool we can use to reach potential students where they are and help them discover their right graduate program. n
UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Leader in Graduate Enrollment Management
Summer PDI:
Thursday, July 15 and Friday, July 16
The Summer Professional Development Institute (PDI) is designed for both new and seasoned GEM professionals. A variety of topics and sessions for all levels will be offered. Professionals working in undergraduate, graduate, faculty, or related higher education environments have also found these conferences to be useful and appropriate.
Session topics:
• Think Like a Futurist: Connecting Today's Realities to Tomorrow's Possibilities • Marketing and Recruitment Sessions for Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced Audiences • Data Collection and Analysis Sessions for Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced Audiences • Legal Issues in Graduate Enrollment Management • Leveraging Campus and Community Partners to Promote Diversity • Roundtable Discussions on International Recruitment, Student Services, Virtual Collaborative Tools, and other Hot Topics
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
The Struggle Is Real! Coping with Silent Illness at the Office
Presented by Katie-Ann Mason, EdM, Bridgewater State University; Amy Mangione, Esq., Albany Law School Reported by Josie Lalonde, University of Toronto
Illnesses such as anxiety and depression, while rarely discussed in the workplace due to the stigma that they carry, are extremely common and have serious impacts on office morale and productivity. The COVID-19 pandemic has nearly quadrupled the incidence of anxiety and depression according to U.S. Census Bureau data but has also offered the freedom to say that we might need support. This session addressed methods and resources that individuals can employ to cope with their own silent illnesses and shared some useful strategies available to colleagues and supervisors.
Coping Methods
Dialectical Behavior Therapy provides methods to target and reconstruct negative thoughts and emotional judgments, which are common struggles for those suffering from silent mental illness. Practicing the core skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness can bring clarity and calm. • Distracting Activities, such as
Grounding and Mindful Breathing: o Grounding involves taking a moment to touch base with one’s five senses, such as noticing five colors. o Mindful Breathing involves breathing in for three seconds, holding the breath for three seconds, and breathing out for three seconds, repeating 10 times. • Thought Diffusion, or bringing to mind a difficult thought and imagining it floating away. • Mental Noting is helpful for those with negative judgments and emotional reactions to themselves. It involves observing the negative judgments and deciding to let go of them. Methods include writing down the negative thought in a notebook restating it as factually and objectively as possible, to separate it from the emotion. This allows people to acknowledge the reality of objective problems and focus on solutions rather than the emotional reaction.
Resources
Individuals also can make use of resources offered by their employer, such as a university counseling center or employee assistance programs.
Supervisors
As one participant commented: “Having a supportive supervisor makes a huge difference.” Individuals with a silent illness can help their supervisor understand their needs without disclosing medical issues by sharing the results of Clifton Strengths or Meyers Briggs tests. In addition, these tests can highlight the strengths associated with a silent illness, which can help with one’s own selfperception. Two key qualities of a supportive supervisor are being consistently accessible and communicating regularly with teams. Holding regular meetings and being consistent, inclusive, available, and equitable helps build trust and a sense of safety. It also allows supervisors to establish lines of communication before challenges arise. However, supportive supervisors also know their own limits. They are flexible and adaptable where possible, while still honoring the need to meet operational objectives and respect policies. For example, it may not be realistic to promise full confidentiality.
Colleagues
We can be an important source of support to colleagues who may be struggling with a silent illness. Some strategies include: • A face-to-face conversation, as long as the approach is to offer support and compassion • Seeking guidance and confirming expectations with supervisors if there is a concern that someone else’s silent illness is causing others to have to pick up the slack • Consulting with the university ombudsman, who is an impartial party with conflict resolution expertise, or human resources, which can assist with exploring options Ms. Mason and Ms. Mangione invited the audience to consider some coping mechanisms that they have found useful in their own work environments. Some audience members schedule mini-breaks to center themselves, setting alarms in their calendar, phone, or Apple watch as reminders to take a break. Others find exercise or looking out the window helpful. As one participant noted, “Nature helps to reset the mind.” Others find online therapy appointments helpful. In terms of supporting colleagues, one audience member noted that it can be difficult to notice when coworkers are struggling when we are not in an office together and only see each other’s faces periodically on Zoom. However, these methods can help us be more gracious with both our colleagues and ourselves. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Going Full Circle with URM Recruitment: Integrating Strategies for Engaging and Retaining Potential Graduate Students
Presented by Jackie McDermott, PhD, and Janet Beagle, PhD, Purdue University Reported by Julio Arteaga, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Diversity and inclusion are drivers of excellence. Dr.’s Jackie McDermott and Janet Beagle of Purdue University share insights regarding their journey of adopting a “full circle” recruitment strategy tailored to underrepresented minority (URM) and BIPOC students. Through their efforts, McDermott and Beagle have discovered and shared how to break down silos, institute novel programs, and develop a communication network.
The Recruitment “Full Circle” consists of the following: Active Recruitment, Onboarding, Retention, Giving Back, and Early Outreach. Let’s dive into each: a) Active Recruitment: Recruitment of senior level students who are getting ready to apply to graduate school. Direct results are often seen from active recruitment in that one will see the conversion of active recruitment often times within the next academic year. Examples of active recruitment efforts include, but are not limited to: conference, seminars/webinars, email lists and campaigns, application fee waivers, open houses, admitted student visits, website/brochures, and summer research initiatives (programming which McDermott and Beagle created to focus on URM recruitment). • Pathway Scholars (2016-2018): Engage URM students in on-campus research over the summer. Focused on PhD and faculty careers, consisted of URM juniors/seniors and was an on-campus program. • Pathway Scholars (2019-Present): Program shifted from a focus on faculty careers, to students becoming leaders in their chosen fields. Cohort of URM undergraduates from any age/academic level. Due to COVID-19, both programming and research went virtual and continued evolution of Pathways program includes more one-onone meetings. • Results of the Pathway Scholars program: i. Four Pathways Scholars have been awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. ii. 70% of graduating 2020 Pathways Scholars attend graduate school (at Purdue or elsewhere) iii. Academic family/network provided to URM students b) Onboarding & Retention: Ensure structures are in place to support
URM students. • The Summer Bridge Program: Paid summer research for newly enrolled students who start their graduate programs in the fall. Allows students to begin their graduate program or participate in summer programming. Cohortbased model that allows time for incoming students to “settle in” and jumpstart their research or classes. • Retention Resources include, but are not limited to: community building i.e., monthly lunches, virtual escape rooms, alumni virtual chats, sponsored students to visit conferences, funding graduate student organizations, celebrating BIPOC talent by giving out awards and featuring on school's website and newsletters, and mentoring in schools. c) Giving Back: Current grad and undergrad students enjoy thinking
about the next generation of colleagues. Encourage them to participate in panels, attend professional conferences, present posters at recruitment events, and become mentors. Students have the chance to showcase to prospective students what it authentically means to be a graduate student at Purdue. d) Early Outreach: Outreach to potential students earlier than their junior/senior years. Reach students during their freshman/sophomore years before they have started exploring next steps after undergrad and showcase the benefits of graduate schools. • Early Discovery Education i. Early Pathways (2019): Cohort visits to campus from freshman/sophomore minority serving students at partnered institutions, present summer research programming for early exposure to pathways. ii. Early Discovery (April 2020): Expand Early Pathways model to virtual programming. Development of “Early Discovery Mini Conference” – entirely online, built cohort and network virtually, two-week period before live event consisting of prerecorded content, chat board interaction, and research poster assignment to introduce themselves. Conference included live sessions: graduate student panels, career panels, lab tours, none of which were recorded to nurture as much of an authentic environment as possible. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Formative Feedback to Support Graduate Student Instructors: Using Mid-Semester Feedback to Develop Reflective and Effective Future Faculty
Presented by Virginia Byrne, PhD, Morgan State University Reported by Kate Negri, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
In this session, Virginia Byrne discussed how faculty and staff can better prepare graduate student instructors to improve their teaching and prepare them to be more effective future faculty. Byrne and her colleague, Alice Donlan, argue that mid-semester course evaluations could be redesigned to provide formative feedback for graduate student instructors to strengthen personal and professional growth in terms of teaching. Most mid-semester course evaluations tend to be unfocused in their format and administered too late for graduate instructors to make meaningful improvements to their teaching or make course adjustments. Byrne and Dolan’s goal is to create a mid-semester teaching evaluation based on an evidencebased teaching framework that strives to understand both student motivation and learning achievement. Byrne and Donlan created “The Mid-Semester Evaluation of College Teaching-Online” (MSECT-O; Byrne & Donlan, 2020). This evaluation aims to retrieve relevant formative feedback based on the content, practice, assessment, and climate of the course. The MSECT includes both multiple choice answers as well as an open answer section following each question set – which prompts students to expand on multiple choice answers. Byrne recommends administering the 13-item MSECT after students complete one low-stakes graded assignment instead of waiting until after the mid-term exam or the end of the semester. Byrne also advises that the graduate student instructors be transparent not just about the MSECT format (optional, anonymous, and deadline), but also that the results and feedback will be used to improve the course and refine the instructor’s teaching skills. The MSECT attempts to provide graduate student instructors with both a quantitative report and qualitative feedback; however, this information is just a starting point for graduate student instructors, faculty, and staff to work together to create more substantive professional development opportunities. Faculty and staff can and should talk through the results to figure out what is relevant, to provide answers to any questions, and to implement mentorship and other training workshops. This type of specific feedback can help graduate student instructors grow as teachers in the classroom while developing their teaching practice and portfolio. This allows students to be more competitive and marketable in the job market. In addition, the information gained from the MSECT can also help bolster graduate student instructor orientations, trainings, and professional development. Byrne shared the link to “The MidSemester Evaluation of College Teaching” during the session: https://www.virginialbyrne.com/ emergencyremoteteaching/msect-o n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Professional Parenthood: Survival Tips, Discussion, and a Candid Look at Today’s Working Parents
Presented by Denise Bridwell, University of Kansas; Matt Cipriano, Icahn Mt. Sinai School of Medicine; Kristin Smith, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Erin Turchetta, Fitchburg State University Reported by Kittie Pain, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
As the session kicked-off, the four presenters gave the audience a quick break-down of how the session would operate via virtual break-out rooms and then shared the four topics for people to discuss. The topics around being a professional and a parent were: • How do you navigate an unsupportive family or office environment, • What are mechanisms for successfully managing expectations within yourself, your household, or your office, • Work/life duties intersects, how do you balance them; and • Should it stay or should it go: transitioning to the future and what we
can take away from our COVID-19 experience. There were underlying themes between the conversations: have a job that you love and have open lines of communication. Also, many individuals feel an overwhelming sense of guilt when trying to balance their work and home lives because, on many occasions, the line becomes blurred and there’s often no conclusive way to pull them apart. There was a feeling that one or the other was being neglected. While there was no quick solution to dissolve that guilty feeling, some participants shared tips such as: • Have a list of activities children can engage in at the ready while working from home • Keep a basket of toys for them in your work space so they can entertain themselves while being near you. When the group returned to the main room to share what they discussed, it came down to communication is key. Control is an illusion. If you’re working from home, keep separate hours so you feel you are going to work. Share what you’re doing so co-workers are aware of your contributions. Institutions have learned employees can work efficiently from home so there’s a hope to have hybrid hours moving forward. n
#26Questionable choice
Forgetting to make an admissions “formula” holistic.
Including the GRE® General Test?
An excellent choice.
Not everything belongs in a holistic admissions process, but GRE scores certainly do. Learn how the GRE General Test helps round out your admissions process today.
Learn More
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Alice Camuti, Tennessee Tech University Reported by Caitlin A. Getchell, The University of Tulsa
Following pre-pandemic strategies for leading is not an option during a period of disruption, as many of us have learned over the past year. Unpredictable life experiences come to us with little or no warning causing leaders and employees to face new challenges in the workplace. Dr. Alice Camuti presented on strategic leadership during a season of disruption, focusing on inner reflection, the role of self-awareness in leadership, how mindfulness fits into leadership, and leadership strategies.
Inner Reflection
Dr. Camuti recommended that leaders identify what they felt and needed. The pandemic has affected all of us in different ways and good leaders should recognize the effect on themselves as well as on others they work with.
Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership
Self-awareness helps build awareness of the impact events and interactions have on others. Emotional Intelligence (EI)— the ability to monitor our own emotions and others’ emotions, to discriminate among them and to use the info to guide your thinking and actions—can be developed. Leaders should make an effort to be aware of their own triggers, how they are managing themselves and their relationships, and how to improve their ability to monitor themselves.
Mindfulness in Leadership
Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through non-judgmentally paying attention on purpose—or thinking about our thoughts—in the present moment, to each part of an experience. Anxiety is not directly caused by adverse events, but by thoughts about those events. Mindfulness allows us to be more effective, rather than focusing on negative thoughts. To make mindfulness a habit, start small (i.e., focusing on your breathing or going for a walk) then keep at it.
Leadership Strategies
Dr. Camuti reiterated that we cannot rigidly stick with the “old way” during a season of disruption. Rather than productivity, our focus should start with employee well-being; when structure and routine are disrupted, flexibility is vital. Leaders can build employees’ confidence by inviting them to share in decision-making, by encouraging them to share more about their concerns and struggles, and sharing your own struggles. Over-communicate with staff (not only by email) and be transparent whenever possible. Dr. Camuti focused on three leadership skills: adaptive leadership, agile learning, and empathetic leadership. • Adaptive Leaders use active listening and excel at mobilizing others and implementing successful changes building on the past. They understand large-scale change is gradual and link organizational change to the vision, values, and mission. They admit to mistakes and adjust accordingly. • Agile Learners quickly grasp experiential lessons, rapidly size up a new situation, and compare it with their previous experience—then successfully apply that knowledge in the new circumstances. • Empathetic Leaders excel at connecting with others—their strength is understanding and sharing other’s feelings. They listen without judgment, affirm the feelings expressed, show gratitude toward others for their contributions, and share their own experiences in a way that builds the connection.
Dr. Camuti ended by challenging leaders to find an accountability partner and work on developing one of their weaker areas in the upcoming month. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Advanced Professionals Roundtable: Leadership and Change Management
Presented by Keith Ramsdell, MEd, Ashland University; Francesca Reed, MA, Neumann University Reported by Leigh Lane Peine, MBA, Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
Fran Reed and Keith Ramsdell facilitated a roundtable discussion among advanced professionals to uncover some key learnings over the past year. Main points made during the discussion include: • Institutions had to embrace the virtual component, learn quickly, and be nimble. Virtual added something to the toolbox that admissions will continue to use. • Going back to basics, e.g., personal phone calls, writing notes, became important again. • Tone of conversation changed from being interested in what we wanted, to seeing how applicants were doing.
We put their needs and experiences in the forefront. • Leadership role changed from strategy and planning into coach and cheerleader. • Leading is not just about goals and numbers. It is about doing what you need to do to support your team. You
need to ask, “How are you doing?” or “How is your family doing?” in meetings and 1:1s. If you are a director, care for your team. If not, care for your colleagues. • Continue to support professional development. Let people know you want to invest in them any way you can. • Things that have worked best should have been common knowledge in the first place. We knew increased numbers of touches is important, but it’s about more than touches; it’s about engagement in a way that is meaningful, addresses their questions, and helps them to know you care about them. • Virtual interviews have helped to build equity for applicants. • Not everyone needs to be in the office all the time. Flexibility will help to accommodate work/life balance. • Be adaptable, flexible, and intentional. • Relationship-building is key in
leadership. Look at networking as an opportunity to do something for someone but not expect something in return. Be genuine, and do not have an agenda. • Leadership is not about you, but about those you serve. • Never be the smartest person in the room. Surround yourself with people with all different skill sets, opinions, and perspectives. • Test and try new things. Start small, learn from mistakes, build on it. Reflect and think about what we can keep moving forward. • Having virtual opportunities to engage may be welcome by some students and team members who are more comfortable and less anxious when interacting online. • Realignments and reorganizations are painful. Be creative and look at skill sets and the needs of the institution. • Find a mentor who is one or two steps ahead of you in their career path. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Building the Team: Engaging Your Employees and Helping Them Shine
Presented by Stacy Doepner-Hove, University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management Reported by Leigh Lane Peine, MBA, Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
Employee engagement, or how much do your employees put into their work and how long do they plan to stay, is directly tied to the productivity and performance of an organization. If employees are engaged at work, they do better work. Presenter Stacy Doepner-Hove provided an overview of what employee engagement is and identified the best practices for building team members' engagement and a better, more productive workplace. An engaged employee has been defined as one who: • Is loyal and productive. • Knows what to do and wants to do it. • Has a rational, emotional, and motivational connection with the company. • Has the motivation to help the organization succeed (i.e., commitment) and a line of sight (e.g., focus and direction) to know what to do to make the organization successful. • Is emotionally and intellectually committed to the organization or group. The level of employee job satisfaction (whether the employee is personally happy) often relates to factors over which the organization has control (such as pay, benefits, and job security). Engagement levels are largely in direct control or significantly influenced by the employee's manager (through job assignments, trust, recognition, day-today communications, etc.).
Engaged vs Disengaged
Engaged behaviors: • Optimistic • Team-oriented • Goes above and beyond • Solution-oriented • Selfless • Shows a passion for learning • Passes along credit but accepts blame Disengaged behaviors: • Pessimistic • Self-centered • High absenteeism • Negative attitude • Egocentric • Focuses on monetary worth • Accepts credit but passes along blame
Engagement and the Individual
Managers need to think about engaging each individual in ways that make sense, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Increasing Engagement: • Supply the right tools • Give individual attention • Provide training and coaching • Listen to employees • Get social • Serve others • Recognize proudly and loudly (but make sure you understand what works best for them)
A lack of Basic Needs Satisfaction (BNS) results in a lack of engagement, or disinterest of an individual to their surroundings. These basic needs are: • Autonomy – a sense of action from one’s own interest and own sense of volition • Competence – or a person’s sense of “confidence and effectiveness in action” • Relatedness – or a sense of connection to others in a social environment
When you can build engagement with employees and support them in bringing their whole selves to work, you will have higher productivity, higher engagement, happier employees, more trust, and less burnout. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Tony Fraga, DD Agency; Francesca Reed, MA, Neumann University Reported by Leigh Lane Peine, MBA, Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
Building an effective marketing and recruitment plan is still a crucial part of graduate enrollment management, but many of the rules have changed in today’s digital-first, virtual-is-normal reality. Last year’s tactics will not work like they used to. Tony Fraga and Francesca Reed uncovered seven new rules for GEM and recruitment that come from recent successes in post-pandemic pivots, along with the data-based insights from trends that are happening across the GEM industry. Strategy comes first – then tactics. Strategy focuses on the why, tactics focus on the what. High-performing strategic plans have: 1. Clear goals (objectives + key results) 2. A breakdown of major marketing campaigns 3. Identification of audiences being targeted 4. Identification of primary drivers, offers, and secondary conversion opportunities 5. Planned budget allocations with the ability to pivot quickly and divert money toward winning tactics
6. A clear method for measuring performance down to bottom-line impact The Seven New Rules for Marketing and Recruitment (and the latest trends that support them): 1. Virtual semi-live events are here to stay. a. Virtual events are showing above-average engagement compared to pre-COVID benchmarks. 2. You must “be on” without being “on all the time” – you need to provide content to individuals even when you are not available, e.g., chatbots, virtual tours. a. Ungated content on general admissions topics is most popular, but video gets the highest engagement [huge for increasing search engine optimization (SEO)]. 3. Deep Content (e.g., long-format resources/guides and TedX-type events) is being consumed more than ever. a. Downloadable eBooks are the fastest way to generate new leads compared with any other gated content offer. 4. Empathy wins over efficiency.
Deadlines and requirements are important, but a change in tone to
“how are you” has a big impact. 5. SEO investments pay big dividends in the long run. a. Blogging for 1.5+ years generates significant increases in organic traffic, views, time on page, and clicks. 6. Digital ads need to be measured to real contacts acquired and bottomfunnel metrics (not just clicks or post engagements). a. Digital ads to gated educational content deliver more leads and are more costeffective than any other type of ad offer. 7. Increased investment in social media is required to compete with the influx of competition. a. Schools are investing more in Paid Social promotion. Paid Social dollars are not going as far as they did a year ago. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Strategic Enrollment Management Wizardry: Incorporating a Holistic Approach to Planning and Collaboration
Presented by Brett DiMarzo, Simmons University Reported by Martha Jordan, Studyportals
Add a bit of magic to planning your strategic enrollment goals by including and collaborating with others at your university.
Planning
It is important not to rest on current successes. One of the tenets of building a strategy for enrollment management is to have a detailed, comprehensive plan to outline goals and changes that you would like to see. It is important to ask, what direction do you want your strategy to go? Once you have your plan in place, it is critical to share with deans, program directors, department chairs, and anyone who is part of your process. It is also important to evaluate and research what others in the market are doing to be successful. Use data to benchmark your plan.
Guiding Strategies: University Level
The strategic enrollment plan that you put in place should align directly with the university goals and values. Examples of things to consider: • Emphasis on tuition • What are the strengths of the university? • What is already successful? • Where are your opportunities? • What market do you want to focus on? • Are there academic redesigns taking place? • What is the campus online strategy? • Are there opportunities in the community? • Are your plans financially favorable? • Are the plans for the betterment of the university?
Guiding Strategies: Program Level
When planning your strategy at the program level, it is important to involve your team in the process so they buy in and are committed to making it successful. Take into consideration:
• Growth and quality of students • Keep pace with professional trends and needs • Watch for the emergence of online programs • Transition to meet enrollment goals without taking away from other formats • Awareness of restrictions resulting in the inability to grow enrollments. • Know the roadblocks so that you can plan a solution
Evaluation
You can put an amazing enrollment plan in place, but without monitoring and evaluating on a regular basis it can be for not. There must be a clause for flexibility and change as needed. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Who is your competition? Who are you as an institution? Make sure to use tools such as analytics to measure your success and failures. It is important to go beyond a traditional time frame and use a multi-year approach. Be patient. Give each experiment a chance to bloom, but do not forget to balance risk and reward.
Update
Lastly, update…update...update. Use criteria that ensures accuracy and consistency of measuring and celebrating your success. Through careful planning, flexibility, collaboration, and constant evaluation you can be a wizard at making your own successful strategic enrollment plan! n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Presented by Barbara Selmo, Lesley University; Julie Deland, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Jeremiah Nelson, PhD, Wake Forest University School of Business; Francesca Reed, MA, Neumann University Reported by Melanie Steele, Ursuline College
The session, Problems of Practice: Creating Innovative and Collaborative Solutions to Pressing Challenges, was an opportunity for colleagues across GEM to discuss their challenges while sharing their experience and knowledge. Eight pressing challenges were identified from a long list of topics. The topics and subsequent breakout sessions included international students, forecasting and data, pandemic impact, managing up, financial/budget modeling, financial aid/discounting/scholarship, student engagement, and yield. There are many important takeaways and noted challenges from the session. In the international realm, there are many challenges with travel restrictions, visa issues, managing deferrals, and the overall workload associated with the needs of international students. In the forecasting and data area it was common that most universities’ models didn’t hold due to the pandemic. A suggestion was made to gather new data points to show parts of the recruitment cycle that show student engagement. This will help support the unknowns and unpredictability in the funnel when discussing recruitment with administration.
In the pandemic impact breakout room, many noted that they have experienced an increase in applications for healthrelated professions. One of the positive outcomes has been the opportunity to connect with students and faculty virtually. In addition, attendance at school-sponsored recruitment events was up even though attendance to general recruitment events was down. The managing up group reported four important reminders when working with program directors and other faculty: 1) set clear expectations for program directors and/or faculty who have recruitment responsibilities, 2) teach them GEM and what the recruitment process looks like, 3) remind them that they are important in the recruitment of new students and why they choose your school, and 4) make sure to have clear lines of communication.
Lastly, the yield group’s takeaways from the discussion included hosting an admitted student day or week and making sure the new students learned about the local community. Questions remain about welcoming students, deferrals, and preventing melt in the pandemic environment. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Delivering Parallel Experiences for On-Campus and Virtual Recruiting Events
Presented by Alyssa Orlando and Andy Crawford, Bentley University Reported by Melissa Sersland, Northwestern University
Prior to 2019, most events at Bentley University’s McCallum Graduate School of Business were held either solely online or solely in-person. Also prior to 2019, the school’s two signature events (its fall Open House and its spring Preview Day) were held solely in-person, with no virtual components. Bentley realized this model limited its ability to engage its global prospective student population. Bentley attracts students from around the globe, with international students from 58 countries making up 40% of Bentley’s student population. International students also made up about 65% of Bentley’s total applications between 2016 and 2018. Bentley wanted to offer a personal touch for its students located far away both domestically and internationally, so they decided to offer parallel on-campus and virtual signature events in 2019. Here’s what they learned after implementing parallel experiences in 2019 and fully virtual events in 2020: 2019 (Hybrid signature events) • Preview Day: 51% of students participated online. • Open House: 38% of students participated online. • Bentley was able to leverage its hybrid classroom technology, with TVs displaying students on
Zoom. In-person students could see engagement with students attending virtually and vice versa. • The team mixed in social live elements to streaming of its in-person content.
For instance, they started Preview
Day with an Instagram Live Q&A with two student ambassadors. Then they went to streaming of class previews happening in-person, then back to
Instagram Live where they introduced student services staff. • Virtual students could enter to win prizes by posting photos of their location with the tag @BentleyGrad. • Since firewalls can prevent access to
Instagram in China, Bentley created a WeChat group to engage with its
Chinese student population. 2020 (Fully online signature events) • March 2020 Preview Day: 529 registered, 251 attendees • Open house 2020 October: 716 registered, 142 attendees • Pivoting from hybrid to fully online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bentley created training materials for campus partners on Zoom and Instagram Live and shot a 20-minute campus tour video before campus closed. • Instead of physical nametags, Bentley created Zoom backgrounds that displayed a student’s program and status to communicate this information to staff and faculty. They also developed LinkedIn backgrounds for admitted students. • Bentley held double the number of one-on-one appointments in 2020-21 versus 2019-20 (974 versus 476).
What they learned: • Building relationships with campus partners (marketing, faculty, students, student services, education technology, etc.) is critical to gaining buy-in and participation for events.
Emphasize that you are all on the same team. Send departments invites well in advance so they can block out the time on their calendars. • Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Students enjoy authentic content, which doesn’t need to feel overly polished or professionally produced. • While their 2020 Preview Day consisted of a full day of online sessions, Bentley moved to a weeklong format for 2021 given student feedback of Zoom fatigue from its 2020 Open House. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Creating a Cohesive CRM Integration: How to Maximize Your Multi-Platform Recruitment Process
Presented by Jordan Wiehebrink, PhD, Bellarmine University Reported by Melissa Webb, EdD, University of West Florida
Today there are a lot of choices in technology for graduate enrollment management, and choosing the right one, or combination of platforms, is complex and challenging and involves a lot of resources. There are many strategies, tools, and techniques to successfully integrating platforms to maximize an institution’s customer recruitment management (CRM) system to support recruitment and enrollment. Learning from successes and failures from the presenter’s experience and applying Connectivism Learning Theory can help guide your own integration journey for CRM cohesion and maximization.
Key Concepts:
Cohesion-unity, connection, and interrelatedness CRM (customer relationship management system): This is the system that manages and maintains information/data and integrates, automates, and communicates with prospective and current students. Connectivism Learning Theory: Knowledge is acquired through, distributed across, and stored amongst diverse digital platforms.
Conceptual Framework of CRM Integration:
Phase 1: Cohesion which includes an analysis of programs and platforms that will be included in the integration. Things to consider are application requirements, budget, program competitiveness, deadlines, faculty involvement, goals, history, specific needs, prospective students, platforms, revenue, and volume. Phase 2: Regulation is controlled by personnel and processes. What personnel (users) are to be included in the integration and what role will they have? Experts, administrators, and other stakeholders will all be involved to some capacity. The three C’s for this phase are communication, collaboration, and consistency. Phase 3: Maximization is the purpose, priorities, and plans for the integration. Priorities can be driven by your institution and department’s strategic plan and the components of the plan. What are the overall goals of the institution, and how can the integration help drive those goals? “Priorities will shape your purpose.” Some of the successes included improved operations, application management, comprehensive data for reporting and planning, and intentional marketing. Challenges that were experienced were inconsistencies in workflow, miscommunication both internally and externally, and some discouragement in the process and the systems. Final recommendations include: Do your research, take notes, practice, ask questions, set goals (short- and longterm), study, and test. Basically, like a graduate program. Reflect on where you’re at, reimagine where you can go, and use your resources. Remember, how your institution recruits is unique, and your systems are meant to help support you and don’t define you and your institution.
Outcomes from the presentation are that you should be able to: • Evaluate your institutional landscape for areas of growth and development within multiple platform integration. • Identify opportunities for improvement within your current integration process. • Apply specific strategies to support a CRM presence by maximizing platform utilization. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
The 2020 Inquiry Response Project Disrupted! How the Pandemic Reshaped the Way We Communicate with Prospective Students
Presented by David Cotter, MA, Boston University; Suzanne Sharp, EdD, and Robert Ruiz, MA, Liaison International Reported by Melissa Webb, EdD, University of West Florida
Liaison representatives and a current leader in graduate enrollment discuss as we move past the pandemic, how will the four keys to successful communication change? The four keys to communication are: be available, be fast and be first, be relevant, and use multiple communication channels.
1. Be Available
• Pre-Pandemic: In 2019, 32% of institutions had a request link on their web pages vs. 67% had application links on their web pages. Things to consider: • Requesting info: how much to ask? Mobile friendly? • 62% of institutions use a generic "thank you for your message" when form is completed • Post-Pandemic: Availability has shifted. Prospective students no longer have carved out time to search for grad school (lunch time previously when working; typical requests were 8-5) now searching anytime, anywhere • Admissions offices had to move to virtual tours, chats, virtual events to keep engagement and interest. More on-demand content is available (putting everything online so that prospects can access at any time). Became creative to provide virtual content to attract students. • Prospects are on Reddit seeing what actual students are saying – you should be on there too to see.
2. Be Fast and Be First
• Students are consumers and shop around. They are not necessarily searching for the best program or program quality but what school can give them an offer first. Speed matters. For example: Google/Amazon/ in-store pickup. We can now get what we want from multiple sources, and this includes searching for graduate schools. Prospective students search for programs the same way they shop for everything else. • 61% of students enroll at the institution that contacts them first (pre-pandemic stats). • Pandemic has created more of a sense of urgency/demand in higher education. The rulebook went out with the pandemic. Students want to connect more with schools now because they have more time and may be questioning their future. • Staff is feeling short staffed/ workday has expanded/no break working remotely, new level of burnout with admissions staff. • What is new normal going to be for higher education and for prospective students? Allows for restructuring/flexibility moving forward.
3. Be Relevant: Being relevant to your audience is critical
• Don’t be generic, be personalized (first name) and relevant (to specific program of interest). • Change is slow moving in higher education; pandemic made us adapt quickly and as a result will have permanent changes/improvements. When we return to campus do not automatically go back to the way things were, for example in-person information sessions/ orientation will need to be special/advantageous in person, because if not students can watch from their own home • Multiple generations looking at graduate programs, and each responds differently to channels of communication (Tik Tok, emails, etc.).
4. Use Multiple Communication
Channels: Increases ROI, conversion rate
• Pre-COVID very few schools used more than two channels • COVID increased dependence on email and digital channels so now how to stand out becomes the issue. People are sick of the screen so a phone call may mean more now with a personalized conversation. • Try to record information that can be said and not seen so that people can get away from the screen but still hear about your school’s admissions and programs. • Have seen an increase in print/direct mail (making a comeback!). Wrap-up • Don’t have to revert back to pre-COVID operations (ex. information sessions) • Liaison will be doing a new inquiry response project (e.g., secret shopper) this fall and will share with NAGAP in 2022. This is looking at several institution’s inquiry forms and how quickly they respond, the channels used, and how relevant the communication is for prospective students. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
The State of Graduate Program Marketing and Enrollment
Presented by Stephanie Franks-Helwich, EdD, and Travis Coufal, PsyD, EducationDynamics; Kristen Sterba, PhD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Reported by Nanett A. Rojas, MEd, Florida International University
One hundred self-reported survey results were received during December 2019/ January 2020. Travis Coufal, director of enrollment and student support, indicated that 80% of respondents were full-time employees, 24% made first contact through website form, and 23% were stealth applicants. Many plan to start their education within eight weeks of first contact so it's important to be responsive early on. Kristen Sterba indicated that patterns of marketing recruitment showed 99% of those surveyed relied heavily on emails and that there is a lack of robust strategies. She believes it is best to use multiple channels (livechat, texting, social media) and have a personalized outreach strategy. Respondents were asked if they have inquiries sent to a shared inbox: nearly 50% do versus having individual staff members receive inquiries. When asked if universities were using texting as a strategy the survey found that nearly 60% did not. Yet there is a 300% conversion rate when a texting element is used!
Coufal underscored the need to have a comprehensive contact strategy. Awareness Stage → Consideration Stage → Decision Stage Things to consider: • Cadence: How often and how quickly are you responding? Highly motivated students expect a quick response. • Messaging: How effectively are you getting what students need to know across? • Medium: Are you using text, email, phone, or all three? • Calls to Action: Are you giving prospective students different methods to indicate interest? • Goals: Be sure to define clear milestones along the way and measure against these to identify what is and is not working. • Make sure to align staffing with the demands of a non-traditional audience. For instance, have staff available in evenings to conduct outreach to working professionals during times that are more convenient to them. Be persistent with phone calls even if they do not answer; leave a message as they will receive content that can help inform their decisions.
Contacting students quickly matters, since 61% of students enroll at the school that responds first! • In an age of instant gratification, expect more on-demand mentality—standard is 24-hour turnaround.
Best Practice Strategies • Plan and measure to determine success rate of methods you use. • Embrace change when needed. • Train staff to optimize first impressions. • When it comes to gaining opt-in permissions from applicants and whether institutions followed state/ federal regulations respondents were less sure of their adherence. Yet how compliance is handled is important to consider. • Strive for a minimum of 50% conversion from inquiries. Key Takeaways 1) Develop a strong contact strategy. 2) Start with measurements. 3) Treat prospective students with respect to their data and privacy. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
We Asked, You Answered: Longitudinal Survey Results from Graduate Enrollment Professionals
Presented by Keith Ramsdell, MEd, Ashland University; Donald A. Resnick, MBA, Global Higher Education Consultant; Pamela Kiecker Royall, PhD, EAB Reported by Nanett A. Rojas, MEd, Florida International University
As a result of a partnership between NAGAP and EAB several flash polls were conducted during the past year to determine effects of COVID and its impact on the graduate community. EAB helped synthesize data collected in hopes it will inform future policy decisions.
There were a total of 975 unique contributions to various polls; 63% came from NAGAP membership. The first poll took place September/ October 2020 and focused on COVID effects and university responses. There were a total of 468 respondents with 51% from private versus 49% from public institutions. Pre-COVID 70% were on- campus/online, 26% on-campus only and 5% online only. The second poll took place October/ November 2020 and focused on perceptions of value with 424 contributors.
The third poll had fewer respondents (350) and focused on enrollment metrics/diversity, whereas the fourth poll conducted in February/March 2021 focused on mental health and wellness with 369 contributors. The final poll revisited the effects of COVID.
The initial poll showed changes in strategies occurred. For instance, 81% added virtual events, 57% increased personalized outreach, 60% relaxed admissions requirements and 52% offered deferred admissions.
Resnick noted that phone calls significantly increased with universities changing their caller ID to show university affiliation (helping pick-up rates). Ramsdell underscored that “going back to basics was essential” as students wanted reassurance in an unknown environment. He believes this increased engagement will continue even after COVID due to its importance. Some programmatic changes due to COVID-19 were 60% expanding fully online options, and 18% canceling low enrollment programs. By March 2021 56% waived testing requirements and 32% accepted unofficial transcripts. Resnick, quoting Churchill, “never let a crisis go to waste”, emphasized that this could be an opportunity given future budgetary constraints. He said institutions should leverage information to improve current practices. Dr. Royall provided data from the first poll showing respondents were most satisfied with support services, tech support, and student access to online courses, but least satisfied with the handling of international students, graduation plans, and staff training. As a longitudinal study with important findings from a wide cross section of higher education professionals, I would highly recommend you review the findings for insights on both student and practitioner behavior as this could help inform future decisions at your institution. Additional details on results can be found at eab.com/research/studentsuccess/resource/equity-in-education. NAGAP/EAB cooperation will continue with an upcoming release of a white paper as well as additional flash polls related to the GEM community. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
A Social Science Approach to GEM: Strategic Growth Through Data, Technology, and Surveying
Presented by Nicole Hall, PhD, School of the Art Institute of Chicago Reported by Safia Nathoo, University of Calgary
With the changing graduate admission landscape due to many socioeconomic factors, institutions are looking to understand how they can strategically recruit and market to potential applicants. In this presentation, Dr. Nicole Hall explored how social geography provides key information to engage and identify relevant prospective student populations as well as project trends. Dr. Hall focused on surveying and mapping and emphasized collecting reliable, valuable, and accurate data. She recommended understanding data objectives, using methodologies with complementary strengths and no overlapping weaknesses, determining how data is collected, and identifying limitations. First, institutional data should be reviewed. Then, gaps can be identified and, avoiding data collection redundancy, student survey participation increased for more complete data. Three traditional methodologies to locate comparative data were discussed: 1. Sequential Explanatory Design— first reviews qualitative data and subsequently uses interviews from a representational group to provide a story for context. 2. Sequential Exploratory Design— begins with qualitative data to provide a rich, contextual story from a wide number of surveys. Then, trends are researched according to the identified groups. 3. Concurrent Triangulation Design—concurrently reviews and separately evaluates quantitative and qualitative data. Afterwards, the studies are correlated.
Student information datasets can be enhanced by adding external information layers for predictive purposes. The GSS Data and the U.S. Census Bureau were discussed as potential sources. Also highlighted was the ArcGIS ESRI Open Data portal, but Dr. Hall stressed completing data validation as this information is created by individuals. After all data layers are compiled, parameters are built in a geographic information systems program, and the maps will show where there is correlation. Dr. Hall encouraged trying different systems and combinations, thinking logically about the data, verifying data points through spot checks, and including the team’s experience when looking at the findings for insights. Through data visualization, information can be quickly understood and provide a compelling way to create buy-in from decision makers. Dr. Hall provided examples of presenting static data (line, real time number, pie, gauge, and maps) and common products for dynamic data (Microsoft Power BI, Domo, Tableau, Qlik, and Thoughtspot). She also highlighted Best Practices in Data Visualization that strengthens data presentation. Dr. Hall recommended the following resources to continue social geography learning: • Free GIS software: ArcGIS, QGIS, gVSIG, Whitebox GAT, SAGA GIS, GRASS GIS, Map Window • External layer sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Arc-ESRI open data, Open Street Map, Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), Terra Populous, General Social Survey (GSS) • The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics (by Tim Harford) • The Visualisation of Spatial Social Structure (by Danny Dorling) • Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences: Investigating Space and Place (S.J. Steinberg) • ESRIWhere Next - www.esri.com/ about/newsroom/publications/ wherenext/ • GIS Lounge - www.gislounge.com • American Association of Geographers - https://community. aag.org/home • Take a GIS certificate program (focus on urban spatial analysis statistics) • Connect with social geographer faculty within your institution or attend conferences n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Entering into a New GEM Role: Learning from Others in the Same Position
Presented by Amber Dworek, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Kittie Pain, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania; Sueann Robbins, York College of Pennsylvania Reported by Jennifer Kiger Chapman, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Bryan School of Business & Economics
At some point in their professional journeys, almost all GEM professionals find themselves in a new or transitioning role. These changes can present unique challenges as well as create opportunities that savvy individuals can take advantage of. In this session, three GEM professionals shared their strategies for navigating their first year in leadership positions while addressing the needs of their institutions.
All three GEM professionals were from similar-sized institutions, however their graduate education structures and models varied. Additionally, two of the panelists were entering newly-created positions which also dictated their initial priorities. Within their first 90 days, all three panelists emphasized the importance of investing time in building relationships. Their target populations ranged from individual graduate program staff and faculty, administrative directors and deans, and service partners that they were reliant on during the foundational phase of their role. Meeting with and establishing a rapport with partners is crucial to a successful transition. Ms. Pain shared that a helpful tool she utilized was setting aside time at the beginning of each meeting to share something about herself and asking questions of her partners. This created a sense of personal connection and demonstrated an investment in their shared future.
At 180 days, GEM professionals in new roles are often expected to be able to demonstrate their accomplishments which is why all three panelists emphasized that “putting your plans on paper is important.” The new initiatives that were shared include: • The development of an early admission program which created a new internal pipeline of undergraduate students entering graduate programs • The formation of a team of graduate liaisons within the offices of service providers across campus such as marketing and communications • The creation of an alumni ambassador program to expand the office’s outreach capacity When faced with challenges, the panelists relied on their ingenuity and the partner relationships that they invested in during their early days in the position:
• When tasked with garnering buy-in from graduate program faculty partners, Ms. Dworek created tools designed to assist and add value to their graduate programs. • When the printed flyers and handouts used by Ms. Pain became out-dated, she engaged the marketing department to create digital assets that could be shared virtually with prospective students and partners. • And when the new CRM system that Ms. Robbins was planning to use for recruitment was not developed by the time she needed it, she began by implementing the more basic elements until it was fully built out. In closing, all three panelists shared their advice for success in transitioning to a new GEM position: 1. Focus on relationship-building from Day 1. 2. Document everything you do. 3. Ask for what you need. 4. Stay involved with professional organizations. 5. Participate in activities and initiatives outside of your area of campus. n
CONFERENCE SESSION SUMMARIES
Think Globally, Act Virtually: Recruitment and Admissions during the Pandemic
Presented by G. David Beasley and Lori Filippo, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Graduate School Reported by Jennifer Kiger Chapman, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Bryan School of Business & Economics
Prior to the pandemic, UNLV’s graduate school office hosted several large, in-person recruitment events throughout the year, drawing attention and attendance from primarily local audiences. When restrictions on in-person gatherings were announced, they lost the ability to host in-person events, and the office was pushed to adapt and innovate in order to meet their enrollment goals. The team at UNLV recognized that their applicants were mostly first-generation students with many questions about the admissions process. To address this need and the differences in application timing, UNLV designed a series of virtual events and touchpoints as well as a themed cycle of events which helped to provide information to their prospective students in the right order at the best possible time. Their virtual event offerings included: • Graduate School 101 & Paying for Graduate School • UNLV Graduate School
Applications 201 • Virtual Drop-In Sessions • International 101 • Program-Specific Events • Admitted Student Events
By following a cycle for the event series and varying the session times, UNLV was able to provide synchronous virtual events on a variety of days and times which met the needs of their diverse audience. The following is an example of the cycle they used: • Week 1 - Afternoon Sessions: Grad 101 (Monday), UNLV 201 (Wednesday) • Week 2 - Evening Sessions: Grad 101 (Tuesday), UNLV 201 (Thursday) • Week 3 - Drop-In Sessions: One afternoon and one evening • Week 4 - Saturday Morning Session: Grad 101 and UNLV 201 These innovative virtual events allowed UNLV to quadruple their event offerings and provide content on a variety of topics. Additionally, the graduate school saw a 3% increase in new applications and a 6% increase in new graduate student enrollment for the Fall 2020 semester. In addition to these benefits, the school also recognized the following advantages of virtual events: • Hosted more personalized discussions with prospective students • Eliminated geographic barriers created by in-person event offerings • Fostered improved graduate program relationships • Allowed attendance by last-minute registrants • Higher event attendance with improved participant ratings They plan to continue offering virtual events in addition to their in-person events. n
