When Interim Dean Howard Grimes was named dean of Washington State University’s Graduate School last spring, he identified aggressive marketing of graduate programs as a major goal. Since then, the school has instituted and improved a variety of recruiting efforts to attract and retain top students. They include:
• Expanded and newly initiated scholarships: Graduate Scholars Program, 2nd Century Scholar supplemental awards, McNair Scholarship Awards, First Year Underrepresented Graduate Students, ARC’s Fellowships, MS/MA to Ph.D. Scholarships.
• Recruiting grants to specifically draw scholars funded in the areas of crops and soils, psychology, engineering and the sciences.
• Aggressive marketing of six outstanding programs to build on WSU’s existing excellence, including development of a new viewbook with information on the Graduate School and programs targeted to particular audiences.
• Minority recruitment and retention. In 2003, 5,500 minority students have been contacted by WSU, and 700 of those have spoken in person with Graduate School Associate Dean Steve Burkett.
As part of this effort, the Graduate School has forged cooperative links with other schools and associations representing minority scholars, and it has engaged in direct recruitment of minorities at graduate forums and fairs nationwide.
To continue the effort, the Graduate School will sponsor a half-day seminar, “Great Ideas for Recruiting Graduate Students,” from 1-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, at WSU campuses statewide. Locations are Pullman FSHN T-101, Spokane SIRTI 317, Spokane Nursing 214, Tri-Cities 224W and Vancouver CL117.
Presented by the Graduate and Professional School Enrollment Management Corporation, the seminar will include such topics as why students don’t apply to your program, a results-driven model to attract the best students, and ways to increase your inquiry and applicant pools as well as your yield rates.
All faculty, graduate coordinators, graduate secretaries, graduate recruiters and department chairs are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Bonnie Collins at 335-6412 or bonnie@wsu.edu.
