Andrew Brewick didn’t have to travel far for his new job as director of admissions for WSU Pullman.
Brewick spent the last dozen years at the University of Idaho, first as director of advising services and then as head of its Global Student Success Program. The later role saw him develop and manage a partnership that supported international students through their academic experience.
WSU’s robust academic programs, its strong commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion as well as student success, prompted Brewick to seek out his new role. He’s undaunted by the prospect of becoming familiar with WSU and its approach to student recruitment and retention.
“Coming together with colleagues to share best practices, to discuss the state of the work and to find collaborative solutions – especially creative ones – to move forward always with goal of helping students have a smooth and easy transition to the institution is what gives me energy,” Brewick said.
Declines in student enrollment WSU Pullman experienced fit within a trend within higher education, particularly for institutions of its size and type, Brewick said. The campuses biggest hurdle was the inability to get prospective students to campus to see just how amazing the Pullman community is.
“Having students once again be able to come and visit campus to get a sense of the spirit and the feeling of what it would be like to be a Coug is a tremendous boon for us,” he said. “I’ve always been impressed that the community is so focused on the university, where the town-gown partnership is so strong and vibrant.”
Removing existing barriers of access is also critical to ensure strong admissions figures, Brewick said. He points to the removal of the SAT/ACT testing requirement as an example of a step necessary to bring more Cougs into the fold.
Saichi Oba, vice provost for enrollment management, noted that Brewick has some tremendous shoes to fill in replacing Wendy Jo Peterson, who worked in admissions for WSU for more than 30 years.
“Andrew brings a steady analytical view to the role with a firm grasp of system and as well as Pullman-specific goals, Oba said. “We are excited to welcome him into the WSU family.”
