Student Marketing Proposal
Submitted to the Board of Trustees
One Day before the Decision to Make Wells Co-Ed
Dear Trustees,
Understanding that a steadily declining enrollment and the financial viability of Wells are primary reasons that you are considering a transition to co-education, we, as students dedicated to both the sustainability of the college and to women’s education request that the Board review the following proposals before reaching a final decision.
In the past few months, tremendous student energy has developed around collaborating with the college administration and, specifically, the Office of Admissions to improve marketing and recruitment to Wells. While we accept that the exploration of coeducation is necessary and appropriate, we ask that at the same time, you might consider the potential benefits of the following proposals. These proposals reflect a new partnership between the Wells College Marketing Club and the Office of Admissions, and the hope of many (including staff, faculty, and students) that the successful marketing of Wells as a single-sex institution is still possible.
Therefore, we also ask that you give serious consideration to allowing time for current programs to yield higher enrollment and that you consider tabling the issue of co-education for a period of two enrollment cycles in order to see the potential benefits of the developing and proposed initiatives below.
STUDENT-DRIVEN OUTREACH
Details: An expansion and modification of the “student ambassador” concept, this model intends that current students and alumnae, in collaboration with Admissions, reach out to their home communities with new strategies informed by student perspectives:
- Students identify a profile of prospective students that would thrive at Wells
- Students advertise and canvass at familiar media outlets (popular book/music stores, coffee shops, etc.) and community gathering places that targeted students frequent.
- Initiate student-to-prospective contact to eliminate awkward/intimidating business-like interactions
- Accurately describe student life from a student/alumna perspective
Note: Representatives of the Wells College Marketing Club has already developed a working relationship with the Admissions Office, and a pilot program based on this model will be launched in Buffalo, NY this semester. Two current students are participating.
Future: If successful, this model can be applied to other “I-90” cities: Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, etc. – and beyond!
- Wells campus is easily accessed from along the I-90 corridor
- Wells can be marketed as having an optimal distance/proximity to “home” (i.e. “just far enough away from home”).
An initiative like this would set Wells apart, from the outset, from other institutions and encourage peer-to-peer marketing among prospective students.
INCREASE RECRUITMENT OF TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM LOCAL TWO-YEAR COLLEGES
- Many more graduates of two-year colleges are seeking four-year degrees.
- Two-year schools tend to have low student-to-faculty ratios, and students who reap the benefits of that situation will be more likely to choose a similar environment (like Wells!).
- Those who enter two-year degree programs, do so often for affordability. The high quality and relatively low price of a Wells education (nationally ranked!) will appeal to many two- year college graduates.
- The RESIDENTIAL undergraduate experience and the many traditions, clubs/organization at Wells may appeal to former commuter students. They can have the best of both worlds by transferring to Wells.
Note: Recent transfer students can do outreach at their former alma maters. At least one current student has expressed willingness to work with Admissions/Marketing Club and recruit prospectives.
- Many W.I.L.L. (Women in Life Long Learning) students— those that have children, are married, or are 24 years old and older— have transferred to Wells from two-year colleges, without a comprehensive recruitment effort at those schools. Applying more effort and resources in this area may yield more W.I.L.L. women, whom together with other students that can be targeted through these initiatives might constitute a significant increase in enrollment.
PROMOTE NEW AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMS
The SWAT proposals are great! Why not take the time to promote them?
- The Book Arts program is expanding steadily and is a unique offering that is hard to find. The Book Arts Symposium last spring was a great success and drew a national audience.
- Study-Abroad programs continue to be lucrative while also attracting motivated students that intend to gain international perspective.
- Master’s Program in Education. Our already strong education department will only be strengthened and will draw students seeking a six-year B.A./M.A. program.
ESTABLISH MORE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS
- Articulation agreements highlight the value of a Wells education. They highlight that a Wells education prepares you well for graduate school. They can also work both ways: two-year colleges to Wells, and Wells to Cornell, etc.
- Not only are articulation agreements attractive to incoming students, but they may also be a way to gain a steady source of incoming students.
SEIZE/DEMAND OUR FAIR SHARE OF PUBLICITY
Newsweek magazine’s yearly college digest is one of few “bibles” to the college-bound. Wells could be holding top-spots in several categories amongst big names like Cornell, Harvard, and Haverford, but has yet to break in. Why?
Examples:
- “Hottest for City Haters,” Cornell University _ We win hands down, and sometimes a rural environment is just what students are looking for. Otherwise, this category wouldn’t exist.
- “Hottest for its Honor Code,” Haverford College_ We’re proud of our honor code. Can contacting Newsweek and spreading the word help Wells seize the spotlight next year?
- “Hottest for Diversity,” Wesleyan University _ nearly 26% of this Wells’ in-coming freshwomen self-identified as “women of color,” which is a great jump start. If such students can be retained, it will be easier to continue recruiting women of color. At the same time, diversity of many types abounds at Wells: race, gender, faith, age, politics, nationality, ability, etc. The Office of Admissions could keep track of all these statistics and have greater impact in recruiting a student body that is diverse in multi-faceted ways.
Harvard University was recently lauded for a proposed 4-1-4 academic calendar shift that would allow students a January intersession to hold internships and do experiential learning.
- Wells College has featured this “innovation” for years.
- Only ~5% of all colleges in the U.S. are on the 4-1-4 model (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers). If this is an up-and-coming trend, Wells is at the forefront and has experience administering appealing intersession programs (including Off Campus Study).
ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES
Additional strategies that the Marketing Club would like to pursue include:
- Collaborating with Admissions on updating published materials
- Collaborating with Alumnae to increase recruitment in their home towns
ASSESSMENT
We recognize that goals must be measurable. The growing Wells College Marketing Club is committed to providing updates to both the Board of Trustees and Administration. Some measurements we foresee utilizing include:
- Number of applications requested
- Number of perspectives who visit campus
- Number of completed applications
- Number of prospectives that choose to enroll
STUDENT COMMITMENT/SUSTAINABILITY
- The current president (and founder) of the Marketing Club is a freshwoman and the number of underclasswomen in the group continues to grow. [15 total members and growing]
- At least two committed seniors, who plan to stay in the area after graduation, are willing to commit time and energy to the implementation of these initiatives.
- Marketing Club is in its Collegiate trial semester. As a recognized Collegiate club, it will have access to regular and secure funding through Collegiate Association.
- The Marketing Club has already developed a working relationship with the Admissions Office, including weekly planning/organizing meetings, and is interested in implementing and sustaining the above proposals/initiatives long-term.
Promoting our Quality will bring Quantity
Wells is a single-sex institution that has persevered by touting its strengths and drawing from the energy and motivation of the women that define it.
(Please give this a chance.)
