University of Idaho president Chuck Staben recently reiterated his goal to increase enrollment 50 percent by 2025, and with this goal comes a hefty emphasis on recruitment events. Among these are the various UIdaho Bound events, ever-present campus tours and this weekend’s Envision Idaho.
It’s only September, so the odds that visiting high school students have already filled out applications for a plethora of colleges and universities is slim. It’s likely Envision Idaho will be their first campus visit of the season, if not their first taste of college ever.
Unlike UIdaho Bound, which is for students already accepted to the university, Envision Idaho is for students still considering a number of options. Not only is this exciting for the student, but it’s also exciting for members of the UI community looking to entice prospective students with all the university has to offer. The early nature of this event makes it a great opportunity to begin building relationships.
For high school students, a campus visit and tour means they see classrooms, housing options, cafeteria and exercise facilities — undoubtedly important aspects of the college experience. These factors play a large role when students begin to fill out applications and ultimately choose their new school. UI’s beautiful brick buildings and state-of-the-art recreation facility might sway an 18-year-old to choose this university, but it’s the friendly Vandal spirit that will really sell UI.
Events like Envision Idaho provide an opportunity for high school students to interact with the Vandal community, and it gives this community a chance to truly sell itself. Without its people, the university would be a shell.
The passion for higher education, community involvement and overall friendliness are what leave an impression on a student seeking a college education, long after they forget about Bobs’ ice cream options and the SRC’s climbing wall. When it comes to events like Envision Idaho, it’s all about interaction.
Just as important as the opportunity for members of the UI community to interact with visiting high school students is the conscious effort to make their visit as pleasant and realistic as possible. This doesn’t mean the university and its occupants need to roll out a red carpet or pass out baked goods at every corner — that’s not practical.
It means that faculty, students and city residents alike should strive to make the visit as real as possible. These individuals should talk with attendees about the day-to-day life as a student, where to hang out downtown and what the rest of the city has to offer. Yes, UI is a highly-acclaimed research university dubbed as affordable, but high school students are selecting so much more than a university when they choose UI.
A realistic visit should involve more than a spiel about all the wonderful things campus has to offer, but instead what it will truly be like to live in Moscow.
Events like Envision Idaho are early enough in the college-hunting season that students are often being exposed to this environment for the first time.
All members of the Vandal family should remember to be on best behavior during these times, but more importantly, to give these young students a realistic taste of what joining this community will be like.
It all starts with a genuine conversation.
— LK