Build It and They Will Come:Adult Program FYI Sessions

Angela NackovicJustin Hardee

• College of DuPage

• A community college located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois

• 30 miles west of Chicago, Illinois

• 30,000 students enrolled

• 2nd largest provider of higher education in Illinois

• Adult students make up more than 45% of the student

population

• Associate Degrees and certification programs

• 250+ programs of study

Quick Facts

Technical Education Center

BACKGROUND

• Originated in 1998 as a general information session

• Weekday evening events from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. • Marketed to all adults 23 years and older

• Provided general information on the admissions process and made referrals to other student services offices

Health and Science Center

CHALLENGES

• Students with varying interests and questions attended • GED/ABE/ESL students• High school graduates and those with previous college credits • Degree holders (associates and beyond) • Career changers asking industry-related questions

• Presenter was a generalist• Could not answer all industry-specific and advising questions• Challenge of relaying information on many varying programs at

the college at one time

Health and Science Center

THE REBOOT

• Program Focused• Each session would be on a specific area of study• Work with the program specialists to secure faculty to present

on the program • Would be marketed to prospects that were undecided or

interested in that particular program of study• Weekday evening session lasting one hour in addition to

questions after the session

Program choices came from……• Interests of adult students

• Inquiry card• Online profile• Application • On and off-campus events• Feedback from program specialists

• Top 10 majors in the Adult representatives assigned territory

• Information is housed in our Customer Relations Management (CRM) system, Ellucian Recruiter.

THE REBOOT

Culinary & Hospitality Center

THE REBOOT

Health and Science CenterStudent Resource Center

Programs Chosen • Computer and Internetworking Technologies • Business (Management and Marketing) • Adult Services Track

• Informational session at the fall open house that highlighted: adult fast track, career services, testing (placement and demonstrated competency), and counseling and advising

• Cosmetology• Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) • Interior Design• Fashion Studies .

The Format• Weekday evening (typically a Wednesday)• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

• Faculty coordinator or program specialist speaks for 35-40 minutes

• Admissions representative gives a brief 10-15 minute admission presentation

• Participant questions• Held in the admission presentation room

• Except the programs with lab (HVACR, Interior Design, and Fashion)

THE REBOOT

Culinary & Hospitality Center

Publicity • Marketing list • Ellucian Recruiter CRM

• Adult students • Prospect status• Application not finished or not paid • Program of study is undecided

• Additional lists where pulled for the individual programs• Each session was put online through CRM for registration

• Marketing Pieces • Promotional flyer sent to

• Community organizations• Representative contacts and community events• Program coordinators and other on campus offices

(Veterans Services, Career Services, etc.)

Publicity cont . . . • Marketing Pieces cont . . .

• Phone calls

• Phone call invitations were made via onsite call center

• Some were made utilizing the cashiers Robo call system

• Phone calls went out 3 weeks before each event utilizing our targeted

lists

• For example, Business Management, and Marketing’s session was

on July, 16th 2014 and calls were made on June 23rd 2014.

• Phones calls when out to the undecided students and those that had indicated business, management, or marketing as a interest

• October sessions were different

Publicity cont . . . • Marketing Pieces cont . . .

• Email Campaign

• Email campaign was set up to go out 3 weeks and 1 week before

each event utilizing our targeted lists

• In the event there was over lap in the sessions they were combined into one email

• For example, Business Management, and Marketing’s session was

on July, 16th 2014

• First email went out week of June 23rd (3 weeks out) and the second email went out the week of July 7th (1 week out)

Publicity cont . . .

• Marketing Pieces cont . . . • Text Message campaign • Text message were sent out the Monday before the event• For example, Business Management, and Marketing’s session on

July, 16th 2014• Text messages went out July 14th

Publicity cont . . .

• Post Session Follow Up

• Automated emails sent out

• Those who attended • Thanking them / application link / admissions and program contacts

• Those your did not attend

• Sorry we missed you / application link / link to events page to sign up for another event

The DataProgram Participants

New Students

Returning Students Enrolled

Computer and Internetowrking Technologies 26 5 18 18Business, Management, and Marketing 20 13 6 14Adult Services Track * 0 0 0 0Cosmetology 14 8 3 2Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR)** 0 0 0 0Interior Design 3 1 0 1

Fashion Studies 11 2 3 1Total 74 29 30 36

Observations

• Majority of the attendees were returning students

• Nearly 50% enrolled in classes

• Program waiting list

• Faculty support (when are we doing this again)

Questions?