Michael L. Rowland, Ph.D. Associate Dean, Diversity Initiatives & Community Engagement
Public Relations and Marketing Strategies for Higher Education Diversity Initiatives
description
Transcript of Public Relations and Marketing Strategies for Higher Education Diversity Initiatives
Public Relations and Marketing Strategies for Higher
Education Diversity Initiatives
4440 PGA Boulevard, #600, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33410
561-472-8479, 561-472-8401 (fax), www.nadohe.org
Leading Higher Education Towards Inclusive Excellence
Webinar Logistics
• Welcome and Instructions• Dr. Roger L. Worthington• Q & A• Dr. Whitney Stewart Harris & Linda Kohl • Q & A• Closing
Moderator: Dr. Juan Sanchez Munoz
Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Community Engagement Associate Vice Provost, Faculty and Undergraduate Academic Affairs
NADOHE Professional Development
Themes of future NADOHE webinars:
• Marketing and Communications • Budget and Development • Diversity Assessment
NADOHE Professional Development
• Future projects:
•Professional Expert Speakers Bureau•Marketing Campaigns•Annual Report Preparation •Resource development and reporting•Formation of Professional Standards for CDO’s•CDO Development Institute
Marketing Your Diversity Marketing Your Diversity InitiativeInitiative
Roger L. Worthington, PhDAssistant Deputy Chancellor & Chief Diversity OfficerChancellor’s Diversity InitiativeUniversity of Missouri
Presentation Prepared byRoger L. Worthington, Ph.DAssistant Deputy Chancellor & Chief Diversity OfficerChancellor’s Diversity Initiative
Rebecca A. CalvinMarketing SpecialistChancellor’s Diversity InitiativeUniversity of Missouri
Basic principles of marketing for diversity in higher
education
What it is
University of Missouri
Everything that shapes the perception the consumer has of your organization
Why it is important
University of Missouri
What you should know before you begin
University of Missouri
Strategic areas of focus
University of Missouri
Develop your plan for each strategic area
University of Missouri
Branding your institution’sdiversity efforts
What it is
University of Missouri
University of Missouri
Why it is important
University of Missouri
Strategic areas of branding
University of Missouri
University of Missouri
Strategies for achievingdiversity objectives through
marketing techniques
Conduct a products and services assessment
University of Missouri
University of Missouri
Develop a semester guide to general communications
activities
University of Missouri
University of Missouri
Diversity Strategies Webinar Serieshttp://www.innovativeeducators.org/webinars_s/57.htm
Reach and Engage Underrepresented Students through Public Relations and
Marketing Strategies
Introductions
Linda KohlAssociate Vice Chancellor for Public AffairsMinnesota State Colleges and Universities
Dr. Whitney Stewart HarrisExecutive Director, Diversity and MulticulturalismMinnesota State Colleges and Universities
About the system
• 32 institutions• 54 campuses
• 47 communities
System profile
• 7 state universities• 5 community colleges• 6 technical colleges• 14 combined technical and community colleges
• 424,000 students per year• 33,500 graduates per year
Students of color
Total number students of color:40,723*
Students of color: 16.2%
American Indian: 1.5%Hispanic or Latino: 2.0%Asian: 4.4%African American: 8.3%
(*Annual unduplicated headcount enrollment in credit courses.)
Underrepresented students
• Students of color
• Students from low-income families
• ESL students
• First-generation college goers
Challenges• Need to increase overall educational attainment
of adults
• Projected population growth is among people of color
• Lower participation and completion rates for students of color and of males
• Need to increase participation and completion of first generation college-goers and low income
Strategic Response
“The Board of Trustees recognizes that recruiting and retaining college students in groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education is critical to the state’s economic future.”
Research on the underrepresented
• Review existing recruitment and retention plans• Review current spending• Evaluate customer service• Focus group of campus staff• Focus groups of underrepresented students• Use results to assist colleges and universities
Student focus groups – middle schools
• 14 focus groups with middle school students from target audiences– 10 Twin Cities– 2 Duluth– 2 Willmar
Participants: African Americans, recent African immigrants, Hmong, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian. For each group, focus groups of girls and boys.
Student focus groups – high schools
• 2 focus groups of students– Seniors from suburban high school– 9th to 12th grade English Language Learners
from rural high school
• Interviews with three high school counselors
ObjectivesMiddle school groups:• Assess awareness and impressions of college• Determine what would motivate them to consider
college• Find out how they want to receive information
about college• Get reactions to description of college
High school groups:• Hear views about college• Review existing recruitment materials
Selected conclusions – middle school
• Students are interested in college but do not have a good idea of what college is
• Parents are powerful motivators for all groups
• Ideas about their future are limited or unrealistic
• Concerns exist about financing, possibility of failure
• Internet is more useful for information about college than YouTube, My Space
• Personal connection and experience are the best ways to get information
Reactions to 2001 materials
• Clothing styles outdated• Wanted brighter colors• Wanted to see what college
would be like• Information about earning
potential• More information about
financial aid, grants
Questions?
Brochure
• Photo shoot• New design• Brighter colors• Rewrite to address
concerns
Translation
• State population statistics
• Student body statistics
• Welcoming environment
Translation design issues
Poster
• All 9 languages on one poster
• Distribute (English) brochure and posters by mail to counselors
• Provide online order form for brochures in all languages
Advertising campaign
• Bus exteriors on targeted routes
• Bus shelter ads in targeted neighborhoods
• Bus and transit ads, interior
• Newspaper ads
Other strategies
• New coordinated Web site: yesyoucan.mnscu.edu
• Secret shopper exercise• Internal campaign rollout• News release• Toll-free phone number• Dedicated e-mail address• State Fair booth
Results• Between 2005 and 2009, students of color grew
from 30,000 to 40,700, or 36%
• Students of color now make up 16.2 % of students, up from 13.3% in 2005
• Total system headcount increase: 8.3%
• Underrepresented students increased sharply, going from 44.4% in 2008 to 49.2% in 2009
• Huge demand for brochures in all 9 languages.– 82,500 brochures, 10,000 posters printed – After 11 months, 86% had been distributed– Now in second printing
• Used as instructional tools in middle schools
• Fifty-four ads were placed in publications with a combined readership of 330,000
• Bus and transit ads generated 39.9 million impressions
Activity• Identify the underrepresented groups that are
the focus of your institutions recruitment efforts
• Research best strategies to reach these groups– Focus groups– Demographic information
• Develop a plan an implement it
• Measure results
Questions?
Contact information:Whitney Stewart [email protected](651) 296-5313
Linda [email protected](651) 296-9595
www.yesyoucan.mnscu.eduwww.mnscu.edu
Comments & Questions
4440 PGA Boulevard, #600, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 33410
561-472-8479, 561-472-8401 (fax), www.nadohe.org