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 HarrisWhitney.harris@so.mnscu.edu(651) 296-5313

Linda KohlLinda.kohl@so.mnscu.edu(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