best ways to communicate with students charles m. scheetz assistant director student financial...
TRANSCRIPT
Best Ways to Communicate with Students
Charles M. Scheetz
Assistant Director
Student Financial Services
Ursinus College
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Agenda
Generations overview Generation Y What do we need to communicate Past and Present Communication Methods Present and Future Communication Methods Overview of Services Website Email Facebook Twitter Review Live demo Questions
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Generations Overview
• Baby Boomers – WWII thru 1960s• Generation X – 1961 thru 1981• Generation Y – 1982 thru 1998/1999• Generation Z – 1999 thru 2009• Generation Alpha (Suggested) – 2009 thru ?
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Generation Y
• Our current student population is Generation Y– Increased technological skills
» Video games» Computers» Cell phones» Social Media networks
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What do we need to communicate?
• Any information that is important including:– Deadlines (State and Federal)– Reminders (Application Deadlines)– Links (FAFSA, State Aid, Loan Applications)– Forms (Verification Worksheets)– Hours, Location, Phone #, Email
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Past and Present Communication Methods
• Meeting with Student and Parents in office– Individualized attention
– Most parents and student prefer this method
• Letters mailed home– Can not guarantee that parent or student receives
• Telephone calls– Have to leave messages majority of the time
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Present and Future Communication Methods
• Website• Email• Facebook• Twitter
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Overview of Services
• Website – One stop shop (should have all the basic
information a student needs)
• Email– Fast and simple (when it is working…..)
• Facebook– Group/Page devoted to an office (can reach
thousands of students fast)
• Twitter– Short and to the point (limited to 140 characters)
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Website
– Use for information about all services• Information about grants, loans, scholarships• How to apply for aid• Specific deadlines• Links to scholarship searches • Forms available for download
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• Personal vs. Campus-Based– Always use campus-based
» Personal – not sure if it is the student’s
» Campus based is free for all students
» Easier to track (paper trail)
• KISS – Keep it short & simple– The less a student has to read, the better
– If the email needs to explain important information, may want to request student comes into the office
– Highlight and bold important points
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• Create a group or page– Group is connected to one person (has to have an admin)
» Admin may try to get contacted by students» Students need to “join”
– Page is connected to business (has to have an admin)» Better for schools» No admin shown (do not become a fan)» Students become a “fan”
• Page is the better practice– Can have all staff as administrators or just certain members– Can post information including:
» Reminders» Deadlines» Links» Photos
• Always be short and to the point• All updates show up on user’s “wall”
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• Can create an account for the office– Would recommend only one admin for the account
• Update at anytime– Can create quick and simple posts
• 140 character limit– If need to include links, shorten the link
» Can use tinyurl (http://tinyurl.com/)
• Use for quick updates– KISS: Keep it short and simple
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Review
• Try out all the electronic services– Not each service is the best for every office
• Have different people update by email, Facebook and Twitter– Don’t want “to many hands in the cookie jar”
• Always be short and to the point• Easiest way to reach a majority of students
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Live Demo of Services
• www.facebook.com• www.twitter.com• www.ursinus.edu/financialaid
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Questions and Contact Info
Charles M. Scheetz
Assistant Director of Student Financial Services
Ursinus College
601 East Main Street
Collegeville, Pa 19426
P 610.409.3600
F 610.409.3662