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- Web: http://www.astate.edu
- Type: 4-year public
- Enrollment: 17,401 (system)
- Location: Jonesboro, AR
Jim Black, president of SEM WORKS, facilitated the development of an enrollment management plan and branding strategy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Dr. Black worked directly with a planning group at the university to identify objectives, a planning construct, a process, and timeline. An audit of existing enrollment management operations was preceded by a review of institutional trend data, competitor information, survey data, publications and Web sites, strategic plans, enrollment plans, organizational charts, and related documents. The site visit included direct observations of operations, interviews with staff and those they serve, along with focus groups with students. Ongoing consulting assistance with planning and implementation led to a 214 student increase in the entering class.
E-mail campaign technology and strategy along with a revitalized Admissions Web site provided by SEM WORKS are already yielding significant results. ASU has had more visitors to campus this fall than ever before.
"There are a lot of consultants. We needed someone to understand our institution’s mission and purpose. Jim Black's knowledge of the enrollment process and higher education marketing greatly helped our institution focus on enrollment and marketing efforts that matter. We have seen an increase in our freshman class for the second straight year. Freshman enrollment has increased 27 percent for the past two years, and this year's class represents the largest freshman class that we have seen in eight years. Our spring to spring enrollment increase is the largest in at least fourteen years and the second highest spring semester enrollment in history. SEM WORKS and Jim black delivered!"
Rick Stripling, Vice Chancellor
Recognition: ASU's "Powering Minds" branding campaign won the first place Gold Level Grand Award in the category "Institutional Identity Programs" at the District IV CASE conference in Dallas.
Enrollment Results: Fall 2007 unduplicated headcount is the highest recorded enrollment since 1992.
- Web: http://www.confederationc.on.ca
- Type: Public, 4-year
- Enrollment: 3,200 full-time postsecondary students and 10,000 part-time students annually
- Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada; six regional campuses are located in the communities of Dryden, Fort Frances, Geraldton, Kenora, Marathon and Sioux Lookout
Conducted a comprehensive four-day on-site enrollment audit, SWOT analysis, a competitive analysis with mystery shopping, market gap analysis survey; ongoing consulting assistance in the development and implementation of the enrollment master plan; consulting services to support the execution of the SEM master plan including ongoing training, coaching, culture change management, evaluation, feedback, and adjustment of the implementation; and provision of tools, resource material, etc., required to complete projects; project management assistance, etc.
"We are very pleased with the excellent consultancy of the SEM WORKS team. The enrolment audit and market analysis research was thorough, clear, and very informative. Consequently, we know much more about our current internal strengths and weaknesses as well as the external threats and opportunities in our future. The competitive analysis will offer us opportunities to refine our messages and reposition the College. Throughout the process we have been impressed with Dr. Black’s understanding of our issues and the nuances of the Canadian system of higher education. We look forward to our continued relationship with SEM WORKS as we collaborate on a strategic enrolment management master plan that will grow our enrolment."
Brian Ktytor; Director of Marketing, Communication, and External Relations Confederation College
- Web: http://www.snhu.edu
- Type: 4-year private
- Enrollment: 1,900 undergraduate students, 1,800 graduate students, and 2,700 continuing education students.
- Location: Manchester, NH
SEM WORKS conducted a comprehensive marketing and enrollment management audit including and assessment of existing marketing and enrollment management operations, review of institutional trend data, competitor information, survey data, publications and Web sites, marketing plans, communication plans, strategic plans, enrollment plans, organizational charts, direct observations of operations, interviews with staff, focus groups with students; and created a segmented communication plan and wrote accompanying marketing letters and emails.
"We had the pleasure of working with Jim Black on a two-year project to improve our communication with prospective students. Our staff was impressed with his thorough and patient approach to learning about our students, staff, and culture. Informed by his exploration, he developed smart, segmented communication plans from inquiry to enrollment for our undergraduate, graduate, continuing ed, and international student populations. During the second phase of the project, Jim crafted letters and emails that were highly effective and customized for each student segment and communication plan. Throughout the project Jim offered us unlimited contact via on campus visits, phone call, and emails. Having the exclusive attention of one of the leading national figures in enrollment management, inspired and energized our staff to completely overhaul our communication processes. To this day, people on campus refer to things Jim said or wrote as a foundation for looking at new issues. Jim and his staff always communicated promptly, completed work on time, and billed the exact amount he estimated. It was a delight to work with Jim and the SEM WORKS staff."
Brad Poznanski, Vice President of Enrollment Services; Southern New Hampshire University
Enrollment Success: Full-time undergraduate enrollment increased 3.5%, fall 2005 to fall 2006; and 4.5%, spring 2006 to spring 2007.
- Web: http://www.qcc.edu/
- Type: 2-year public
- Enrollment: 13,000 full and part-time day and evening students served
- Location: Worcester, MA
SEM WORKS provided the following consulting services for Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Massachusetts: an audit of data collection, analysis, and tracking procedures; prioritization of recommendations for improving existing communication, marketing, and recruitment plans; clarification of QCC’s message and mission as they relate to the enrollment process and outcomes; an instrument and a process for collecting, analyzing, and incorporating customer service feedback into continuous improvement of enrollment processes; an assessment of Admissions Office staffing needs based on national staffing patterns, the scope of the operation, and the objectives of the institution; an analysis of the existing and potential student markets using institutional data as well as external data regarding demographic, economic, and job trends; an image study specific to the institution’s influence of student enrollment decisions on the local community; a competitor analysis of the top five competitors for students; a branding strategy with a clearly defined brand identity and detailed action plan; a market demand analysis for instructional programs; Web site development; and recommendations regarding the optimal use of portal and e-mail technology to support and enhance enrollment management practices.
"Jim was sensitive to the culture of our school and in recognizing our uniqueness, which was taken into account when dealing with the issues at hand. Due to this, we were given a terrific report with appropriate objectives tailored to our institution. No cookie cutter analysis and solutions from SEM WORKS! Most important of all, our spring headcount is up 7% from last year and 4% compared to the previous spring. Our fall comparison numbers for new Student inquiries, apps. and accepts are literally up in the 20% area from a year ago. We are delighted!"
Steve Sullivan, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services; Quinsigamond Community College
Enrollment Success:
- Enrollment increased 2% from fall 2005 to fall 2006, and 7% from spring 2006 to spring 2007.
- The fall 2007 headcount and credits are the highest in the college’s history. Compared to last fall, the headcount is up 10.55% and credits are up 11.20%.
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