University of San Francisco Office of Undergraduate Admission

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University of San FranciscoOffice of
Undergraduate Admission

• Multicultural First Generation
• Student Recruitment Strategies
• JNEE December 2006

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Recruitment Overview

• Team approach to undergraduate student
  recruitment including freshman, multicultural,
  international, and transfer admission counselors
• Two staff oversee recruitment, admission, and
  enrollment of Underrepresented students including
  African American, Latina/o, and Native
  American/American Indian freshman
• Approximately 30 of Underrepresented freshman
  are First Generation College-Bound
• Multicultural recruitment (MRR) staff are first
  generation and Jesuit educated

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Recruitment Strategies

• MRR staff recruitment territories include most
  urban counties in Northern, Central, and Southern
  California
• Local, State, and National efforts are utilized
• Personal one-on-one outreach balanced with use of
  technology
• MRR outreach integrated with traditional
  freshman initiatives
• Emphasis on teaching about Jesuit education and
  social justice

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Local Efforts

• School visits to Bay Area schools (public,
  Catholic, private) that serve underrepresented
  and first generation students
• Participation in local college fairs and college
  orientation programs for parents
• Partnerships with local community groups
• On campus outreach program for local area high
  school juniors and families (Off To College)
• Coordination of special group visits for school,
  community, and church youth groups (AVID,
  Gear-Up, Upward Bound, Puente)

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State Efforts

• Expanded recruitment in Central and Southern
  California (school visits and college fairs)
• Marketing in college and financial aid guides
  that target urban and suburban school districts
• Participation in state-wide conferences and
  student leadership programs that serve African
  American and Latina/o students (California Latino
  Youth Leadership Conference, Young Black
  Scholars, The Hispanic Scholarship Fund, The
  Fulfillment Fund)

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National Efforts

• Participation in national college fair programs
  including NACAC fairs in major metropolitan
  areas, NSSFNS fairs (The National Scholarship
  Service), and the National Hispanic College fairs
• Marketing in multicultural issues of national
  college guides such as Hobsons and Private
  Colleges Universities
• Directed mailings to African American and
  Latina/o prospects (high school juniors and
  seniors)
• On campus overnight programs for newly admitted
  African American and Latina/o freshman (Make the
  Journey Bienvenidos)

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Personal One-on-One Outreach

• Meetings with individual students and parents
• Referrals by the university community
• School visits to over 120 public, Catholic, and
  private schools
• Outreach by USF students, faculty, and alumni
• MRR staff review of admission applications from
  underrepresented students

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Use of Technology

• Electronic invitations and online R.S.V.P.
  process for campus visit programs, chat sessions,
  regional receptions, and overnight programs
• USF student web logs or blogs for freshman,
  multicultural, international, and transfer
  students
• MRR and Spanish micro sites for prospective
  students and families

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MRR and Freshman Outreach

• Publications and communication tools are
  inclusive diversity is an essential component of
  universitys image
• Admission team is diverse and representative of
  USF student population
• MRR programs precede traditional freshman events
  and open houses

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Jesuit Education and Social Justice

• Sharing of University Mission, Vision, and Core
  Values in presentations and programs
• Discussion of the characteristics of Jesuit
  education including Cura Personalis (Care for
  the person) and Magis (more, striving for
  excellence)
• Defining social justice and service-learning,
  and sharing information about opportunities to
  engage in community service

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Evidence of Success

• Increased applications from underrepresented
  freshman (African American 83, Latina/o 86,
  Native American/American Indian 200)
• Increased enrollment of underrepresented freshman
  (African American 67, Latina/o 40, Native
  American/American Indian 250)
• Increased average GPA of underrepresented
  students by .25 points
• Increased the number of underrepresented and
  first generation students visiting campus by 85
• Increased the school and geographic diversity of
  underrepresented freshman
• (Source USF Census 2000-2005)

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Best Practices

• MRR Overnight Programs (Make the Journey and
  Bienvenidos) Average Yield 85
• Local Outreach and Recruitment Efforts (Over 50
  of MRR freshman are from the Bay Area)
• Partnerships with key feeder schools in Los
  Angeles county (35 of MRR enrolled freshman)