Session Listings |
|
Conference Sessions
See below for our session offerings for the 2023 Conference. Thank you to our session presenters for their willingness to share their expertise! Session block times will be posted below closer to Conference.
Session Block 1
Monday, April 3, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Successfully Recruiting and Serving Transfer and Non-traditional Students
Jay Fedje, Vice President of University Partnerships, enrollmentFUEL, LLC
For some colleges, transfer and non-traditional enrollment is desirable, but elusive. And for other colleges, transfers are expensive, complicated, and are often provided the leftover resources. However, the impending demographic cliff will force the hand of many enrollment leaders to make some priority decisions. Among those decisions will be, being intentional about attracting non-traditional students to their college, how colleges serve the needs of transfers, and what can be done to retain transfer students through to graduation.
Using Objectives & Key Results to Drive a Laser-Focused Recruitment Team
Audrey Crum, Director of Recruitment, The University of Tulsa
This session focuses on utilizing objectives and key results to communicate progress "up the ladder" throughout the recruitment cycle while simultaneously motivating a team through the high's and low's of recruitment season. By implementing this simple goal-setting strategy, mid-level managers become equipped with data-informed progress reports to share with upper level enrollment managers, and drive motivation across the recruitment team, starting at the ground level. Understanding what to measure early in the season allows for more celebration along the way as well!
Guiding Your Students to the Military Service Academies & ROTC Scholarships
Lisa Hillhouse, IEC, Hillhouse College Advising
Students interested in becoming military officers have a more challenging college path than their peers. This presentation will outline who is a strong fit for officer careers and describe the steps to applying for a military service academy and the ROTC scholarship programs. We will also cover how to help your students become more competitive and common application pitfalls. There will be plenty of time for your questions. Your presenter is a retired military officer who spent most of her career in officer recruitment and leadership development.
9th/10th Grade College Programs: Designing for Student Engagement
Josh Bottomly, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
What does the Primacy Recency theory, Kahoot, hershey kisses, French impressionism, Super Mario Brothers, and Brene Brown all have in common? In two words, student engagement. This session will help you discover ways to leverage all the aforementioned to enhance student engagement in your 9th and 10th grade programs.
Propelling Your Network: Making the Most of In-Person Connections
Jerome Bennett, Director of College Initiatives, Cristo Rey Catholic High School, OKC
Will Torres, Education & Equity Consultant
We will focus on making authentic connections and building long-lasting relationships that are rooted in values. As a group, we will share best practices for navigating new -and sometimes overwhelming- conference settings. We will discuss how you can go beyond transactional interactions and create mutually beneficial relationships.
Session Block 2
Monday, April 3, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Navigating the Transfer Conversation
Theresa Richardson, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions and Recruitment, University of Oklahoma
Carly Youngberg, Admissions Counselor - Oklahoma Recruitment, University of Oklahoma
Much of our focus at 4-year institutions is on recruiting freshmen. And while the incoming freshman class is so important, it’s also important to think about the individual needs of incoming students and help them find the right college fit. Often that means starting at a 2-year institution and transferring after a year or two. To best serve students, it’s important for both freshman and transfer counselors to be aware of admission requirements for each student type. Factors to take into consideration when helping students choose where to start their education include finances, academics, family concerns, and the major or program of choice. By helping these students determine the best educational path for their situation, and then providing support by connecting them with transfer resources from the very beginning, we can make sure the transfer process goes as smoothly as possible.
Ethical Practices in Admissions
James Powell, Assistant Director of Admissions, Oklahoma State University; GPACAC Treasurer-Elect, GPACAC Past Admissions Practice Chair
Amanda Booth, Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School; GPACAC Past President
Advocating for a student’s best interest in the admission process is a primary ethical concern for college admission professionals. Come learn more about ethical practice in admission, receive updates to the Guide to Ethical Practice in Admission (GEPCA), and interact with us through engaging (and fun) scenarios that you may be challenged within your daily work.
Maximizing Professional Development Opportunities for New Recruiters
Hunter Sisemore, Lead Recruiter, Carl Albert State College
Get ready for an open discussion on how we, as leaders, can do a lot with a little in preparing new recruiters for LIFT OFF. We will discuss critical areas of development and how we work each into our professional development plan with a limited budget.
College Athletic Recruiting Case Studies: A Round Table Discussion
Josh Bottomly, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
This session will offer counselors the opportunity to engage in conversation with each other around real case studies of prospective intercollegiate student-athletes in various sports at different levels.
Recs not Wrecks - Best Practices for Writing College Recommendation Letters
Brent Casey, Director of College Counseling, Holland Hall
Vicki Schaeffer, Director of College Counseling, Heritage Hall
Paula Dennis, College Counselor, Jenks High School
Recommendation letters are becoming even more important to college admission offices to discern the interests, fit, and interest level of applicants in the age of test optional and comment-based transcripts. Seasoned professionals share their own experiences with letter writing. Learn how to avoid pitfalls of bias or simply restating a student's resume. Gather tips for getting started, learn different writing formats and styles, how to best present the student in a letter who is hard to write for, and how to write for those students you don't know too well.
Kansas "Takes Off" with Systemwide General Education Package
Tara Lebar, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, Kansas Board of Regents
The Kansas Board of Regents recently approved a new Systemwide General Education Package for all public higher education institutions beginning in the fall of 2024. This 34-35 credit hour general education package should transfer as a complete set to any other Kansas public institution, which will undoubtedly change how we advise our transfer students and high school students taking concurrent & dual credit courses. Come and learn about the basics of the new policy, the seven course categories, how our systemwide transfer courses fit into the plan, any potential exceptions and get ready to see transfer "take off" in Kansas!
Session Block 3
Monday, April 3, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
Evolving the Admissions Office to Make Deeper Connections With High School Students
Deb Allenspach, Regional Manager - Admissions Services, Parchment
Julie Wakefield, Regional Manager - Admissions Services, Parchment
With changing enrollment strategies, institutions across the globe are re-evaluating their admissions and recruitment methods. This session covers a new way enrollment leaders can leverage data gathered from the country’s largest credential exchange to uncover new recruitment opportunities from high schools and then streamline the admissions processes so that they can more quickly admit students.
The High School Visit Reimagined
Stacey Evert, Director of College Counseling, Creighton Preparatory School
Kevin Halle, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Wayne State College
Cade Shaw, Admissions Counselor, The University of Oklahoma
Autumn Bennett, Regional Admissions Representative, Wichita State University
Jenni Rowe, Admission Counselor, The University of Tulsa
Are you ready to create lift on the high school visit? Join the GPACAC Membership and Engagement Committee as we discuss ways in which we can enhance the high school visit. We will address challenges that may exist and opportunities to maximize the high school visit in order to better meet student needs, engage students with the college exploration process, and support their applications. We will discuss timing, programming enhancements, and communication. In addition, we will introduce the High School Engagement Form that GPACAC will be launching in preparation for fall 2024 high school visits to facilitate high school counselor and college admissions collaboration.
Let Them Soar
Annie Roberts, Coordinator of Campus Events & First Year Retention, University of Science and Arts Oklahoma
Admissions and Recruitment are the lifeblood of your University and your student employees are the pulse. Join us to learn how we built and enhanced our tour guide program to enrich the student workers and make them into University influencers. Through trial and error, we have created a program to identify student strengths, build self-motivation, and improve reliability. Topics in this session will include an overview of small changes that can be made (without money) such as leadership exercises, fostering a positive learning environment, giving creative space and ownership within their role in the recruitment and admissions funnel. This session is targeted for all who are looking to implement, improve and innovate. Join us so we can help your team soar.
Hitting Maximum Altitude with Group Visits
Ashleigh Eickhoff, Campus Visits Coordinator, Peru State College
We will cover various group visit experience options and pros and cons of each from the perspective of the College and the high school.
Down the Funnel, An Introduction to Admissions Counseling
John Borum, Vice President for Enrollment Strategies, DegreeSight
In this session, we will discuss the basics of recruiting. We will talk about the pressure/responsibility, what can be controlled, what cannot... the seasons of recruitment from traveling, to hosting students, to closing the deal. We will discuss what a funnel is and the different aspects of the different phases. Additionally, we will talk about college fairs, previews, tours, lunch visits, student worker utilization, telecom teams, alumni, hs counselor relationships, texting, mass email, CRMs, social media, SWAG and other gifts, strategies to avoid "summer melt", and then basic sales coaching.
Session Block 4
Monday, April 3, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Benefits of Studying in the UK
Jay Shamlin, Senior International Officer: Midwest and Western Canada, University of Glasgow
William Abraham, International Officer, Americas, Goldsmiths University London
Finding more students who are interested in pursuing their undergraduate across the pond? Interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the UK? This session is for you! Come find out all the nuances of studying in the United Kingdom. From the education system and admission process to obtaining a CAS for visas and opening bank accounts, this presentation is for beginners who want to learn the basics about living and studying in the UK!
What We Wish College Admissions Officers Knew: High School Student Panel
Sasha Kuchinski, Associate Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School
Do students really read their emails? Are school visits worth it? Should a 500 word Honors Program essay be required? A panel of Wichita Collegiate School students will help answer these questions and more as they share their unique perspective of the college process. Students will highlight what they wish admissions would have known about their process, what would they suggest changing, and what was most helpful. Seniors who have just gone through their college process will provide insight on concerns and questions that arose, their workload regarding college essays and requirements, and their honest feedback on how colleges can better recruit students. Sasha Kuchinski, Associate Director of College Counseling, will moderate the panel and facilitate audience questions as well. Geared toward college admissions professionals this session can be insightful to other high school counselors as well.
Show Me the $$$
Megan Zorch, College & Academic Advisor, Regent Preparatory School
Let's start a dialogue about money and paying for higher education. Money is a necessary topic of discussion when helping students and families through the college search and admission process. As a previous Financial Aid professional at two different universities, I lean on those professional experiences. Now on the high school side, I provide guidance and participate in tough conversations in an effort to educate the families I work. You will leave this session with a better understanding of the financial aid award letter, justifications for why a family should complete the FAFSA, and how to assist students and families in the scholarship negotiation process. I'll share my various approaches depending on the needs of families and let's all walk away from this discussion better prepared to help our students and families.
Reaching New Heights for Transfer Recruitment: A Roundtable Discussion
Brandon Miller, Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Scholarships, Northeastern State University
Megan Pitt, Manager or Recruitment, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
Are you looking to take your transfer recruitment efforts to new heights? Do you ever feel like you are flying solo when it comes to championing the importance of transfer and degree attainment? Come and fly the transfer friendly skies with us as we explore the transfer enrollment landscape and highlight an equity transfer initiative occurring in the Tulsa metro area. We invite you to sit back, relax, and get to know your fellow passengers as we discuss and share our challenges and opportunities for transfer recruitment success.
Rethinking the College Search - Supporting Students of Color
Will Torres, Education & Equity Consultant
This workshop will support professionals in their work with diverse student populations as they navigate an ever-changing college admissions process. Together, we'll consider the prospect of college through the lens of students - primarily students of color. We'll try to tackle ideas like: How do you know if a college will honor your identities? Is College Still Relevant? Should We Be Avoiding All Loans? Is Being First Gen Still a Challenge? How to hold institutions accountable to all students?
Session Block 5
Tuesday, April 4, 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Building a Diverse Class After the End of Affirmative Action
Jason McNair-Faulk, Community Success Manager, CollegeVine
Vinay Bhaskara, Co-Founder, CollegeVine
Learn how the end of affirmative action is likely to affect Black and Latinx student recruitment, and share strategies for maximizing the diversity of your class in a post-affirmative action world. We also walk through key insights your team needs to know about the ideal recruitment geographies for diverse student recruitment and techniques that will allow them to give proper consideration to applications from students of color in the admissions process.
Fighting Burnout
Kristle A. Lacy, Director of Recruitment, The University of Tulsa
How many times did you hear "baptism by fire" in your training? Admission Counselors hit the ground running and can burnout quickly. Kristle has been in the Admission world 10 years and started as an Admission Counselor and now is a Director of Recruitment. She shares her tips and tricks on fighting burnout and how to last in this profession.
Legislation Station
Kala Davis, Assistant Director of Recruitment, Oklahoma State University
Maureen Lawler, College Counselor, Bishop Kelley High School
Curious about how decisions made by our state governments might affect you in the college counseling profession? Join representatives from the GPACAC Government Relations committee as we talk through legislation that affects you and your job... in your state! We'll cover what's new or upcoming, how it might affect you or your students, and how you can advocate for your colleagues and your students.
Establishing a Foundation with High School Counselors
Veleecia Hearne-McKeever, Associate Director of College Counseling, Heritage Hall Upper School
Jerome Bennett, Director of College Initiatives, Cristo Rey Catholic High School
Kelsey Hanshaw, K-12 School Counselor, Franklin Public High School
Ashlee Lowry, College Counselor, Holland Hall School
Susan Fritzemeier, Counselor, Shawnee Mission East High School
Marcie Frederickson, Counselor, Washburn Rural High School
As a new admissions counselor for your university, one of the primary relationships to build is with your high school counselors. Wondering how to establish and maintain that relationship? During this panel-style discussion, hear from current high school counselors from a wide spectrum of backgrounds on a wide range of topics when building a rapport together! Topics will range from knowing your audience at high school visits, understanding the differences in day-to-day duties, and learning to be flexible in this field. As a new admissions counselor, you will walk away with tangible ideas to jump start your recruitment cycle and establish a long-lasting relationship with counselors you serve. This session is specifically tailored for new admissions counselors (less than three years experience).
Finding Purpose and Meaning in Our Roles and Navigating Professional Growth
Amanda Booth, Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School
Stacey Evert, Director of College Counseling, Creighton Prep
Your career has lifted off and often in our cyclical roles it becomes easy to turn on autopilot. We’ll share our pro tips to keep our profession fun, fresh, and rewarding including taking on meaningful responsibilities for personal growth, switching roles within our industry, and advocating for your personal and professional needs. Please join us if you are curious about ways to advance and adapt in our ever-changing profession. We will provide resources, and a little bit of humor, to keep you energized and inspired.
Session Block 6
Tuesday, April 4, 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Recruiting & Rebooting
Zoe Brown, Coordinator of Recruitment & Scholarships, University of Science and Arts Oklahoma
A look at recruitment using the last 3 years of experience in higher education, pre- and post-Covid. Consistently rebooting in terms of staff/prospective student resources, high school contacts, materials, and scheduling tools. Including the evolvement of scheduling visits, maintaining relationships with high school counselors, travel season, and progressive prospective students. All the while, avoiding the ultimate "burn-out" mentality.
Preparing for the NEW FAFSA
Kevin Halle, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Wayne State College
Kala Davis, Assistant Director of Recruitment, Oklahoma State University
In this session, we will discuss the changes that are being implemented in the 2024-2025 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and how they will impact students and families applying for financial aid. We will provide an overview of the key changes that students can expect to see in the 2024 application cycle. This will include changes to the questions asked on the FAFSA form, updates to the eligibility criteria for certain types of financial aid, and modifications to the application timeline.
Gen Z: it's a VIBE How we connect with a new generation of students
Robb Cummings, Director, Relationship Management, Sallie Mae
The Student Experience: Strategies for Driving Student Engagement Delivering a positive student experience relies on understanding their service expectations. This session will focus on distancing yourself from previously held expectations and exercising empathy in your student services role.
Building a Dynamic College Counseling Program
Amy McQuade, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
Brent Casey, Director of College Counseling, Holland Hall
Whether you are a full time college counselor or one with many "other duties as assigned," we are all searching to find the best opportunity to engage our students in meaningful programming to support their journey through the college search and application process. From balancing the load and mental wellness to resources and programming, we want to share what is working for us and know what has been working for you! Join us for a round table discussion on programming possibilities and best practices in the diverse high school settings represented at conference. Bring your ideas and an open mind, and you will leave with possibilities to improve the work you do with your students each day.
Working with the Frenemy
Cade Shaw, Admissions Counselor, University of Oklahoma
Staci Pennington, Senior Admissions Counselor, University of Tulsa
Frenemies. So much in common yet so many differences. Sure, we may have various strengths and values, but we all have one thing in common: Student Success. Join Staci Pennington from The University of Tulsa and Cade Shaw from The University of Oklahoma to explore the ways different institutions can collaborate and join forces to empower students. Knowledge is power, and we all have something unique to offer. Expect innovative conversations, new ideas and tangible tools to apply to your work. Let's come together to rethink the way we interact with colleagues from other institutions!
Monday, April 3, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Successfully Recruiting and Serving Transfer and Non-traditional Students
Jay Fedje, Vice President of University Partnerships, enrollmentFUEL, LLC
For some colleges, transfer and non-traditional enrollment is desirable, but elusive. And for other colleges, transfers are expensive, complicated, and are often provided the leftover resources. However, the impending demographic cliff will force the hand of many enrollment leaders to make some priority decisions. Among those decisions will be, being intentional about attracting non-traditional students to their college, how colleges serve the needs of transfers, and what can be done to retain transfer students through to graduation.
Using Objectives & Key Results to Drive a Laser-Focused Recruitment Team
Audrey Crum, Director of Recruitment, The University of Tulsa
This session focuses on utilizing objectives and key results to communicate progress "up the ladder" throughout the recruitment cycle while simultaneously motivating a team through the high's and low's of recruitment season. By implementing this simple goal-setting strategy, mid-level managers become equipped with data-informed progress reports to share with upper level enrollment managers, and drive motivation across the recruitment team, starting at the ground level. Understanding what to measure early in the season allows for more celebration along the way as well!
Guiding Your Students to the Military Service Academies & ROTC Scholarships
Lisa Hillhouse, IEC, Hillhouse College Advising
Students interested in becoming military officers have a more challenging college path than their peers. This presentation will outline who is a strong fit for officer careers and describe the steps to applying for a military service academy and the ROTC scholarship programs. We will also cover how to help your students become more competitive and common application pitfalls. There will be plenty of time for your questions. Your presenter is a retired military officer who spent most of her career in officer recruitment and leadership development.
9th/10th Grade College Programs: Designing for Student Engagement
Josh Bottomly, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
What does the Primacy Recency theory, Kahoot, hershey kisses, French impressionism, Super Mario Brothers, and Brene Brown all have in common? In two words, student engagement. This session will help you discover ways to leverage all the aforementioned to enhance student engagement in your 9th and 10th grade programs.
Propelling Your Network: Making the Most of In-Person Connections
Jerome Bennett, Director of College Initiatives, Cristo Rey Catholic High School, OKC
Will Torres, Education & Equity Consultant
We will focus on making authentic connections and building long-lasting relationships that are rooted in values. As a group, we will share best practices for navigating new -and sometimes overwhelming- conference settings. We will discuss how you can go beyond transactional interactions and create mutually beneficial relationships.
Session Block 2
Monday, April 3, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Navigating the Transfer Conversation
Theresa Richardson, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions and Recruitment, University of Oklahoma
Carly Youngberg, Admissions Counselor - Oklahoma Recruitment, University of Oklahoma
Much of our focus at 4-year institutions is on recruiting freshmen. And while the incoming freshman class is so important, it’s also important to think about the individual needs of incoming students and help them find the right college fit. Often that means starting at a 2-year institution and transferring after a year or two. To best serve students, it’s important for both freshman and transfer counselors to be aware of admission requirements for each student type. Factors to take into consideration when helping students choose where to start their education include finances, academics, family concerns, and the major or program of choice. By helping these students determine the best educational path for their situation, and then providing support by connecting them with transfer resources from the very beginning, we can make sure the transfer process goes as smoothly as possible.
Ethical Practices in Admissions
James Powell, Assistant Director of Admissions, Oklahoma State University; GPACAC Treasurer-Elect, GPACAC Past Admissions Practice Chair
Amanda Booth, Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School; GPACAC Past President
Advocating for a student’s best interest in the admission process is a primary ethical concern for college admission professionals. Come learn more about ethical practice in admission, receive updates to the Guide to Ethical Practice in Admission (GEPCA), and interact with us through engaging (and fun) scenarios that you may be challenged within your daily work.
Maximizing Professional Development Opportunities for New Recruiters
Hunter Sisemore, Lead Recruiter, Carl Albert State College
Get ready for an open discussion on how we, as leaders, can do a lot with a little in preparing new recruiters for LIFT OFF. We will discuss critical areas of development and how we work each into our professional development plan with a limited budget.
College Athletic Recruiting Case Studies: A Round Table Discussion
Josh Bottomly, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
This session will offer counselors the opportunity to engage in conversation with each other around real case studies of prospective intercollegiate student-athletes in various sports at different levels.
Recs not Wrecks - Best Practices for Writing College Recommendation Letters
Brent Casey, Director of College Counseling, Holland Hall
Vicki Schaeffer, Director of College Counseling, Heritage Hall
Paula Dennis, College Counselor, Jenks High School
Recommendation letters are becoming even more important to college admission offices to discern the interests, fit, and interest level of applicants in the age of test optional and comment-based transcripts. Seasoned professionals share their own experiences with letter writing. Learn how to avoid pitfalls of bias or simply restating a student's resume. Gather tips for getting started, learn different writing formats and styles, how to best present the student in a letter who is hard to write for, and how to write for those students you don't know too well.
Kansas "Takes Off" with Systemwide General Education Package
Tara Lebar, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, Kansas Board of Regents
The Kansas Board of Regents recently approved a new Systemwide General Education Package for all public higher education institutions beginning in the fall of 2024. This 34-35 credit hour general education package should transfer as a complete set to any other Kansas public institution, which will undoubtedly change how we advise our transfer students and high school students taking concurrent & dual credit courses. Come and learn about the basics of the new policy, the seven course categories, how our systemwide transfer courses fit into the plan, any potential exceptions and get ready to see transfer "take off" in Kansas!
Session Block 3
Monday, April 3, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
Evolving the Admissions Office to Make Deeper Connections With High School Students
Deb Allenspach, Regional Manager - Admissions Services, Parchment
Julie Wakefield, Regional Manager - Admissions Services, Parchment
With changing enrollment strategies, institutions across the globe are re-evaluating their admissions and recruitment methods. This session covers a new way enrollment leaders can leverage data gathered from the country’s largest credential exchange to uncover new recruitment opportunities from high schools and then streamline the admissions processes so that they can more quickly admit students.
The High School Visit Reimagined
Stacey Evert, Director of College Counseling, Creighton Preparatory School
Kevin Halle, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Wayne State College
Cade Shaw, Admissions Counselor, The University of Oklahoma
Autumn Bennett, Regional Admissions Representative, Wichita State University
Jenni Rowe, Admission Counselor, The University of Tulsa
Are you ready to create lift on the high school visit? Join the GPACAC Membership and Engagement Committee as we discuss ways in which we can enhance the high school visit. We will address challenges that may exist and opportunities to maximize the high school visit in order to better meet student needs, engage students with the college exploration process, and support their applications. We will discuss timing, programming enhancements, and communication. In addition, we will introduce the High School Engagement Form that GPACAC will be launching in preparation for fall 2024 high school visits to facilitate high school counselor and college admissions collaboration.
Let Them Soar
Annie Roberts, Coordinator of Campus Events & First Year Retention, University of Science and Arts Oklahoma
Admissions and Recruitment are the lifeblood of your University and your student employees are the pulse. Join us to learn how we built and enhanced our tour guide program to enrich the student workers and make them into University influencers. Through trial and error, we have created a program to identify student strengths, build self-motivation, and improve reliability. Topics in this session will include an overview of small changes that can be made (without money) such as leadership exercises, fostering a positive learning environment, giving creative space and ownership within their role in the recruitment and admissions funnel. This session is targeted for all who are looking to implement, improve and innovate. Join us so we can help your team soar.
Hitting Maximum Altitude with Group Visits
Ashleigh Eickhoff, Campus Visits Coordinator, Peru State College
We will cover various group visit experience options and pros and cons of each from the perspective of the College and the high school.
Down the Funnel, An Introduction to Admissions Counseling
John Borum, Vice President for Enrollment Strategies, DegreeSight
In this session, we will discuss the basics of recruiting. We will talk about the pressure/responsibility, what can be controlled, what cannot... the seasons of recruitment from traveling, to hosting students, to closing the deal. We will discuss what a funnel is and the different aspects of the different phases. Additionally, we will talk about college fairs, previews, tours, lunch visits, student worker utilization, telecom teams, alumni, hs counselor relationships, texting, mass email, CRMs, social media, SWAG and other gifts, strategies to avoid "summer melt", and then basic sales coaching.
Session Block 4
Monday, April 3, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Benefits of Studying in the UK
Jay Shamlin, Senior International Officer: Midwest and Western Canada, University of Glasgow
William Abraham, International Officer, Americas, Goldsmiths University London
Finding more students who are interested in pursuing their undergraduate across the pond? Interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the UK? This session is for you! Come find out all the nuances of studying in the United Kingdom. From the education system and admission process to obtaining a CAS for visas and opening bank accounts, this presentation is for beginners who want to learn the basics about living and studying in the UK!
What We Wish College Admissions Officers Knew: High School Student Panel
Sasha Kuchinski, Associate Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School
Do students really read their emails? Are school visits worth it? Should a 500 word Honors Program essay be required? A panel of Wichita Collegiate School students will help answer these questions and more as they share their unique perspective of the college process. Students will highlight what they wish admissions would have known about their process, what would they suggest changing, and what was most helpful. Seniors who have just gone through their college process will provide insight on concerns and questions that arose, their workload regarding college essays and requirements, and their honest feedback on how colleges can better recruit students. Sasha Kuchinski, Associate Director of College Counseling, will moderate the panel and facilitate audience questions as well. Geared toward college admissions professionals this session can be insightful to other high school counselors as well.
Show Me the $$$
Megan Zorch, College & Academic Advisor, Regent Preparatory School
Let's start a dialogue about money and paying for higher education. Money is a necessary topic of discussion when helping students and families through the college search and admission process. As a previous Financial Aid professional at two different universities, I lean on those professional experiences. Now on the high school side, I provide guidance and participate in tough conversations in an effort to educate the families I work. You will leave this session with a better understanding of the financial aid award letter, justifications for why a family should complete the FAFSA, and how to assist students and families in the scholarship negotiation process. I'll share my various approaches depending on the needs of families and let's all walk away from this discussion better prepared to help our students and families.
Reaching New Heights for Transfer Recruitment: A Roundtable Discussion
Brandon Miller, Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Scholarships, Northeastern State University
Megan Pitt, Manager or Recruitment, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
Are you looking to take your transfer recruitment efforts to new heights? Do you ever feel like you are flying solo when it comes to championing the importance of transfer and degree attainment? Come and fly the transfer friendly skies with us as we explore the transfer enrollment landscape and highlight an equity transfer initiative occurring in the Tulsa metro area. We invite you to sit back, relax, and get to know your fellow passengers as we discuss and share our challenges and opportunities for transfer recruitment success.
Rethinking the College Search - Supporting Students of Color
Will Torres, Education & Equity Consultant
This workshop will support professionals in their work with diverse student populations as they navigate an ever-changing college admissions process. Together, we'll consider the prospect of college through the lens of students - primarily students of color. We'll try to tackle ideas like: How do you know if a college will honor your identities? Is College Still Relevant? Should We Be Avoiding All Loans? Is Being First Gen Still a Challenge? How to hold institutions accountable to all students?
Session Block 5
Tuesday, April 4, 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Building a Diverse Class After the End of Affirmative Action
Jason McNair-Faulk, Community Success Manager, CollegeVine
Vinay Bhaskara, Co-Founder, CollegeVine
Learn how the end of affirmative action is likely to affect Black and Latinx student recruitment, and share strategies for maximizing the diversity of your class in a post-affirmative action world. We also walk through key insights your team needs to know about the ideal recruitment geographies for diverse student recruitment and techniques that will allow them to give proper consideration to applications from students of color in the admissions process.
Fighting Burnout
Kristle A. Lacy, Director of Recruitment, The University of Tulsa
How many times did you hear "baptism by fire" in your training? Admission Counselors hit the ground running and can burnout quickly. Kristle has been in the Admission world 10 years and started as an Admission Counselor and now is a Director of Recruitment. She shares her tips and tricks on fighting burnout and how to last in this profession.
Legislation Station
Kala Davis, Assistant Director of Recruitment, Oklahoma State University
Maureen Lawler, College Counselor, Bishop Kelley High School
Curious about how decisions made by our state governments might affect you in the college counseling profession? Join representatives from the GPACAC Government Relations committee as we talk through legislation that affects you and your job... in your state! We'll cover what's new or upcoming, how it might affect you or your students, and how you can advocate for your colleagues and your students.
Establishing a Foundation with High School Counselors
Veleecia Hearne-McKeever, Associate Director of College Counseling, Heritage Hall Upper School
Jerome Bennett, Director of College Initiatives, Cristo Rey Catholic High School
Kelsey Hanshaw, K-12 School Counselor, Franklin Public High School
Ashlee Lowry, College Counselor, Holland Hall School
Susan Fritzemeier, Counselor, Shawnee Mission East High School
Marcie Frederickson, Counselor, Washburn Rural High School
As a new admissions counselor for your university, one of the primary relationships to build is with your high school counselors. Wondering how to establish and maintain that relationship? During this panel-style discussion, hear from current high school counselors from a wide spectrum of backgrounds on a wide range of topics when building a rapport together! Topics will range from knowing your audience at high school visits, understanding the differences in day-to-day duties, and learning to be flexible in this field. As a new admissions counselor, you will walk away with tangible ideas to jump start your recruitment cycle and establish a long-lasting relationship with counselors you serve. This session is specifically tailored for new admissions counselors (less than three years experience).
Finding Purpose and Meaning in Our Roles and Navigating Professional Growth
Amanda Booth, Director of College Counseling, Wichita Collegiate School
Stacey Evert, Director of College Counseling, Creighton Prep
Your career has lifted off and often in our cyclical roles it becomes easy to turn on autopilot. We’ll share our pro tips to keep our profession fun, fresh, and rewarding including taking on meaningful responsibilities for personal growth, switching roles within our industry, and advocating for your personal and professional needs. Please join us if you are curious about ways to advance and adapt in our ever-changing profession. We will provide resources, and a little bit of humor, to keep you energized and inspired.
Session Block 6
Tuesday, April 4, 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Recruiting & Rebooting
Zoe Brown, Coordinator of Recruitment & Scholarships, University of Science and Arts Oklahoma
A look at recruitment using the last 3 years of experience in higher education, pre- and post-Covid. Consistently rebooting in terms of staff/prospective student resources, high school contacts, materials, and scheduling tools. Including the evolvement of scheduling visits, maintaining relationships with high school counselors, travel season, and progressive prospective students. All the while, avoiding the ultimate "burn-out" mentality.
Preparing for the NEW FAFSA
Kevin Halle, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Wayne State College
Kala Davis, Assistant Director of Recruitment, Oklahoma State University
In this session, we will discuss the changes that are being implemented in the 2024-2025 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and how they will impact students and families applying for financial aid. We will provide an overview of the key changes that students can expect to see in the 2024 application cycle. This will include changes to the questions asked on the FAFSA form, updates to the eligibility criteria for certain types of financial aid, and modifications to the application timeline.
Gen Z: it's a VIBE How we connect with a new generation of students
Robb Cummings, Director, Relationship Management, Sallie Mae
The Student Experience: Strategies for Driving Student Engagement Delivering a positive student experience relies on understanding their service expectations. This session will focus on distancing yourself from previously held expectations and exercising empathy in your student services role.
Building a Dynamic College Counseling Program
Amy McQuade, Associate Director of College Counseling, Casady School
Brent Casey, Director of College Counseling, Holland Hall
Whether you are a full time college counselor or one with many "other duties as assigned," we are all searching to find the best opportunity to engage our students in meaningful programming to support their journey through the college search and application process. From balancing the load and mental wellness to resources and programming, we want to share what is working for us and know what has been working for you! Join us for a round table discussion on programming possibilities and best practices in the diverse high school settings represented at conference. Bring your ideas and an open mind, and you will leave with possibilities to improve the work you do with your students each day.
Working with the Frenemy
Cade Shaw, Admissions Counselor, University of Oklahoma
Staci Pennington, Senior Admissions Counselor, University of Tulsa
Frenemies. So much in common yet so many differences. Sure, we may have various strengths and values, but we all have one thing in common: Student Success. Join Staci Pennington from The University of Tulsa and Cade Shaw from The University of Oklahoma to explore the ways different institutions can collaborate and join forces to empower students. Knowledge is power, and we all have something unique to offer. Expect innovative conversations, new ideas and tangible tools to apply to your work. Let's come together to rethink the way we interact with colleagues from other institutions!
