Paul Bieniek
pbb001@marietta.edu
Even with the most pristine campus, the greatest professors, and the most delicious food, a college is nothing without its students. Enrollment is a high priority for any post-secondary institution, and Marietta College is no exception. On Monday, Oct. 20 the Student Government Association (SGA) invited newly hired VP for Enrollment Services Ron Patterson to their meeting to discuss the enrollment situation.
Patterson first addressed new enrollment strategies the college is implementing. He claimed the college is trying to expand the geographical reach of its recruitment outside of Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
“We know that that is really our backyard,” he said, “But we’re trying to look into states like Illinois, Indiana, the DC/Baltimore area, and even Texas.”
He continued by saying that the college has begun to implement reforms in the Office of Admissions, emphasizing the importance of making student visit days student-friendly.
“We only have one opportunity to make a good impression,” Patterson, who received a Master’s in education from MC in 2002, said. “I think it’s important we show our very best.”
He said the college has been installing personalized signs for visitors in admissions parking spaces and by acquiring new uniforms for tour guides. He added that efforts are being made to modernize the admissions house, including a new paint job and introducing digital signs.
After the discussion opened for questions, one of the most thoroughly discussed topics was how the college planned to address the gender gap in enrollment, which, according to U.S. News and World Report, currently stands at 58% male to 42% female. Patterson said that he is investigating how to make admissions programs and publications more inviting to female students.
Senior SGA member Alexis O’Hair suggested promoting the college’s education program, which typically draws female applicants. SGA Vice President Bri Scott added that the graduate psychology program should be emphasized, and also proposed consideration of a nursing program to compliment the college’s physician’s assistant program. Patterson concurred with these sentiments and said that education and psychology would be further highlighted in admissions materials.
Several attendees acknowledged the impact the petroleum engineering program in the gender disparity at Marietta. Senior SGA member Alex Jurgens suggested that although gender disparities are an industry-wide problem, steps should be taken to make Marietta “the most woman-friendly petroleum program that you could attend.”
On the whole, members of SGA seem upbeat about the changes Patterson is implementing.
“I think Mr. Patterson has made a positive change in the short amount of time he’s been here,” Vice President Scott said. “He’s made an effort to uniform tour guides, which I think will be good not only because students will recognize when potential students are visiting campus but because it will make our tour guides look more professional.”
Student Body President Taylor Myers also approved of Patterson’s work.
“Working as a tour guide and senior interviewer, I’ve seen drastic changes from my prior two years in admissions,” he said. “I think we’re doing a much better job of being professional, thorough, and personalizing visits for students… This is going to help our enrollment and our college, so I stand behind everything Ron is doing.”
