Admissions Office Steps Up Recruitment Drive, Hosts State-wide Forums with Guidance Counselors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment has stepped up its efforts to ensure that all potential high school graduates in the state see Tennessee State University as their first choice for post-secondary education.

In a series of gatherings sponsored across the state in the last month, administrators and staff of the Admissions office have been holding talks with key high school “gatekeepers” or guidance counselors to expose them to programs at TSU, in the hope of counselors steering their students to seek admission at the University.

In just August alone, luncheons were held with nearly 160 high-school guidance counselors in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga.

“The purpose of these luncheons was to foster working relations with guidance counselors across the state,” said Dr. Sedric Griffin, director of Admissions and Recruitment. “They were also intended to enhance the Admissions office’s ability to communicate with counselors to discuss strategies, build relationships, and move prospective students through the admission funnel as quickly as possible.”

At the Nashville luncheon on Aug. 23, during which TSU President, Dr. Glenda Glover, welcomed more than 90 guidance counselors to the campus, Admissions officials reminded the visitors about programs and services that make TSU the go-to university for prospective high school graduates.

“Students coming to Tennessee State University get personal attention, outstanding scholarship and career opportunities, not to mention good return on investment because of the type of programs we offer to ensure on-time or early graduation, using the least amount of money,” Griffin told the guidance counselors.

He also spoke about the University’s service-to-learning program, as a key component for college completion at TSU.

“This exposes students to community engagement activities, while earning credits, such as the annual Day of Service when student volunteers gather at sites across the city to paint, cleanup or help needy, hungry and homeless people in the Greater Nashville area.”

At each gathering across the state, the guidance counselors were introduced to TSU admission counselors assigned to their individual schools or districts, followed by one-on-one meetings.

“The goal here is to ensure adequate line of open communication, and for guidance counselors to get information about our various programs directly from the right source,” said Dr. Gregory Clark, director of Alumni Outreach and High School Relations.

“We also see this gathering as a way to engage with the high school guidance counselors in a collaboration that exposes them to our offerings,” added Dr. John Cade, associate vice president for Enrollment, shortly before the Nashville meeting. “We find this to be very rewarding for Metro (Metro Nashville Public Schools) and Tennessee State University.”

In another recruitment effort, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment on Aug. 28 sponsored an “application party” for seniors at LEAD Academy High School in Nashville, the first in the school’s history. More than 65 percent of the students participated in the party, by completing and handing in application packets to attend Tennessee State University, according to Darrius Brooks, TSU admissions counselor assigned to LEAD.

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With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu