Much continues to be uncertain these days. For the Office of Enrollment Management, adaptability and innovative thinking are key. We are pleased to report continued success from our new approach to recruitment events and virtual student engagement.
This summer, we hosted eight virtual events. Events were tailored to meet the needs of different student populations and focused on various topics. A favorite of our prospective students was the “Experience the SMU Perkins Culture” program, featuring Dean Craig Hill. Students were given the opportunity to informally chat with the Dean, learn about the school and to have an up-close-and-personal view of what it might be like to be a student at SMU Perkins. We hosted a Ministry Discernment Conversation specifically targeted to connect current Perkins students with prospective students to discuss personal calls to ministry. We also scheduled evening events as an added opportunity for those unable to participate during the day, with the focus on learning about the hybrid Houston-Galveston Extension Program. It, too, was a popular session. We are happy to report that each of these events was well-attended and brought prospective students from far and wide, resulting in the highest event registration numbers to date.
As final applications were considered for the fall 2020 semester, numerous applicants indicated that attending events influenced their decisions to attend this fall. With this momentum, we are eager to approach the 2021 recruitment season and have already planned to increase the number of virtual sessions by continuing our creativity of content, format and sensitivity to prospective student schedules.
As planning continues, you will soon be able to follow all of our recruitment event updates on our webpage, which is currently undergoing renovation and restructure to meet needs of recruitment in this Covid-19 era. As we move forward, we ask that you continue to keep SMU Perkins School of Theology in your prayers.
Sincerely,
Caleb Palmer, Ministry Discernment Associate
Samantha Stewart, Ministry Discernment Associate
“The Virtual event was extremely beneficial as it allowed me to connect with Perkins at a time that worked for me. The ability to ask questions live, connect with current students and admissions staff provided a sense of community that is hard to capture via webinar or conference call alone.”
-Summer 2020 Recruitment Series Prospective Student