The document discusses DePaul University's efforts to recruit a diverse student body through student ambassador, peer guide, and intern programs. It describes the roles and responsibilities of each program, how they collaborate on recruitment events, and their success in reaching underrepresented students. Over the past year, the programs have customized visits for 135 students, reached over 1,600 students at events, and received positive feedback and enrollment from specialized recruitment programs. The presentation provides advice on implementing similar programs with different budget levels and maintaining student engagement.

1. MAXIMIZING MULTICULTURAL
COLLEGE STUDENTS IN
UNDERREPRESENTED
STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND
OUTREACH
Amanda Parada-Villatoro, DePaul University
Ashley McKnight-Phillips, DePaul University
Sparkle Hunt, DePaul University

2. Our Goal
 To recruit an academically talented and
diverse student body that reflects DePaul’s
mission
- Accessibility
- Diversity
- Educational Excellence
 Three approaches:
- Ambassadors
- Peer Guides
- Interns

3. Ambassadors
Enhance prospective student experience
Reward volunteers
5 Paid E-Board Positions Membership
 Male Overnight Host  60 members
Coordinator
 Female Overnight  30 Active Members
Host Coordinator  Gold Members
 Panel & Visit Day
Coordinator  Ambie of the month
 Secretary  Annual Ambie
 Fundraising & Special awards
Events Coordinator

4. Ambassadors
 Unpaid volunteers
 Work with all prospective students
 Host students overnight on campus
 Student panels
 Calling campaigns
 High school visits/college fairs
 Housing tours
 Special on-campus programs
 Class of Excellence
 College Insight
 Visit days

5. Peer Guides
 Paid student employees
 Serve as tour guides, panelists, activity leaders
 Assist with admission activities and events
 Focus on outreach to students of color (SOC)
 Special
groups: MIP, GLAD, College Connect,
STEP UP…
 Represent backgrounds similar to students we
serve
 SOC
 Chicago- area grads
 1st Generation

6. Interns
 Paid, Para-professional student employees
 6 Individual Positions
 Campus Tour Coordinator  Territory and Travel Management
 Communications Specialist  Transfer and Adult Specialist
 Customized Visit Coordinator  Scholar Volunteer Coordinator
 Shared Common Responsibilities
 Quarterly Group Projects
 Special Group Presentations
 Out of State and Local Recruitment Assistance
 Fully Supported by Professional Staff
 Report to direct supervisor regarding position-specific office
needs
 Assist various counselors at college fairs, hometown visits,
panels, etc.
 Work with Intern Coordinator to tailor experience in

7. How We Collaborate: Events
Communication
• Ambie Callers
• Peer Guide Callers
• Comm Intern
• Scholarship Intern
Campus Tours Housing Tours
• Tour Coordinator Recruitment • Tour Coordinator
• Panel/Visit • Panel/Visit
Coordinator Events Coordinator
• Tour Guides • Ambie Volunteers
Student Panels
• Panel/Visit
Coordinator
• Available Interns
• Ambie Volunteers

8. How We Collaborate:
Overnights
Scheduling
• CV Intern
• Overnight
Coords
General
Training/RB SOC Hosting
•Overnight Coords
•Available Interns
Overnigh •Ambassador
Hosts
ts •Peer Guides
Campus
Tours
•Tour
Coordinator
•Tour Guides
•Peer Guides

9. How We Collaborate: Travel
Communicatio
n
•Ambie Callers
•Peer Guide
Callers
•Comm Intern
HSV’s College Fairs
• Peer Guides
• Available Interns
Targeted • Peer Guides
• Available Interns
• Ambie
Volunteers
Travel • E-Board
Members
Panels
• Panel/Visit
Coord
• Ambie Panelists
• Available Interns

10. Outcomes
 Ambassadors
 Customized Visit – 135 customized visits September through April
2012
 Class of Excellence
 2011 – 18% of attendees deposited prior to event
 2011 – 85% of attendees deposited
 2012 – 19% of attendees deposited prior to event
 College InSight
 32% of attendees have applied for admission…and counting
 Calling Campaign
 2012 – 28% successful calls made to SOC
 Peer Guides
 1200 students reached in 25 unique events (approx. 48 students
per event)
 Interns
 1440 students reached through special group visits and over 400
students reached through fairs, panels, and visits

11. Our Recruitment
 Started with:
 Student Organizations and Greek Life
 Involvement Fair booth
 Current student employees/ office assistants
 Referrals from TRiO, multicultural student support offices
 Campus job board
 Pay/ Incentives
 Ambassador E-Board- $3,000 Yearly Stipend
 Point-based rewards redeemable for prizes
 Special Events
 Peer Guides- $10/hr
 Interns- $11/hr
 Professional Development
 Networking
 Recommendations for special programs
 Retreats
 Professional Development Workshops

12. Your Turn! Steps to
Implementation
 First things first
 Assess your needs
 Second: Budget, budget, budget!
 No budget- Volunteer Approach
 Small/medium budget- Peer Guide Approach
 Larger budget- Intern Approach

13. No Budget
 Volunteer
 Fundraise for incentives (Finals kits, bake sales, etc.)
 Pays for itself!
 Connect students to paid opportunities as an incentive
for involvement
 In-house workshops/training
 Attach students to pre-existing initiatives that won’t
add to your budget
 Overnight hosts
 Visitdays
 High school visits/college fairs
 Calling campaigns
 Housing tours

14. Small/ Medium Budget
 Do not require consistent weekly
schedules
 Offer competitive wages to students
 Targeted initiatives
 Partner with programs/ schools for specialized
visits
 Adopt a school
 Invest in Leadership
 Workshop brainstorming
- Let students put their skills to use!
 Leadership conferences

15. Larger Budget
 20 hour per week expectation
 Consistent weekly schedule each term
 4-5 days per week commitment
 Maximize recruitment through paid efforts
 Paid out-of-state travel outside of hometown visits
 Incentive to assist in SOC events
 Invest in professional development
 Development = Meaningful Experience =
Referrals!

16. Steps to Recruitment
 Start with known leaders
 Multicultural student orgs, Greeks, ministry
groups, etc.
 May already share your same goals!
 Reach out to university departments that work
with diverse students
 Scholarship recipients/ Honors students
 May need to meet service hours
 Pull from current student workers
 Post on campus job board… and don’t forget
to advertise!

17. How We Keep Students
Engaged
 Provide consistent opportunities to get
involved
 Keeps things fresh and interesting
 Cater to the students’ interests and passions
 Ask what they want to get out of their experience,
then follow through
 Empowerment through leadership
 Letstudents create ways to engage
 Creates buy-in and commitment
 Make sure we give them what we promised
them!

18. How to Engage
 Remind importance of work
 Provide updates on accomplishments and “numbers”
 Allow them to stay connected with students they work with
 Professional Development: Prep them for success!
 Conferences
 Special workshops
 Networking
 Recommendations
 Praise, praise and more praise!
 Parties & Awards
 Thank you letters
 Celebrate milestones as a group
 Social Media

19. Connecting the Dots…
 Tour guides
 Shared experience
 Mentors/ Role Models
 Email/ Facebook buddies
 Create and lead workshops/activities

20. Q&A
Current DePaul Students
 Dion Meggs, Ambassador
 Priscilla Esparza, Intern

21. THANK YOU
Amanda Parada-Villatoro, DePaul University
aparada@depaul.edu
Ashley McKnight-Phillips, DePaul University
aphilli5@depaul.edu
Sparkle Hunt, DePaul University
shunt6@depaul.edu