At quitting time on a Wednesday in mid-March, the staff of the Office of Admissions stood quietly outside their offices searching for answers that didn’t exist.
For a day that started out completely normal, the end came with the stark realization that this was the last time they would all see each other in person for quite a while.
The Office of Admissions, like any other entity on campus, has faced both challenges and opportunities in response to COVID-19.
Under the leadership of Director Trée George, the Office implemented daily Zoom calls.
During a time of distancing and isolation, these calls brought every staff member in the Office of Admissions together in ways that may not have existed before quarantine. Whether calling in from Houston, Dallas or Ruston, the entire team has come together to talk, listen, and share in their own experiences working remotely, to adjust to a new way of life, and to learn from prospective families about their own complications. George’s continual stance has been that Admissions will operate from a place of empathy, understanding, and operational flexibility.
Outside of the internal response, Admissions has worked swiftly to completely reconfigure a recruitment plan rooted in face-to-face communication and physical campus tours.
Senior Associate Director Megan Fair has coached and supported the Admissions Specialists and Recruiters as they have transitioned into virtual recruitment. Through coordination from the Assistant Director of Communication and Campus Experience Coordinator, a 10-episode series of weekly videos, dubbed the Push Paws Student Panel, was created to have current students answer prospective students’ questions on various topics related to Louisiana Tech University. All episodes can be found on Louisiana Tech Admissions’ YouTube channel.
In addition to the Push Paws Student Panel, Admissions has used this time to expand its social media exposure. Most successfully, this can be seen on the latech2024 Instagram account – an account for admitted freshmen to have their bios and pictures featured and meet their future classmates. The account continues to gain more traction each day.
The Office of Admissions has benefited from support and partnerships across campus. University Communications has worked with Admissions to launch a virtual tour of campus and continues to work on an additional five tours, one for each college. The Alumni Association collaborated with the Office to create meaningful videos in place of the well-loved tradition of Send-Off Parties.
With constant communication and targeted outreach, the Office of Admissions has experienced a spike in applications during COVID-19. Admissions has faced COVID-19 by standing strong and connected as one and will continue seeking new opportunities for recruitment during these uncertain times. Admissions looks forward to reuniting on campus with the patient understanding of a new normal.