By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
For 19 years running, Fort Hays State University has achieved continued enrollment growth — and now with a new strategic plan that uses a data-driven approach to enrollment management, the university hopes to expand even more.
“We’ve identified some academic programs to expand and some new programs to introduce,” said FHSU President Tisa Mason. “We’ve revised and have a more inclusive scholarship program and we’ve got some systems developed to improve more personalized communication with prospective students.”
A key component is the continued growth of the FHSU Virtual College.
“Our online growth has been extraordinary,” Mason said.
We have been working a lot on the strategic enrollment plan, she said. We want to grow our online because we know that not everyone can come to campus.
“What we are really good at is serving the adult population online,” she said.
FHSU introduced online education before many other area universities and continues to be a leader in the field.
“It’s getting more and more competitive to grow enrollment, and we have been blessed. With our past administration and President (Edward) Hammond we were able to get into the online environment before it was critical,” Mason said.
“While people are now trying to adapt to understanding why that is important, we have been able to strengthen our quality and introduce really adaptive technology and interactive modules so it’s not as bland as people imagine. It can be very relationship-driven and interactive.”
“We have been doing it so long, that’s why we are one of five institutions in the nation with that quality assurance standard,” Mason said.
With that, Mason said “we can serve a lot of Kansans and other students in helping them get workforce ready.”
While the online growth is good for the university, Mason said there is also a tremendous value to on-campus growth as well.
“That’s important to our community,” she said.
A long-running program of the university that helps recruit students from the area is the Scholarship Recognition Program Roadshow which is set to kick off in Garden City on Jan. 26.
“We love our scholarship recognition program,” Mason said. “That’s targeting new freshmen and transfer students that are primarily coming on campus.”
During those programs, university officials travel the area and recognize potential and incoming students and award scholarships in person.
“It’s a way to say congratulations before they even get on campus,” Mason said. “What I really like about it, is that it’s our ethic of care.”
The program will travel to three states and 12 cities.
“Although it’s a lot of time to travel three states, the rewards of being present with the people are extraordinary,” Mason said.