MICUA

MICUA institutions participate in college fairs at high schools with diverse populations and host on-campus recruitment events for prospective multicultural students and their families. During these sessions, institutional representatives provide general college information, as well as details about admissions requirements and financial aid. Some institutions waive the application fee for low-income students from underrepresented groups. Several institutions, including Goucher, Hood, Johns Hopkins, and Mount St. Mary’s have hired dedicated admissions counselors for multicultural recruitment.

For several years, Washington Adventist University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the most diverse institutions in the nation. In 2010, U.S. News ranked WAU as the fourth most diverse baccalaureate college in the north. The institution hired a bilingual recruiter to work with the Hispanic population in the neighboring community and throughout the U.S. The WAU enrollment management team (including admissions, advising, and financial aid) is balanced according to gender, race, ethnicity, and age.

One recruitment tool that Hood College uses is the Go to High School, Go to College fair in Prince George’s County. This college fair exposes more than 600 students in Maryland and the District of Columbia to various college preparation services, including the admissions process, academic preparation, and financial aid.

In order to attract a more inclusive pool of students, half of the State-aided MICUA institutions no longer require SAT or ACT scores from applicants. As a result, the institutions report that the entering freshman class is more diverse. Goucher College, Loyola University Maryland, McDaniel College, St. John’s College, Sojourner-Douglass College, Washington Adventist University, and Washington College all practice some form of “test-optional” admissions.

St. John’s College is expanding its current recruitment efforts to attract more students of color and international students. The College is integrating diversity efforts into its new prospect management program.

Notre Dame of Maryland University has been successful in recruiting and retaining students of color, who make up about 30 percent of the college population. Admissions staff reach out to underrepresented populations and arrange campus visits for young women from Baltimore City. Notre Dame staff conduct college workshops for My Sister Circle, a local mentoring program for young women of color in the Baltimore area, and participate in a recruiting event entitled Alcanza for Hispanic youth in the Northern Virginia and surrounding region. Notre Dame has also developed partnerships with Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China to increase the presence of international students in its traditional Women’s College and the English Language Institute.

With the goal of increasing its minority student population from 17 percent to 25 percent over the next five years, Mount St. Mary’s University has developed several new initiatives. In addition to participating in college fairs and high school visits, the admissions office annually sponsors a recruitment event for diverse students, called Mosaic Day. Each year the participation in that event increases. The Mount conducted a diversity seminar for admissions staff and recruiters. In addition, the University hired a bilingual counselor to assist with the Spanish-speaking populations of prospective students. Finally, the Mount utilizes minority student “ambassadors” to conduct campus tours for prospective students of color. Minority applications have increased from 24 percent in 2007 to 35 percent in 2011. Total minorities in the freshman class have increased from 15 percent in 2007 to 23 percent in 2011, an all-time high for the Mount.

McDaniel College has partnered with the College Bound Foundation to identify and recruit inner city low-income minority students from Baltimore City. Additionally, McDaniel offers six-to-eight full-tuition scholarships to highly qualified Baltimore City students annually. In addition, McDaniel continues to partner with College Visions from Providence, Rhode Island, and Academic Success Program from Wichita Falls, Texas, to identify and recruit first-generation students of color. Finally, College staff participate in college fairs conducted by 100 Black Men of Maryland, National Council of Negro Women, National Hispanic Fair, and the Hispanic Latino Student College Fund.

Stevenson University recruits students from various cities, states, and countries. The institution has broadened its recruitment efforts to include Puerto Rico, but continues to target Baltimore City schools and works with programs such as College Bound. Stevenson’s diversity rate for the freshman class is approximately 28 percent.

With funding from the Gates Foundation, Capitol College is designing a statewide Learn and Earn program to increase the interest of low-income youth in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and careers. Capitol is leading a partnership with another four-year institution, four community colleges, and corporations.

Johns Hopkins University annually hosts Hopkins Overnight Multicultural Experience (HOME), a special recruitment event for culturally diverse prospective and admitted students. Students are hosted by current JHU students, attend classes, participate in activities on campus and in Baltimore, and stay overnight in the residence halls. In addition, someone from the University places personal telephone calls to all admitted minority students to encourage their attendance.

Similarly, Washington College invites prospective students from historically underrepresented populations to attend its Multicultural Student Weekend. Through this program, the prospective students attend classes; experience campus life; and develop networking relationships with faculty, staff, and students.