JCU Blog Central

Summer hiatus

So, it's been a while and I apologize for that, but it has been a zoo around here (which anyone in the enrollment field will tell you that it is a good thing to be busy in the summer.)  After bringing in a large class I would like to say that we can shut it down for the next few months and glide through until the fall.  I would like to say that, but it simply isn't true.  Our student bloggers are gone for the summer (and John graduated in May) so there will be little updates from them until the Fall Semester starts.  I am currently looking for some more dynamic students for you to read about starting in September.

The campus has been alive with the the new students of the Class of 2012 as New Student Orientation has been in full swing.  Every week since the beginning of June we have been hosting groups of 90-100 families to campus as their official "welcome to the community."  The enrollment staff sits and talks with the families during lunch on the first day to see how things are going and ask if there is anything that we can do to help with their transition into college.  It was during one of these lunches that I had a tremendous conversation with a family that really struck a chord with me. 

Whenever I give the admission presentation to prospective students and their families, I always stress the matter of finding the right fit.  I tell students that they should be visiting big schools, small schools, city campuses, rural campuses, etc. to find exactly what it is that they are looking for in a college.  The conversation that I had with this family detailed the family's journey that ended with the student choosing John Carroll.  They told me about tours, presentations, scholarship days, and just that "feeling" that you get when you walk on a campus.  It was a great conversation because it made me realize that students are looking at schools for the right reasons and they are picking the places that will help them become successful in life.  It's nice to know that in a profession that can be highly stressful, admission professionals across the country are still giving students the right advice about finding their best fit and coming to that decision with their families.   

Saying goodbye to a legend and a friend

Saying goodbye is never easy and this case is no different.  Tomorrow, the John Carroll community will say its final goodbye to Fr. Joseph Schell, S.J., a former JCU philosophy professor, University president, and campus minister who was the true embodiment of the Jesuit phrase "Men for Others."  Fr. Schell spent 60 years on Carroll's campus meeting everyone he met with his kind eyes and a warm smile before retiring from the community in 2004.  The calming nature of his presence, the kindness of his heart, and the warmth of his personality will be greatly missed. 

Today's the Day

It's May 1st (the National Candidate's Reply Date for those of you keeping score at home) and it's a very exciting day in the world of enrollment.  This is the day that students should be making their final decisions about what university they will be attending in the fall and contacting said school.  We are very excited here about the members of the Class of 2012 who have already committed to John Carroll and can't wait to see what the next few days brings. 

Of course, our work with this class is not over.  There is still summer orientation, class registration, & Streak Week that we need to guide the new class through and I couldn't be more excited.  I look forward to meeting families during orientation, serving alongside students at the Streak Week service project, and welcoming new students to campus on move-in day.   Sure, it's great to open up the mail and see a new Enrollment Reservation Form of another student who is choosing JCU, but it really comes to life when the new students start trickling in to campus.  We can't wait to see you this summer and in the fall!

Welcome to JCU! 

Welcoming the new class

As I write this, the windows to my office are wide open and I am enjoying a cool spring breeze and a lot of sun.  The glare on my computer screen is almost unbearable, but I'd rather deal with it than close my blinds.

The warming weather trend is always a reminder to admission professionals that the National Candidates Reply Date (May 1) is just around the corner.  This is the date by which seniors in high school have to make their decisions about which college they are attending.  For many schools, John Carroll included, this can be a nerve-racking time of year.  But this is a great time of year and we are filled with such hope for the incoming Class of 2012 as evidenced by our Class of 2012 Celebration that took place on April 5.  We hosted over 1,100 people on our campus for a day of information, fun, and community.  The Celebration Day was a huge success this year and is a tribute to the great staff and administrators on our campus who planned this amazing day.  The unsung heroes of the day, though, were the JCU student volunteers who came out in droves to welcome the newest JCU class to campus.  I truly believe that the students and their families who attended the event saw first-hand what an amazing place JCU is - not just because of the buildings and the natural beauty of campus, but because our students are some of the best in the country.

The Blizzard of Aught Eight

So what is it that students do when there is a blizzard that left over a foot of snow on the ground?  JCU students can get pretty creative...