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Enrollment Management Update: October 2022

If you are on campus Monday, come out and meet some amazing future Panthers. If you know a high school student who would do well with a campus that offers a family environment, personal attention as well as faculty and staff committed to student success, help us exceed our goal by having them sign up here.

Enrollment Management Updates this Month

• Census enrollment for fall 2022 is up! We saw an increase in Freshman, Honors and local students and are experiencing historic highs in international and graduate enrollment. Make sure you check out the University press release if you have not already.  
• Freshman applications were up 52% for Fall 2022, with the launch of the Common App last year, and are up 22% for Fall 2023 date in time. 
• The Panther Finder Score is here.  The adoption of Common App meant more applications which is great, but unfortunately the application pool from the Common App has been less intentional. This week a new engagement model launched, which is called the Panther Finder Score. It will assist our undergraduate Admissions staff in prioritizing communication and relationship building with students the who are most engaged. 
• During the October 10 Open House, campus will be kicking off Homecoming from 11 am - 1 pm on the Library Quad. There will be yard games, inflatables food and more and it will be a great opportunity for our prospective students to interact with current students and staff and get a sneak peek at student life. 
• The Freshman and Transfer Connection cohorts were even more successful this year. Participating freshman were retained Fall-to-Fall 4% above the average, transfers at 16% above the average and we retained 100% of our mentors, at 11% above the population average. The Fall 2021 Freshman cohort composed of 79% first-generation, low-SES or under-represented populations with a total of 187 mentees across the FC/TC program.
• Freshman and Transfer Connection is growing again this year. Fall 2022’s cohort is our largest yet at 257 mentees. The freshman cohort is made up of 83% first-generation, low-SES or underrepresented student populations. 
• The Deputy Governor requested a meeting about EIU’s growing enrollment.  Representatives from EIU spoke with Deputy Governor Martin Torres late last month about growing enrollment and important issues like college-bound out-migration. The conversation was productive and enlightening. 
• EIU is welcoming more alumni advocates into the fold. Our developers have created a new automated process to bi-annually utilize a student teaching database to reach current and future teachers, and invite them to become advocates in the schools for EIU. 
• High School and Community College Counselors have been on campus. In the last few weeks we have had many community college and high school counselors on campus to learn about our academic programs and the latest and greatest EIU has to offer its students. Both the Transfer Articulation and the high school counselor visit programs we well received by counselors who attended. 

Story of the Month

This month’s story comes from a student at EIU, reflecting on their college choice decision during their Senior year. I chose this story while thinking about our first Fall Open House on Monday, because it touches on the incredible impact events like our Open Houses and Daily Visits can have on our prospective students.

I chose to attend Eastern Illinois University because I completely fell in love with the campus when I first visited. I knew the moment that I came to visit campus that this would be my home for the next 4 years. The campus was filled with so much life.

After I left home that year, I started imagining what my life would be like here. Once my senior year came around, I knew that EIU was one of the schools I wanted to apply to. The admissions office was always so welcoming when answering any question that I had, and I believe that is what made the process even easier.  

I knew that my family’s income would also be a major factor in deciding where to go for college but luckily EIU was one of the few schools that was still in reach for us financially speaking. My parents and I knew that EIU was the right option for me and that although I was going to be apart from them, we were making the right decision. I wanted a new place to call home and I am glad that I found that here at Eastern Illinois University. 

Thanks to all of you for your continued advocacy for Eastern Illinois University!

Josh Norman
Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
 jlnorman@eiu.edu  | 217-581-6077