From alumna to recruiter

That profile picture of me was taken in May 2009 as I walked into Diddle Arena as a graduate student and walked out an alumna of Western Kentucky University. I was so excited to have my master's hood placed over my head by my thesis advisor, Dr. Blair Thompson, but at the same time I was quite sad that my time at WKU was coming to a close. When I saw a job posting for the Office of Admissions I jumped at the chance to stay on the Hill -- and my enthusiasm must have showed, because I was offered the opportunity to join this office as an admissions counselor in November.

Some of you may be wondering, as I was three months ago, what exactly an admissions counselor does all day long. Let me tell you, it's a whole lot. On days when we're in the office, our list of duties runs something like this:

• Answer incoming phone calls from prospective students, parents, guidance counselors, and whomever else selects "speak with an admissions counselor" from our automated menu
• Meet with prospective students and their parents who come in to Potter Hall, whether scheduled or unscheduled (both are fine; you don't need an appointment to stop in)
  
• Schedule visits at high schools and community colleges
• Send notifications to guidance counselors and students of upcoming visits
• Send thank-you notes to guidance counselors and students following a visit
• Enter data from the information cards students filled out during a visit
• Answer questions posed via e-mail and snail mail
• Write letters to students who indicate interest in WKU by sending us their ACT/SAT scores
• Fill in for our tour coordinator if he has to miss the daily tour/info session at the Welcome Center
• Act as back-up for our application processors during the busiest parts of the year
• Make a daily run to Java City for a cappuccino and a Rice Krispie treat (OK, so I'm the only one who does that)
• Assist where needed for Focus on WKU, Minority Preview days and the Academic Transitions Program (some counselors are in charge of actually planning those events)
• Recruit students for, design, and oversee the production of Office of Admissions publications like our annual Viewbook
  
• Plot ways to get someone to paint over my bright-green office with a more respectable shade of coffee-with-cream brown (again, that's just me)
  

When we aren't in the office, we're most likely visiting a high school, community college, or career/college fair somewhere in this great nation. Usually at those visits we'll set up a table with information about WKU, then wait for people to stop by and ask questions. Sometimes guidance counselors will allow us to make a presentation for a group of students, which is nice because it gives us more time to talk about what makes WKU so great. Each WKU admissions counselor is a fearless public speaker (I even taught a public speaking course at WKU), so, given the microphone, we can ramble on for days (or at least hours) about the Honors College, Study Abroad, scholarships, and a plethora of fast facts about our alma mater.

I'll be popping back in now and then to update everyone on exciting happenings in the world of admissions counselors, and I'll be sure to let you know what happens in my quest to get my bright-green office painted. Thanks for visiting our blog, and we hope to see you soon on the Hill!