Students attend Ferris State University from almost every state in the U.S. and 43 countries across the world.
Marketing senior Lexi Adaschik came to Ferris from Salem, N.H. Adaschik wanted to go somewhere out-of-state and chose Ferris at the recommendation of an aunt who graduated from the criminal justice program.
“I wanted to be in classes that were 30 to 40 students as opposed to hundreds of people in a lecture hall,” she said. “I like the community of the school, too. It’s a good size where there are enough people you know but you can still meet new people.”
According to Chase Watts, Ferris’ senior admission recruiter, another reason Ferris is attractive to out-of-state students is the Bulldog Award, a $6,000 yearly scholarship available to any undergraduate from the 49 states outside Michigan or from Ontario, Canada.
“We’re opening up the door to everyone,” he said.
Watts, a graduate of Ferris’ public relations program, hits the road each spring and fall for weeks at a time with other Ferris recruiters, visiting up to four high schools a day. Ferris actively recruits all over Michigan as well as Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
Watts also said recruitment efforts have recently picked up in New York. When prospective students tour Ferris, Watts said it’s important for current students to interact with them and share experiences.
“Students are the biggest advocates we have,” Watts said. “The more welcoming the campus environment, the more likely they are to show up.”
For future enrollment efforts, Ferris recently released its 2015-2016 “Strategic Enrollment Plan,” which highlights expanding digital marketing, analyzing demand for course offerings, increasing retention rates and more. The plan can be found at ferris.edu/strategic-planning.