Home Economy Brown launches recruitment initiatives to boost diversity of students

Brown launches recruitment initiatives to boost diversity of students

By

PBN Staff

-

12/04/2024

BROWN UNIVERSITY is launching a new set of recruitment initiatives to attract more students of diverse backgrounds to attend the Ivy League school. / COURTESY BROWN UNIVERSITY

PROVIDENCE – Brown University on Wednesday launched a new set of admission recruitment initiatives to attract more students of diverse backgrounds to the Ivy League school. in a message to the Brown community, Provost Francis J. Doyle III and Interim Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity Patricia Poitevien detailed the initiatives, which included matching

Already a Subscriber? Log in

To Continue Reading This Article

Become a Providence Business News subscriber and get immediate access to all of our premier content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Critical RI business news and analysis updated daily.
1 year of print (26 issues).
Unlimited access to all subscriber only content on our website, on any device.
Free email alerts.
Annual Book of Lists Print Edition.
All special issues produced during subscription term.

Click Here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article

PBN Branded Content

Rhode Island FC To Offer Local Businesses Top-Notch Networking Opportunities in 2025

The perfect atmosphere for entertaining clients or hosting employees, The Stadium at Tidewater Landing will…

Learn More

No posts to display

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

PROVIDENCE – Brown University on Wednesday launched a new set of admission recruitment initiatives to attract more students of diverse backgrounds to the Ivy League school. in a message to the Brown community, Provost Francis J. Doyle III and Interim Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity Patricia Poitevien detailed the initiatives, which included matching financial aid awards, recruitment campaigns and creating new alumni positions to increase capacity to engage students. “In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that greatly limited any consideration of race in admission decisions, Brown remains committed to complying with the law while fostering a diverse and inclusive community as integral to our mission of academic excellence,” they wrote in a joint statement. “With a focus on recruitment, matriculation and retention of a diverse community of students, the university has developed a set of concrete actions focused on ensuring a robust pool of highly qualified diverse students apply to Brown and, once admitted, have access to the resources they need to enroll.” The strategies include:

Enhancing funding for matching financial aid awards to all students admitted to Brown from institutions making competitive offers.
Increasing participation in Brown’s matching program with QuestBridge, a national nonprofit that works to equalize access to top colleges and universities for talented high school students from low-income families.
Creating five new regionally based admissions positions focused on local recruiting across the country, working with high schools and community-based organizations.
Creating new targeted communications campaigns for prospective students, their families and high school counselors as part of efforts to build education around accessibility, campus support and resources for career exploration.
Offering new admissions programming for guidance counselors, including those who work at community-based organizations, to build an understanding of Brown’s commitment to a diverse and thriving student body, as well as the university’s individualized admissions process that considers the experiences and context of every applicant.
Using the Brown alumni network to support recruitment and matriculation efforts, building a pool of more than 750 alumni for the effort.
Creating a new alumni-relations position to work with alumni volunteers to increase capacity to engage with prospective students from underrepresented communities.
Expanding partnerships with alumni affinity groups that cultivate relationships and support recruitment efforts among diverse communities.
Expanding Brown’s existing travel grant program for prospective and admitted low-income students to enable travel to campus.

Brown spokesperson Brian Clark told Providence Business News that the Division of Advancement will play a role in raising funds to support this initiative and other new initiatives. “Donors to Brown have been instrumental in our ability to expand financial aid over the last decade, and they continue to provide support as we find ways to sustain student diversity in an evolving admissions environment nationwide,” Clark said. Doyle and Poitevien noted in their statement that the new initiatives will serve as the foundation of a yearslong effort as Brown and other institutions continue to contend with an evolving admissions environment nationwide. The university said it plans to evaluate the strategies annually to determine how recruitment, selection and yield efforts succeed in continuing to enroll talented students who contribute to Brown's academic mission. “We are committed to ensuring that prospective students and their families, as well as those who support them, feel confident in Brown’s commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive environment that is welcoming to students from all backgrounds,” the leaders said.