Jean C. Eddy has been appointed senior vice president for students and enrollment at the Rhode Island School of Design. Eddy had previously served as senior vice president for students and enrollment at Brandeis University since 2000. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the school’s admissions, financial aid and student affairs.
PBN: How has the function and strategy of recruiting and supporting students changed?
EDDY: Enrollment management has made the function of recruiting and supporting college students increasingly intentional. Enrollment managers build purposely diverse classes, hoping to bring the appropriate mix of artists and designers, young entrepreneurs, men and women from all parts of the globe together to create a community that reflects the world that these young people will engage in after they graduate. … Not that long ago, colleges and universities simply chose from students who applied, rather than building an applicant pool of students who would create a vibrant community. … Strategic recruiters study statistics, enrollment management and marketing to achieve the desired result.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
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PBN: Are there specific enrollment goals you hope to achieve at RISD?
EDDY: The basis for an enrollment management philosophy is to identify the student who “belongs” at your institution, engage that student to become a member of your community, and assure that this student has a wonderful experience – one that will connect that young person to your institution for a lifetime. Who is that prospective student? What attributes do they have? What talents do they bring? How does RISD ensure that the person who belongs at RISD enrolls at RISD? I will be studying these questions and developing strategies to assure we continue to enroll the best and the brightest.
PBN: How do you hope to enhance the student experience at RISD?
My hope is to create an out-of-classroom experience that mirrors that wonderful academic experience, one that supports and enhances what students learn in the studio. Learning also happens outside the classroom, through leadership opportunities, entrepreneurship development and the relationships formed with other members of our community. I want to make sure that the student who belongs at RISD has a truly outstanding experience. •
