Strategic Direction 1: Expand Access
Pittsburgh Technical College will expand student access by increasing awareness, establishing comprehensive enrollment management systems and outreach, and promoting access to specialized populations locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
SD #1 Work Group
*Co-Chairs
Doug Cerminara
Lee Cottrell
Jennifer Donovan
Gralan Gilliam*
Kelly Goldstrohm*
David Hertz
Michael Hodder
Kim Kovac
Megan Lee
Matt Lemarie
Brian Maitland
Wilfred Mutale
Susan Polick
George Pry
Tom Shiel
Melissa Wertz
Shelley Zollner*
The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot
be changed without changing our thinking.
– Albert Einstein
OBJECTIVE 1
Develop a comprehensive public awareness campaign to strengthen our distinctive identity as a private non-profit college that combines academic excellence with applied and technical expertise.
Strategies
- Refine and reinforce our brand identity to best differentiate PTC to our target markets.
- Leverage PTC’s brand and values to attract, retain, and engage students and employees to serve as brand advocates.
- Design, implement, and promote expansive, flexible, and responsive online and hybrid offerings and scheduling.
- Ensure development and implementation of seamless onboarding, timely completion, and entry into the workforce for all students by removing barriers and integrating inclusive classroom and student experiences with holistic student support.
- Develop a comprehensive marketing and communication plan to promote and support the PTC Magic to reposition Pittsburgh Technical College in the minds of the community by promoting high levels of excellence, accountability, and customer service.
OBJECTIVE 2
Establish Office of Strategic Enrollment Management to achieve student enrollment that aligns with Pittsburgh Technical College’s mission and values while positioning PTC for fiscal sustainability.
Strategies
- Provide enhanced, responsive, and effective scholarship and financial aid options that will attract students and support their success.
- Clearly define recruitment targets and create tailored, comprehensive plans to drive action.
- Ensure seamless access, holistic support, successful completion, and equitable outcomes for all students.
- Establish a comprehensive Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management to consolidate all admissions and student services-related functions to support the efficient outreach, recruitment, registration, and completion of students online and onsite.
- Leverage the Strategic Enrollment Plan to optimize enrollment while ensuring equitable access and outcomes for all students.
OBJECTIVE 3
Support equitable access, opportunity, and success for students from diverse backgrounds where diversity is defined broadly. Ensure seamless access, holistic support, successful completion, and equitable outcomes for all students.
Strategies
- Clearly define retention and completion goals and create tailored, comprehensive plans to best support the specific needs of our diverse student population.
- Clearly identify gaps in academic achievement for diverse populations and create tailored and comprehensive plans to reduce these gaps.
- Enhance institutional capacity to implement a student success system to facilitate counseling and advising and monitor student progress.
- Develop a strategy to attract special populations for enrollment that includes targeted outreach within Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
- Develop intentional outreach and recruitment strategies for prospective students from disproportionately impacted groups.
OBJECTIVE 4
Develop a concise enrollment model based on best practices to support connection, entry, progression, and program completion at Pittsburgh Technical College.
Strategies
- Develop an innovative model for coordination and participation in diverse recruitment activities that includes: expanded enrollment of veterans, students in foster care, and first-generation populations; high school and university open houses; and career-related events to highlight educational opportunities at Pittsburgh Technical College.
- Encourage prospective students to apply and complete the intake process in a timely manner so that they can begin to develop a plan for college and their careers, as well as enroll in initial coursework.
- Provide regular and consistent communication with the community and prospective students to keep them informed of registration dates and enrollment opportunities.
- Expand and enhance wraparound academic support for virtual education to create the expansion of Pittsburgh Technical College’s “virtual college.”
- Enhance institutional capacity for and use of student success data analytics to improve students’ experiences.
OBJECTIVE 5
Expand Marketing and Communication strategies to include data analytics, micro-nudging, and other strategies to enhance enrollment and retention.
Strategies
- Identify prospective students and provide targeted marketing campaigns to inform them of educational opportunities tailored to their needs.
- Provide resources for instructional program marketing and support initiatives that will enhance connection, entry, progression and completion.
- Develop and promote, internally and externally, Pittsburgh Technical College’s optimal and inclusive learning and teaching environments so that all students feel welcomed and empowered to succeed.
- Design and implement a Pittsburgh Technical College mobile application to create a mobile-first college enrollment experience.
- Improve efficiency in the application and enrollment process, brand perception, and optimization of marketing messages.
