A program designed to enhance recruitment and streamline the enrollment process for first-time new students has been named the St. Louis Community College 2009 Innovation of the Year.

The New Student Enrollment Orientation (NSEO) program was initiated by STLCC-Meramec to deliver information to first-time new students in an efficient and consistent manner. It also provides them with an opportunity to ask questions, be better prepared and take more responsibility for and ownership of the enrollment process. New students are invited to attend a 1-1/2 hour orientation session after they have completed an enrollment application and provided appropriate test scores or assessment results. Orientation sessions are offered several times a day.

“Prior to the development of NSEO, there was no system in place to orient and enroll first-time new students,” said Julie Massey, Meramec academic advisor. “The enrollment process can be overwhelming for new students when they are not given a clear direction on what steps need to be taken. It was inefficient for both students and staff to conduct individual orientation. NSEO not only allows the student to have more responsibility and ownership in the enrollment process, but also makes them more autonomous. This autonomy allows for the advisor to focus on advising and program planning while working with a student.”

NSEO began in May 2007 and is held between the months of May and August each year, during peak registration periods. During the first summer of the project, 655 new students attended sessions – accounting for 35 percent of the new students that enrolled at Meramec in fall 2007. By the second summer, 1,012 new students attended a session, or 77 percent of the new students that enrolled at Meramec.

The NSEO Committee includes Massey, Ray Eberle-Mayse, assessment manager; Suzzie Huff, academic advisor; Barb Shadburne, admissions/registration assistant III; Kim Fitzgerald, enrollment services coordinator; and Klaudia Krygiel, admissions/registration assistant III.

The League for Innovation in the Community College established the Innovation of the Year Award to recognize an individual or group from each of the 20 member college districts who have use creative, productive approaches to meet new needs or solve old problems.  Criteria for the award are quality, efficiency, cost effectiveness, replication, creativity and timeliness. STLCC is a founding member of the League for Innovation.

Established in 1962, St. Louis Community College is the largest community college district in Missouri and one of the largest in the United States.  STLCC has four campuses – Florissant Valley, Forest Park, Meramec and Wildwood – that annually serve more than 120,000 students through credit, non-credit and continuing education courses.  For more information about STLCC, visit www.stlcc.edu.