Until she’d been accepted for a scholarship she’d applied for on a whim, Alissa Reetz hadn’t given much thought to the Honors College at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Part of the senior class of 2020 at Waupaca High School, Reetz had already made up her mind that UW Oshkosh was where her next chapter would begin in the fall. But the added incentive to enroll in the Honors College meant more decisions had to be made.

“I messaged my adviser Drew Kopitzke,” Reetz remembered. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what to do, the Honors College sounds like a lot, I don’t know anything about it and what it entails, I don’t want to be pushed over the edge my freshman year and be too overwhelmed.’”

Reetz and her mother had met face-to-face with Kopitzke, a UWO admissions counselor, months earlier, before the coronavirus pandemic upended the spring semester. With a new opportunity in the mix, they again needed to talk things through. The coronavirus crisis had closed schools nationwide, though, so getting together on campus wasn’t possible.

With the help of some technological tools, Kopitzke and a handful of other members of the admissions department made themselves available to make sure this prospective student could best find a clear path forward. It’s the sort of thing that’s been happening again and again in recent months, despite the obstacles laid out by the pandemic.

“One night somewhat recently, we had a conversation for 30 or so minutes at 7 or 8 p.m.,” Kopitzke said. “Alissa (Reetz) and her mother had a bunch of questions, so rather than email back and forth, I used the communication and collaboration software Cisco Jabber to call her from my computer. I think this helped her immensely.”

Reetz was referred to the Honors College Dean Laurence Carlin, who was able to answer further questions. Carlin then connected Reetz with two current Honors College students, to give even more insight into what she might expect in the coming years.

“They were all so supportive and understanding,” said Reetz, who decided to apply for—and has been accepted into—the Honors College. “It was huge that they were so patient and understanding and detailed.”

Questions answered

Communication between prospective students and the University is paramount, especially for those closing out high school and planning for fall. That’s still been the case during the pandemic, albeit sometimes with different tools and strategies.

Paul Gedlinske, director of admissions at UWO, said the way his department has adapted in this unusual stretch of time has left him both impressed and grateful.

“We want prospective students, and their families, to know we are here to help you through the application and admission process,” Gedlinske said. “We may not be able to meet face-to-face, but we are willing and available to help through email, text, chat, video calls and phone calls.”

Laurie Stevens, associate director of admissions, said she’s been humbled to work with such an amazing team of people—people able to change how and where they work on the fly—through these trying few months.

“When I sit back and really think about what our staff has been doing while working at home, I am in awe of their work ethic, their commitment and loyalty to UWO and their unwavering desire to do whatever it takes to help students and families navigate their way through the college search process during these unprecedented circumstances,” Stevens said.

Going virtual

Without the ability for potential Titans to stroll through the UWO campuses, virtual experiences have been in the works since March.

Both the Fox Cities and Fond du Lac campuses will have live online events with a welcome address, video presentations, a Q&A session and more. Virtual Preview Day is June 16 for the Fox Cities campus and June 18 for Fond du Lac.

For the Oshkosh campus, online experiences will replicate the Titan Preview events typically held every summer.

Stevens said the last few months have challenged long-held status quos and has the department learning and doing things that can carry forward.

“It has forced everyone on campus to be more creative and flexible, which are important for organizational success and will continue to be called upon moving forward,” she said.

Traditionally the Titan Takeoff events are a way for incoming first-year students and their families to get acquainted with UWO. They come to campus, mingle with other students, meet an academic adviser, learn about class registration and more.

This time around, online orientation modules will allow students to explore campus life and resources throughout the summer at their own pace. Students and their families will meet one-on-one with their academic adviser through a video conference, and professors and staff will offer virtual sessions where students can learn about majors and academic programs.

Outreach on many fronts

Like so many people spending more time at home, the admissions team has ramped up its use of social media. This increased focus on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram includes everything from the rollout of information about UWO’s response to COVID-19 concerns to celebrating the high school graduations of incoming students.

Student employees also are producing more online content, relaying their experiences and offering advice to curious readers. Some of the new posts on the admissions blog included an explanation of essential UWO acronyms for newcomers and a student’s guide to combating procrastination.

“Since students cannot actually visit campus or do anything physically on campus they are writing more stories about their experiences as students, things to keep in mind during the search process and some tips and tricks when they do eventually move to college,” Stevens said.

So many facets of society have had to rally together to thrive despite the challenges we continue to face. The UWO community has proven to be up to the task in connecting with prospective students like Reetz, who said even though she hasn’t been able to step foot on the Oshkosh campus this spring, she’s feeling comfortable about the start of her first semester. And she has the steady, helpful admissions counselors, educators and other University officials to thank for that.

“It is often said that higher education has some room for improvement when it comes to timely adaptation,” said Aggie Hanni, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management. “However, I am sincerely proud of our sensible and innovative strategies that have allowed us to maintain our services to students, albeit in alternative options.

“Every member of our three-campus university body has contributed to upholding our priorities so that we can successfully manage our unique circumstances.”

Learn more:

• UW Oshkosh students find post-grad success well above national average, survey shows
• Application fee covered for Fox Cities, Fond du Lac campuses through May 31