Bobcat Marketplace welcomes potential students

By Elizabeth Cone
Staff Writer

Springfest began Saturday with incoming freshmen and their families arriving at GC&SU early that morning. They were welcomed with the Bobcat Marketplace.
Coordinated by Cail Newsome, a graduate assistant in the Student Success Center, Eddie Howard, Director of Student Activities, and Suzette Zompetti, Assistant Director of Student Activities, the Bobcat Marketplace took place around the Arts & Sciences fountain from 9 to 10 am. Booths of 42 student organizations and academic departments were set up for the prospective students and their families to visit. Booths ranged from University TV and WGUR 88.9 FM to the Art Department to Kappa Sigma.
“The Bobcat Marketplace is a showcase of student organizations-both social and academic,” Kathy Edmonson, Coordinator of Orientation & New Student Programs, said. “We want our new freshmen to know the array of possibilities for student involvement. We want them to feel a strong connection to their new campus.”
Students and their families mingled around the A&S fountain, talking with representatives from the student organizations and academic departments.
Zompetti believes the Bobcat Marketplace was a success. “It was one of the largest turnouts since we started the Bobcat Marketplace,” Zompetti said. “I was impressed that we had so many academic departments out there for potential students trying to decide on a major or were in between majors. They were able to have their questions answered.”
“It exhibits strong support from our campus community,” Edmonson said. “I’m extremely proud of my dedicated colleagues, and it is an honor to work with people who take recruitment seriously.”
Both Edmonson and Zompetti agree that the Bobcat Marketplace was impressive and influential to prospective students.
“We displayed a sincere, family atmosphere for prospective students,” Edmonson said.
Edmonson believes that the Bobcat Marketplace helped students, who were still up in the air about what college they want to attend, confirm their decision, and it influenced students wavering between schools.
Edmonson added that the Bobcat Marketplace plays a strong role in retention efforts because the lack of connecting to GC&SU’s campus was the number one reason for students leaving the university after their freshman year.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 12 2002. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry