1. Hosting Prospective Students: Building an Event to Showcase Honors and Excellence
Andrew Moser
Kevin Piotrowski
Irvin D. Reid Honors College
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

2. What is Scholars Day?
Scholars Day is a series of invitation-only events during which the Irvin D. Reid Honors College recruits its freshman class from the university’s most promising first-year applicants. During the event, students will write an essay and participate in a small group interview. Along with their parents and guests, students will attend an academic resource fair, enjoy lunch in a Wayne State residence hall, and have the opportunity to take a walking tour of campus. Students and parents get to experience campus and connect with staff, faculty and alumni in a valuable way. Guest students and parents are impressed with the warmth and intentions of the event.

3. Who is invited to Scholars Day?
SCHOLARS DAY INVITATION
Students who apply and are admitted to Wayne State University by December 1
Receive the following Merit Scholarship
Presidential Scholarship
Distinguished Scholarship
Green Scholarship
Invited students receive both an invitation and print invitation

4. Event Building – Coordination and Cooperation
Honors College
Admissions Office
Financial Aid Office
Marketing and Communications
Special Events
Campus venues (auditoriums/ballrooms)
Aramark (food service provider)
Facilities & Maintenance
Parking Services
Individual College and Academic Departments
President’s Office
Provost’s Office
Campus Safety
Current Honors Students

5. Marketing and Communication timeline
communication –
November Scholars Day
Invite in sent 24 hours after admit date until October 23 – then begin weekly sends with November date removed
October 1: Push to RSVP *sent to students admitted up until October 1
October 26: Final push to RSVP
*first push to those admitted between October 2-14
*send final push to those admitted up until October 1
November 2: Week of reminder
November 6: Day before reminder
November 10: Follow up communication

7. Marketing and Communication timeline
Printed communication
Invitations go out in regular mail weekly beginning in September for November and February dates
November dates removed October 23
Last invitations mailed December 15 for February event

9. Marketing and Communication timeline
Phone Communication
November
October 12: Encourage to RSVP *Call those admitted up until October 7
October 19: Encourage to RSVP *Call those admitted between October 8-15
October 26: Encourage to RSVP *Call those admitted between October 15-23
October 29: Encourage to RSVP
*Call to those admitted between October 23-28
*Campaign to be completed, if November dates are not full

10. The Value of Volunteers
Honors students as Student Group Leaders and Ambassadors
Wayne State staff, faculty, and alumni to serve as interviewers and essay proctors
Academic Advisors/faculty from academic departments to work Resource Fair tables
Staff members from student service departments to work Resource Fair tables
Honors staff and faculty to support and manage all areas of event

11. Campus Venues – showcasing your best spaces
Community Arts Auditorium
- Where everyone is welcomed

12. Student Center - Essay writing and Interviews - Parent waiting area

13. Mort Harris Fitness and Recreation Center - Home of the Academic & Student Service Resource Fair

14. Components of Scholars Day
Guest Arrival
Registration / Check-In
Welcome Ceremony
Essay
Group Interview
Parent Presentation
Academic and Student Services Resource Fair
Lunch
Campus Tours

15. Guest Arrival
Wayne State University is an urban research university. The university is located in the heart of Detroit, and the largest parking accommodations are parking structures. Both guests and volunteers park in Structure 1, which is opened at 6:30 a.m. for arriving volunteers. Parking is your guests FIRST encounter with the university. Parking structures and lots need to be clean, well-lit, ready to receive a large influx of vehicles in a short time frame. Attendants at parking facilities should be welcoming and courteous, and direct guests where to park. Student volunteers should be stationed between parking and registration to welcome and direct guests.

16. Registration / Check-in
Admissions counselors staff the check-in tables and have the opportunity to re-connect with students they have met in the high schools and other recruiting events.
Students are provided a lanyard with a name tag that includes their name, group number and WSU Access ID.
Each guest is provided an agenda that runs down the events of the day.
Guests are directed to the auditorium for the welcome ceremonies, where each group is assigned a row.
Refreshments are provided for guests at check-in.

18. Welcome Ceremony
Students and parents are welcomed to Scholars Day by the Dean of the Honors College and by the President or Provost of Wayne State University.
This ceremony sets the tone for the rest of the day: The university recognizes and celebrates their outstanding academic achievements, and the Honors College will provide them a home and framework for a challenging and outstanding undergraduate experience.
Students and parents are then led by Honors student guides to the next part of their Scholars Day agenda.

19. Scholars Day Operational Agenda
8:30am – 9:30am
Check In
Outer Gallery – Community Arts Auditorium
9:30am – 10:10am
Welcome
Community Arts Auditorium
10:15am – 11:10am
GROUP A – Students
Essay & Interviews
GROUP A – Parents
Parent Presentation
SCB Ballroom / Hilberry
GROUP B – Students & Parents
Resource Fair
Mort Harris
11:20am – 12:15pm
GROUP A – Students & Parents
GROUP B – Students
GROUP B – PARENTS
12:25pm – 1:15pm
Lunch
Towers Café
Campus Tours
From SCB
1:25pm – 2:15pm
From Towers Cafe

20. Essay 20 minute timed essay November 2015 sample essay topics Criteria
If there was an event in history you could alter, what would it be, how would you change it, and why that one?
Devise a question that is not on a college admission form and provide a complete, thoughtful answer to it.
Criteria
Development of Ideas
Organization
Writing Mechanics

21. Interview Criteria Verbal Skills: Expression Vocabulary Grammar
Group Interview with Wayne State alumnus, faculty/staff member, or Honors College staff member or senior lecturer.
35 minutes with 4-5 students in a group
Criteria
Verbal Skills:
Expression
Vocabulary
Grammar
Thought Process:
Appropriateness of Responses
Critical Thinking
Flexibility
Leadership Potential:
Initiative
Self-direction
Responsibility
Goal Definition
Sample Questions
Why are you interested in Wayne State University?
Which high school or community activity has given you the most satisfaction and why?
What advice would you give middle school students about achieving success in high school?
We know that you are a talented student; what motivates you to put forth your best effort?
Is there one class, teacher, book, or experience that has changed the way you think? How?
In addition to a college degree, what do you hope to gain from your college experience?

22. Parent Presentation
For parents and guests of students who are writing their essays and sitting for interviews
Dean gives first day lecture of HON 1000 to parents
Current Honors students give presentation sharing their Honors experience and why they chose Wayne State University
Question and answer session

23. Academic and Student Services Resource Fair
45 different academic and student service department tables
Tables are staffed by academic advisors and faculty from academic departments and staff from student service departments – refreshments and lunch are provided for resource fair workers
Each student/parent group spends one hour at the resource fair
A member of the Honors College is responsible for the management of the resource fair

24. Lunch and Campus Tours
All guest students and parents, as well as event volunteers eat lunch together in the Towers Café – WSU’s largest dining hall.
Lunch provides one final opportunity to connect one-on-one with prospective students and answer questions.
To leave a good final impression, dining hall menu is coordinated with Scholars Day planners and facility is kept clean, orderly and well-stocked throughout the lunch periods.
Guests are provided opportunities to take a walking tour of campus, with current students serving as guides. This also allows guests another chance to speak directly with current students before leaving the event.

25. Following the Event
Students are sent a “Thank You for Attending” and are advised about next steps – when to expect communication about the status of their Honors membership and information about any additional awards.
Volunteers serving as interviewers are also encouraged to send individual s to students in their groups thanking them for attending and providing resources for additional information.
Students attending Scholars Day in November are informed via and regular mail about their Honors membership and additional awards no later than mid-December.
Students who were invited or RSVP’d but did not show up for the event are sent a follow up encouraging them to attend the Scholars Day in February.
Honors staff and faculty, and members of the Scholars Day planning committee, gather on a designated day within 10 days of the event to read and evaluate student essays.

26. Thank You & Questions