Fall 2012 applicants selecting UWindsor as their first choice increases by six per cent

Increase tops provincial average of two per cent

WINDSOR, ON, Jan. 19, 2012 /CNW/ - Expanded recruiting efforts and a broader provincial profile are just two of the reasons UWindsor has experienced a six percent increase over last year in applicants selecting UWindsor as their first choice, topping the provincial average increase of two percent.

Dave Bussiere, Assistant Provost, Admissions and Recruiting says a new approach to student recruitment has significantly helped increase interest in UWindsor.

"We're crediting a number of factors, including a 50 percent increase in high school visits by our Liaison and Student Recruitment staff this fall," Dr. Bussiere says. "This is in addition to expanded faculty and student participation in the Toronto University Fair, exceptional efforts by our deans and a greater coordination of efforts between our recruiting and advertising departments."

He added that a new advertising campaign with expanded reach into such areas as malls and theatres brings the UWindsor message even closer to students.

"These numbers show that we are having considerable success in sharing the UWindsor story with students making post-secondary decisions, and that we seem to be reaching them in a number of different ways," Bussiere says. "High school students may hear great things from our liaison people during school visits, but they are also hearing these same things from friends and siblings who are already attending UWindsor and this is reinforced by our advertising campaign. These students want to be assured that they're making the right choice and the combined efforts of our faculty and staff to help students and their parents make informed decisions is really the driver of this year's recruiting success."

Some highlights within individual faculties include:

• The Faculty of Engineering is up by a staggering 29.4% across all areas, generated by interest in the opening of the Centre for Engineering Innovation this fall
• The Odette School of Business is up 10.8% compared to the provincial average of 5.9%
• The School of Nursing is up 11.9%
• The Faculty of Science is up 8.7% with significant gains in biology, computer science and physics
• The Faculty of Arts and Social Science is up 6.5% with strong numbers in political science, social work and the new digital journalism program

Founded in 1963, the University of Windsor has close to 16,000 full-time and part-time students. The University of Windsor's mission is to enable people to make a better world through education, scholarship, research and engagement.

Lori Lewis
Manager, News Services, Public Affairs and Communications
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Ave.
Windsor, ON N9B 3P4
519.253-3000 ext. 3241
Cell: 519-564-9908
www.uwindsor.ca