BONNY GEORGIA GRIFFITH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR RECRUITMENT MARKETING, ITHACA COLLEGE

TOM TORELLO, VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS, PACE UNIVERSITY

Peer-to-Peer Communications: Changing the Way We Connect with

Prospective Students

Changing the paradigm

Changing the paradigm

Key Elements of Ithaca’s Peer-to Peer strategy Student-written magazine Student voice in traditional publications Infusing College’s website with student

voices Social network for accepted students Social media team

Overview Print magazine and web site Written by students Mostly photographed by

students Designed by professional

design firm Designed to look like

consumer publication Four issues per year 40 – 50,000 printed each

issue

Goals

Showcase Ithaca’s vibrant academic and campus life Reinforce the College’s core messages Provide a vehicle for authentic, peer-to-peer stories and

peer-to-peer engagement opportunities via interactive features such as blogs, Q&As, and more

Provide more frequent, meaningful contact with our prospect pool

Drive inquiries -- specifically, registrations and magazine requests through myIthaca, our prospective students portal

Improve yield conversion rates from inquiry to app, and reduce summer melt by keeping paid students connected to campus happenings

Content All Fuse stories are

approached as content packages. Every story has one or more web hooks.Hooks include original blogs,

Q&As, videos, and connections to other relevant content -- inside our site or elsewhere.

Web elements are considered up front, and wrapped into an assignment, where possible.

Bonus web content is referenced in the print issue.

Current feature

Staff Student writers and

photographers generate original content.• Paid student staff of 12 to 14;

also accept and solicit outside submissions

Hourly rates for staffers; flat-rate fees apply for contributors

Professional editors coach students and top-edit content

Great professional training ground!

Costs

Student staff paid $10/hourMost students work under 10 hours/week

Freelancers paid flat fees Digital cameras, video equipment,

incidentals for staff Print and design budget of $200,000/yr

Retired publication budget used as seed fundsIssues mailed at periodical rate

Fuse is a content engine.

A constant stream of fresh stories from a student perspective that can be easily syndicated throughout the website, used in e-communications and in print publications.

Recent e-blast with Fuse

Current viewbook

Challenges

Finding the budget Choosing a good design team Finding (and keeping) talented students Campus pushback around letting go of

traditional communications

But what’s the payoff?

Do you remember receiving a copy of Fuse magazine in the mail recently?

2007 2008 20090.0%

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100.0%

93.2%

87.4%91.3%

6.8%12.6%

8.7%

yes

no

What was your first impression of Fuse?

It looked like a lot of stuff I get from Colleges.

It looked like a magazine I might see on a newsstand.

It really stood out and caught my attention.

It looked different than other stuff I get, but it didn't really

interest me.

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50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

27.3%

20.6%

52.0%

8.3%

19.1%

33.0%

64.7%

7.1%

17.7%

37.5%

61.0%

9.6%

2007

2008

2009

Did you read Fuse?

No, it

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y did

n't in

tere

st m

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Not y

et, b

ut I

will. It

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0.2%2.3%

10.8%14.1%

40.8%

22.2%

9.1%

0.7%

2007

2008

2009

What did you like most about Fuse?

I liked that the con-tent was developed

by students.

I liked the stories about student life

experiences.

I liked the stories about academic

experiences.

I liked the Campus Scoop section.

I liked the Real Deal section.

I also liked…0.0%

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49.7%

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31.5% 31.9%

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9.3%

71.5%73.9%

52.8%49.6%

38.9%

15.7%

65.3%

78.5%

47.5%

43.0%

35.3%

12.2%

2007

2008

2009

Did you visit the Fuse web site?

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20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

13.9%

31.2% 34.1%

82.2%

68.8%65.9%

yes

no

Did you learn anything new about Ithaca College from the stories in Fuse?

2007 2008 20090.0%

10.0%

20.0%

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40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

55.3%

79.4%

71.1%

29.9%

20.6%

28.9%yes

no

Did reading Fuse change your opinion of Ithaca College?

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20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

11.3%

24.9%

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20.3%

0.1%

37.9%

5.6%

23.2%

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33.1%

0.2%

37.2%

8.7%

29.2%

0.5%

24.8%

0.2%

36.6%

2007

2008

2009

How does Fuse compare to other things you've received from colleges?

It's very similar to most of the things I get from col-

leges.

I didn't like it as much as most of the other things I've

gotten.

It was different and and I thought it stood out from other college materials.

It was much better than anything else I've received

from other colleges.

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50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

19.5%

1.3%

63.8%

11.0%11.1%

1.3%

66.0%

21.6%

12.3%

1.4%

71.1%

15.1%

2007

2008

2009

Blogging

No formal group of bloggers Special event based blogging

OlympicsFLEFF

Integration of blogs throughout site Aggregation of blogs More and more information presented

on the site is in “blog” format that allows for feedback/discussion

IC Peers

IC PeersIntegrated with

myIthaca portalAccepted

students only4200+ active

users in 2009

Student, faculty and staff ambassadors provide support

Many ways to connect via complex search options

Public and private messaging tools

Forums and groups functions encourage conversation

2009 Results

More than 40% of accepted students registered

63% of accepted students who created profiles and posted a photo enrolled

29% of accepted students who created profiles but did not post a photo enrolled

4% of accepted students who did not create a profile enrolled

New social media team Created Social Media Manager position

Work study students tasked with social media interaction

Addressing issues on Wikipedia and other 3rd party sites

2673 followers 4238 fans