Efforts to sell Kansas University to potential students and their families already are paying dividends.
Margey Frederick has done wonders for Kansas University's student-recruiting efforts.
For years, one of the main complaints about KU was that it was lackadaisical in its efforts to attract top-flight students. Horror stories were common about KU not paying any attention to able young men and women with fine high school records who, in many cases, had strong KU ties and wanted to attend KU but never, or seldom, received any indication that KU officials would like to have them at Mount Oread.
Frederick became involved in the recruiting and marketing scene, and KU's enthusiasm, aggressiveness and effectiveness have improved 100 percent. She is excited about KU and what it offers, but she also knows even the best product whether it is a commercial item or a college education must be sold. Nothing can be taken for granted, and for too many years, KU officials took student-recruiting for granted. Too many at KU had a "snob hill" attitude that the school really didn't need to recruit and market itself to the people of Kansas, as well as to students in other parts of the country.
Last year, Frederick was given the title of associate director of admissions. She already had played a major role in getting the university to open a visitors center near 15th and Iowa Streets. Before that, visitors, prospective students, their parents and others had to drive in circles, trying to find a place to park on campus to get to an unmarked visitors center and a place to learn about enrollment.
Now, with the new visitors center, KU has an up-to-date facility where staff members can answer most questions about the school and provide necessary enrollment information.
Two years ago, it was Frederick's idea to have all academic scholarship winners be recognized at half-time of one of KU's home football games. Last fall, the number of students being recognized covered the field from end zone to end zone, and it was one of the highlights of the football season.
Frederick also started a major program to host receptions for students and their parents in cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis and Dallas. The number of students who attended these receptions and later enrolled at KU was far higher than anyone other than Frederick had expected. Now, everyone at KU thinks it's a great idea.
Next on Frederick's agenda is organizing an open house for the entire university. The public will be invited to visit the school, tour the campus, see the classrooms, visit with faculty members and talk to students. A tentative date has been set for next fall and it is sure to be a winning program for the university.
Frederick is one of the relatively few people at KU who sees and feels the importance of KU telling its story. Kansas University has a great story to tell, but for too long, too many at KU were content to sit on their hands and not make an all-out effort to tell the state and its people what a great asset the school is to the entire state and why it is a great school for young men and women.
Thank goodness for Margey Frederick.
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