October 2007

St. Francis Xavier University, Canada's top Undergraduate University now top of class at High School Recruiting Events

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t. Francis Xavier University (StFX), one of Canada's top undergraduate universities, located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia records surge in interest and increase in their ability to deliver timely communications to prospective students by using Azorus' Digital Recruit solution.

StFX began the busy fall recruiting cycle using Digital Recruit to capture prospective student information electronically and automatically deliver email to students immediately following an event. During the first 2 weeks of the season, StFX sent 5 of their recruiters to high schools across the country with digital pens provided by Azorus. Having attended more than 30 high school visits in those first 2 weeks, the institution was able to capture information, and deliver personalized emails to more than 400 prospective students – automatically!

While previously unable to track high school recruiting event data, Robb Parker, the Director of Admissions at StFX, insists that the real value of the solution is in the increased ability to deliver better, more timely communications to students. “When attending high school events the emphasis can often be to just give the student information. Telling students about the institution, and offering them print material, is important but so too is collecting the students' information so that we might deliver additional information to them in a medium they are certain to review”, says Robb. “The Digital Recruit system allows us to easily capture the student's information and then show true appreciation for their interest in us by delivering a well crafted and appropriate email to the student immediately following the event.”

The process of inputting student address cards into the system previously took a lot of time and effort and did not ensure that students received a timely response. StFX recruiters now upload student records following an event with almost no data entry and deliver a personalized email within hours of speaking with the student. To have the system operational for the fall cycle, forms were designed and printed, emails drafted, the system configured, and training delivered to StFX staff within 7 weeks of engaging Azorus.

Shirlyn Aker, one of StFX's recruiters says, “At the end of the day we review the student records, make any minor edits, and with a simple login are able to upload all the student information from the day. Once complete, we know that all the students are moments away from receiving a personalized message from the recruiter they spoke with earlier that day.”

In addition to offering students better communications, the tool has created a lot of buzz at the high schools they have visited. “Students take the cap off the pen and it vibrates a little. They often are taken aback and when we tell them what happens when they fill out a form, they look at the pen to see the tiny camera inside it, look back at us and say “COOL!”, says Shirlyn. “The digital pens certainly are an attention getter.”

Consistently being ranked as one of Canada's top undergraduate universities does not, however, permit StFX to rest on its laurels. “We need to continue to be leaders and find innovative ways to show students how unique our institution is”, says Robb. “Ensuring that our entire recruitment effort is personalized to each student we meet is critical to us retaining such a high profile and the Digital Recruit system is certainly helping us enhance our presence with today's students.”

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