A report drafted by the Burson Group, a global public relations firm, found that Point Park could improve its brand by restructuring its advertising around its educational offerings.
The research was conducted in three phases, the first being a series of interviews with administrators, members of the Board of Trustees and other university stakeholders. Burson also organized several focus groups with students from across Point Park and quantitatively surveyed students, alumni, faculty and staff on the effectiveness of the school’s messaging.
The firm found that many misconceptions exist around Point Park’s programs. It noted that many people regard Point Park as exclusively a performing arts school or as a safety school.
One faculty member, who was not identified in the final research data, said the school’s admissions standards might be contributing to the perception of Point Park as a back-up choice.
“Point Park is easy to get into — they accept all students who apply,” the faculty member said in their survey response. “This is not a misconception — from my perspective it is accurate, and I feel the school should be more selective.”
Marlin Collingwood, Point Park’s vice president of enrollment management, said current admissions standards will not change. Instead, Collingwood proposed bolstering the school’s existing Foundations for Success program.
Foundations for Success is a two-week program which aims to help students — who do not meet the required 2.50 cumulative GPA standard for admission — succeed through early courses ahead of the start of the fall semester.
“We’re trying to do more of that,” Collingwood said, “and I think that [Foundations for Success is] really key to give to students that might need more support.”
Collingwood added that he wants to avoid letting first-year students fall through the cracks and drop out. According to the Education Data Initiative, 39% of first-year students who drop out while seeking a bachelor’s degree will not complete their degree program within 8 years.
“That to me is something we should work hard not to have happen,” Collingwood said.
The plan, though, is “absolutely” to pivot the school’s marketing to emphasize its educational offerings, Collingwood said. He added that its marketing currently focuses too much on Point Park’s Downtown Pittsburgh location.
“While our location is really important — and part of the reason I think it’s important is because it is so unique — it’s our programs that students are coming here for,” Collingwood said. “It’s the smallness of the campus; it’s the sense of belonging.”
Another key factor of what makes Point Park’s educational offerings worthwhile, Collingwood said, is the university’s part-time faculty.
“We heard from students and alumni that one of the things that really made a difference for them is that they were learning from faculty who at other times during the week were going to their jobs in accounting, or going to write for the newspaper,” Collingwood said. “That made a big difference. So, I think we are going to take from this that we really need to continue to talk about the unique educational opportunities that we have.”
Survey respondents suggested that alumni could help with this aspect of Point Park’s educational programing.
“I’d rather teach a seminar than donate money,” wrote one School of Communications alum.
“I would love to [stay connected],” another wrote, “[but] the only requests I’ve been sent are just like, ‘Will you donate to us?’ and not engagement.”
Collingwood noted existing alumni outreach programs but said he is open to finding additional ways that alumni can “be involved in working with and mentoring our current students.”
While Burson’s findings were initially reported in a virtual seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 17, another will be held in person. It will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in Lawrence Hall 200.
