USUE NEWS RELEASE

Utah State University Eastern is proud to announce the rollout of its new recruiting team under the leadership of Recruiting Specialist Kevin van der Spek.  Nate Moore, Sam Bradley and van der Spek will spearhead this  initiative as part of a broader effort to build stronger relationships with prospective students, local schools, and the community, with the ultimate goal of increasing enrollment and promoting the unique opportunities available at USU Eastern.

“The team structure isn’t new,” van der Spek explains. “We had a handful of staff changes over the summer, and the recent changes were in response to those transitions.”

The mission of the recruiting team aligns closely with the USU Admissions Office’s overarching mission—to recruit, admit, and enroll students who are the best fit for Utah State University. Van der Spek highlights the team’s strategy, “Our approach focuses on building personal relationships with prospective students, high school staff, and other stakeholders to provide information on the amazing opportunities USU Eastern has to offer.”

One of the team’s primary goals is to emphasize the distinctive advantages of USU Eastern. This will be achieved through a variety of outreach methods, including social media marketing, community engagement, creating custom campus tours, and participating in college fairs.

“The community surrounding USU Eastern plays a critical role in the success of our campus,” van der Spek says. “We work closely with local high schools to communicate the value of USU Eastern and higher education.”

The recruiting team’s efforts will not only focus on traditional methods but also on understanding and addressing the motivations of students in both urban and rural areas. “Our Admissions Specialists spend considerable time understanding what motivates students,” van der Spek explains. “They also visit these schools in person to connect students with USU Eastern’s unique opportunities.”

While the team is optimistic, van der Spek acknowledges that challenges lie ahead. “We anticipate facing several challenges moving forward, including a growing disbelief in the value of higher education and the difficulty of communicating its benefits,” he says. “We are committed to addressing these challenges through continuous engagement and clear communication.”

Already, the recruiting team has seen promising results. “One success we had this year includes the Friends of Eastern busing efforts,” van der Spek notes. “We were able to bring more than 70 extra students to Academics Day thanks to the funds donated by Friends of Eastern.”

As the team looks to the future, they remain focused on their long-term goals. “We use several tools to measure the effectiveness of our efforts to bring more students to Eastern,” van der Spek explains. “One important metric is the growth in the number of students enrolled at USU Eastern. I believe our team will have a positive impact on enrollment and campus culture. We have ambitious goals to increase enrollment, and we are driven to meet these goals.”

With a dedicated team and a clear mission, USU Eastern’s recruiting team is poised to make a significant impact on the university and the broader community.