K-School Steps Up Minority Recruitment Efforts

In an effort to bolster minority enrollment, Kennedy School officials said yesterday that the school plans to actively recruit potential students from under-represented ethnic and racial groups.

Assistant Dean of the Kennedy School Joseph McCarthy said the school's admissions office will increase communication with minority caucuses and race-related organizations. Officials will also ask current students to recommend prospective applicants and will increase the availability of financial aid for all students.

"We sat down with students and asked them what it is we need to be doing, what is it that was missing in our current procedures," McCarthy said.

The Kennedy School's new recruiting strategies come in the wake of declining enrollment numbers for Latinos and blacks.

"We need to identify successful minority students, encourage them and help to remove any obstacles that would prevent them from accepting and matriculating," McCarthy said.

The Masters in Public Policy (MPP) program currently has 15 Latino enrollees--down from 19 last year. And the number of black students has decreased by three to 11 in this year's class.

McCarthy said that referral programs have been the most successful to date in luring minority students. They will be continued as the new recruiting techniques are enacted.

Already, the Kennedy School Admissions Office has asked the school's black and Latino students to recommend potential applicants, as well as to call prospective students to discuss their concerns about attending the school, McCarthy said.

Darnes Taveras, a second-year student at the Kennedy School and co-chair of the Latino Student Caucus, said she believes that the personal connection with prospective students is essential.

"Future government leaders are supposed to come from the Kennedy School," Taveras said. "When there are decreasing numbers of Latino students enrolled, it's frightening."

She emphasized that addressing questions and concerns directly is very reassuring to prospective minority students.

Black Student Caucus (BSC) Co-chair Cheryl Bell said she also believes in the significance of communication between current students and future students.

"This year, the BSC has really tried to more actively pursue minority students and work with the admissions department," Bell said.

She added she believes that this joint effort will produce the greatest increase in enrollment statistics.

Students consulted by the administration also suggested that the school contact college fraternities and sororities to locate potential minority applicants, McCarthy said.

The Kennedy School will place advertisements in journals and newsletters published by some public-service oriented minority fraternities and sororities.