JASON MEYER STAFF WRITER
Mackenzie Benson spent last Wednesday night with her eyes glued to the computer. Benson wasn’t doing homework, instead she talked to hundreds of students around the world.
Benson helped Wartburg College broaden their recruitment of students by participating in the online college fair, College Week Live.
This is the fourth time Wartburg has participated in the online event and held an hour-long, interactive chat available to over 30,000 prospective students who registered.
Benson was apprehensive at first about holding a chat room.
“I wasn’t sure if anyone would show up or want to hear what I had to say,” Benson said. “But in the end, it was a great experience.”
Students mostly asked about how Waverly accepted the college, size and their likelihood to succeed at Wartburg.
Benson added that many students were also interested in learning more about specific majors, extracurricular activities and athletics.
Benson is an ambassador for prospective Wartburg students. She has enthusiasm for Wartburg and that was why she was willing to participate in the chat.
Her biggest concern when hosting the online conversation was whether she would be able to form the same conversational bond she is able to do when giving a campus tour in person.
“It gave the college a much wider range of exposure and hopefully allowed for some students, especially those from other countries, to get a feel for the college without having to travel,” Benson said.
A few international students visited the chat room, but Benson said she had no way of knowing where students were from unless they mentioned it in a post. Benson said some students that visited were from West Virginia and New York.
College Week Live is similar to a regular college fair. Instead of walking to different tables, prospective students can scroll down a virtual hallway.
Four hundred colleges participated in College Week Live. Students who visited Wartburg’s online fair found Web links to financial aid, admissions, student life, athletics, music, service and leadership as well as links leading to individual departments.
Vice President of Admissions Todd Coleman said it does not take much work to develop a virtual college booth.
“It costs $750 for two days and a one hour chat with many students,” Coleman said. “It saves money on travel costs to other fairs nearby in cities such as Minneapolis or Chicago.”
Coleman said the online college fair is another tool for colleges to use as it provides another outlet to the youth who are active in using technology. Admissions will evaluate their participation in College
Week Live he said, and decide if they want to continue in future years.
“It is a great opportunity to be seen by students who weren’t considering attending or visiting Wartburg,” Coleman said.