In Your Element

The Future of Enrollment: Optimizing Student Engagement from Day One

Episode Summary

John Carrere, Director for the Office of Recruitment and First-Year Experience at Pitt Community College, unpacks how he uses innovative strategies, unique tools, and creative approaches for engaging students and guiding them towards discovering their passions. John shares tips on how he created an Element451 Optimization Users Group at Pitt Community College and emphasizes the pivotal role of technology, particularly AI, in enhancing recruitment and retention. Through a candid discussion, John shares valuable insights on leveraging data for enrollment management and his positive experiences with Element451, underscoring the significance of customer service in tech platforms.

Episode Notes

John Carrere, Director for the Office of Recruitment and First-Year Experience at Pitt Community College, unpacks how he uses innovative strategies, unique tools, and creative approaches for engaging students and guiding them towards discovering their passions. John shares tips on how he created an Element451 Optimization Users Group at Pitt Community College and emphasizes the pivotal role of technology, particularly AI, in enhancing recruitment and retention. Through a candid discussion, John shares valuable insights on leveraging data for enrollment management and his positive experiences with Element451, underscoring the significance of customer service in tech platforms.

Key Takeaways:

• Engagement Strategies: John shares Pitt Community College’s approach to connecting with students and guiding them in finding their passions.
• Recruitment and Experience Integration: The importance of blending recruitment efforts with first-year experiences.
• Technology and AI in Education: How technology, particularly AI, can transform recruitment and retention with a focus on ethical use.
• Data and Reporting: The role of data in improving enrollment management strategies.
• Collaboration Benefits: The Optimization Users Group at Pitt Community College and its impact on interdepartmental collaboration.

Guest Name: John Carrere, Director Recruitment & First-Year Experience

Guest Bio: John Carrere is the Element 451 Administrator and Director for the Office of Recruitment & First-Year Experience at Pitt Community College in Winterville, North Carolina.  John has worked in higher education for over 15 years and has served as Coordinator of New Student Orientation, is a member of the Pitt Community College Foundation Board of Directors, is a member of the Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County Board of Directors and is co-advisor to the PCC Student Ambassador Leadership Program.  Prior to his career at PCC, he worked for 5 years as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at East Carolina University.  Among his accolades, John is a two-time recipient of the Pitt Community College Staff Excellence Award, completed the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program, and received the East Carolina University 40 Under Forty Award.