Enrollment Management and Marketing – News

Andy Otto named VP of enrollment management and marketing

kheier — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:46:07 +0000

April 2, 2025–��ý has named Dr. Andy Otto as vice president of enrollment management and marketing. Dr. Otto is currently vice president of enrollment services at William Woods University, Fulton, ��ý. Dr. Otto will begin his duties April 23, 2025.

“I’m excited to welcome Dr. Andy Otto to the Griffon family,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ��ý Western’s president. “Dr. Otto brings years of proven experience in admissions and enrollment management. At William Woods, he helped secure the university’s highest total enrollment and the largest incoming class in more than 40 years. I’m convinced his determination and enthusiasm will bring success to our student recruitment efforts.”

Dr. Otto has been at William Woods since 2022. Previously, he served nine years at his alma mater, Ottawa University, Kansas, including five years as director of enrollment management.

“I am grateful to President Kennedy and ��ý Western for this opportunity to serve as vice president of enrollment management and marketing. ��ý Western’s commitment to applied learning, student access and experience creates exceptional opportunities for its students, truly bringing the ‘More at ��ý’ promise to life,” said Dr. Otto. “I look forward to building on the great work already happening at the university and working alongside faculty, staff, and the community to expand ��ý Western’s reach and impact.”

The vice president of enrollment management and marketing is a newly configured role for the University, serving as chief enrollment officer and chief communications officer. Dr. Otto will supervise ��ý Western’s offices of Admissions and Marketing and Communications.

A native of Drexel, ��ý, Dr. Otto completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University. He earned both his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in English from Ottawa University.

��ý is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. ��ý Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

��ý Western to host annual International Fair

plashbrook — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:37:37 +0000

Nov. 15, 2024–��ý will once again host its annual International Fair from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 in the Fulkerson Center.

The International Fair is an annual event that allows students, faculty, staff and the public to connect with others whose heritage and life experience connect them to cultures around the world. It is co-sponsored by the university’s Office of Global Engagement, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Center for Student Involvement, Dining Services and the student organization Christian Challenge.

Experience a variety of events during the fair including the parade of flags, live music and dance performances, informational country booths, and free food. The schedule is as follows:

3:00 pm – Doors open
3:15 pm – National flag parade
3:45 pm – International student performance
4:15 pm – “La Macarena” by ALAS and International Students
4:45 pm – Folkloric dance by Honduran students
5:15 pm – Venezuelan dance by Academia de Danza
5:30 pm – Traditional dress presentation
5:45 pm – Group photo
6:00 pm – Fair concludes

The event is free and open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food or personal care item to support the ��ý Western Campus Cupboard. Come connect with the wide range of cultures represented right here on campus!

��ý Western to host St. Joseph Regional College Fair

plashbrook — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:06:53 +0000

Sept. 27, 2024–The ��ý Association for College Admissions Counseling will host the St. Joseph Regional College Fair from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex at ��ý.

The event will include about 20 colleges and universities, allowing potential students to explore what college might be like.

The event is free and open to the public.

��ý Western launches new virtual tour

kheier — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:47:35 +0000

March 7, 2024–Prospective students have a new way to tour ��ý without leaving the comfort of their own homes, with the launch of a new virtual tour at .

“Ideally, students interested in learning more about ��ý Western would visit campus in person and meet with our faculty, staff and students, but we know that isn’t always possible, especially for students from far away,” said Dr. Jeffrey Foot, assistant vice president of enrollment management. “The virtual tour is a great introduction to our campus. Students can explore on their own time and follow their own path, learning more about the facilities and programs that interest them.”

The virtual tour, created in conjunction with Cove Creek Productions, features 360-degree aerial views of the exterior and select interior spaces on campus, including academic buildings, residence halls, Blum Student Union and athletics facilities. The tour also includes aerial views of Downtown St. Joseph and Krug Park.

“We are an integral part of the St. Joseph community, and the St. Joseph community is vitally important to us, so we wanted to be sure that the ��ý Western virtual tour included a taste of what our city has to offer,” said Kent Heier, interim director of marketing and communications.

Students who want to learn more about ��ý Western after experiencing the virtual tour are invited to schedule an in-person visit at .

��ý Western to host future Griffons

plashbrook — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 22:33:40 +0000

Feb. 27, 2024-Griffon Experience, an open-house event for potential Griffons, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. This event is free to the public and open to anyone interested in learning more about student life at ��ý.

Katie Jenkins, assistant director of admissions for orientation and campus visits, is excited to have prospective students and their guests on campus.

“Only once a semester do we open our doors for students to do all of this in one day,” Jenkins said. “It’s going to be a gorgeous day to tour campus!”

Potential students will have access to faculty members from several departments on campus to discuss majors, minors and applied learning opportunities.

Campus tours will take place throughout the day, and lunch will be provided in the Blum Dining Hall.

A student panel will be available to answer questions from students and their guests, and a resource fair will showcase the departments, programs and student resources on campus.

There is no deadline for registration, but interested attendees should . Doors open Saturday at 9 a.m. in Agenstein-Remington Hall for check-in.

News release written by Patty Lashbrook, sophomore convergent journalism and public relations major.

Walk-in Registration scheduled Jan. 12

kheier — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:52:21 +0000

Jan. 9, 2023–There’s still time for students to register for the Spring 2023 semester at ��ý. ��ý Western Admissions will hold a walk-in registration from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12 in the main lobby of Eder Hall.

Walk-in registration is for all students–incoming freshmen as well as transfer, returning and non-traditional students–who have not yet registered for the semester that starts Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Students can drop in any time from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to meet with academic advisors, create a class schedule and get financial aid questions answered. To speed up the process, before registration students should apply for admission, request transcripts from their high schools or previous colleges, and complete the .

Participants can park in the Lot A circle drive in front of Eder Hall, or in Lot B. Staff will greet them in the Eder Hall lobby.

For more information, visit griff.vn/walkin.

MWSU, NCMC sign dual admissions agreement, create Pirates2Griffons Pathway

kheier — Fri, 13 May 2022 21:19:50 +0000

May 13, 2022–��ý and North Central ��ý College have signed a dual admissions agreement, creating the Pirates2Griffons Pathway. The agreement allows students to get a full on-campus experience at ��ý Western while completing their associate degree at North Central.

Among other perks, participants in Pirates2Griffons will be eligible to live in ��ý Western residence halls, access student services (including tutoring, health care, and recreational facilities), join student organizations and attend Griffon home games for free. They will be able to seamlessly transfer to a bachelor’s degree program at ��ý Western after completing their associate degree at North Central.

Participants are required to take at least 12 hours at NCMC and enroll in at least one course at MWSU each semester while maintaining a 2.0 GPA at ��ý Western.

Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, president of ��ý Western, and Dr. Lenny Klaver, president of North Central, formally signed the agreement in a ceremony May 13.

Interested students can learn more at missouriwestern.edu/admissions/pirates2griffons/ or .

International Fair returns to MWSU Nov. 10

kheier — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:36:43 +0000

Nov. 3, 2021–For the first time in two years, the International Fair will be back at ��ý from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10 in the Fulkerson Center. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is our biggest party of the year,” said Fumi Cheever, director of global engagement. “The International Fair provides an exciting educational opportunity for our campus and the community to experience the cultures of other countries.”

Students, staff and faculty members representing 30 countries will have tables at the International Fair. Attendees will enjoy free food from around the world, entertaining performances and a traditional clothing fashion show.

Griffon Experience offers true-crime adventure Oct. 30

kheier — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 14:42:27 +0000

Oct. 20, 2021–��ý’s third and final Griffon Experience of the fall semester will provide prospective students with an interactive true-crime adventure. “A True Crime Halloween” will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30.

“Prospective students will get to do more than hear about the quality of our majors and programs centered around the justice system, they’ll get to experience the quality first-hand as they work together to solve the Mystery of the Missing Mace,” said Evan Banks, campus visits program coordinator.

Students will experience real-world forensic investigation techniques, draw connections between themes, motives, and research who stole our coveted ceremonial mace while collecting clues and working together to find the culprit. Showcased majors are: Forensic Investigation, Chemistry, Psychology, Law, Legal Assistant and Criminal Justice.

Interested students and their families can reserve their spot for the Griffon Experience by visiting missouriwestern.edu/admissions/griffon-experience/.

Three Griffon Experiences are scheduled for the spring semester. They are:

Feb. 5, Tech Careers (showcased majors: Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Construction Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Mathematics)
March 5, Open House
April 2, Learning Laboratory (showcased majors: Biology, Chemistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Wildlife Conservation & Management, Geography and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Second Griffon Experience Oct. 2

kheier — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:44:45 +0000

Sept. 23, 2021–��ý will host the second of three Griffon Experience events for prospective students and their families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2.

The Griffon Experience will provide a look at the majors and resources that ��ý Western has to offer students. Breakout sessions and presentations will help familiarize students with ��ý Western’s faculty, staff, students, and applied learning mission.

Earlier this fall, prospective students interested in healthcare careers took part in the first Griffon Experience, with hands-on learning opportunities like inserting an IV, medical laboratory science and more.

“Our first Griffon Experience was amazing,” said Evan Banks, campus visits program coordinator. “We received fantastic feedback. Everyone left with smiles, and they all learned something through the interactive experiences we provided.”

The third Griffon Experience of the fall, Oct. 30, will be a True Crime Halloween. Students will help solve the mystery of the missing mace and get a deep dive into ��ý Western’s programs centered around the criminal justice system (forensic investigation, criminal justice, chemistry, psychology, law, and legal assistant). Spring semester Griffon Experiences are scheduled Feb. 5, March 5 and April 2, 2022.

To register for a Griffon Experience, visit missouriwestern.edu/admissions/griffon-experience/. For other campus visit opportunities, go to missouriwestern.edu/admissions/visit/.