Tom Havron, vice president for student services at Northwest College, remembers his daughter receiving a box of swag in Kansas after being admitted to a college, and the idea stuck. 

Now, NWC is sending out small boxes filled with a Trapper sticker, foam finger, pennant and pen, all in Trapper colors, to students when they are admitted to the college. 

“The idea behind that is we want to make an impression on a new student who has applied and has gone through the process,” NWC President Lisa Watson said at Monday’s board meeting. “We’re also trying to build energy and excitement around coming to campus, especially when you think about the fact we are an open enrollment institution.”

The box also includes a QR code that directs the applicant to a video produced by Ronnie Wolfe and featuring Chris Dugger, the college’s energetic residence life coordinator, as well as shots of the campus and the various activities available. 

“We really do think that it’s unique enough and different that it does give you something to look forward to,” Watson said. “So it’s not meant to be gold plated or anything like that, but it is meant to be like, ‘Oh, OK, you care enough to send a little outreach.’ And hopefully parents notice it too.”

It’s yet another way the college is working to boost its enrollment in an increasingly competitive arena of colleges all trying to recruit high school upperclassmen and others looking at college. The recent switch to a new website focused on the prospective student was also a shot at being more competitive, as is the push to update color schemes to provide what Communications and Marketing Director Carey Miller said were more vibrant and outdoorsy colors, which are splashed across the front of the new box. 

The kicker? Havron said when his daughter saw the box, “she said, ‘this is better than anything any of the other schools sent me.’”