New Students, Research Dollars Lured via Internet Web Pages by a Growing Number of HBCUs
One day, in a land far away, and a future yet to be determined, a prospective college student will be able to push a button and enroll at Hampton University. That day could well be tomorrow.
“We’re just two steps away from that now,” says Dr. Mary R. Ellis, chair of Hampton’s Department of Computer Science. At Hampton’s Virginia campus, Ellis’s students have done more than simply surf the cyberspace net. Instead, in October 1994, they created a multi-level Web page on the Internet for the university that has increased its visibility in an effort to attract new students. As of press time, since its creation some 7,420 people have looked at Hampton’s Web page, says Ellis.
“The students are taking the Web page and giving it voice,” says Ellis of the colorful Hampton Web site. “It is an ongoing document and it is student-driven. This is what we train our students to do, and we try to stay on top of the technology.”
On the Hampton Web is information on admissions, courses, the school’s history, quality of life and other areas of interest. Hampton chose to go it alone in its attempt to attract new students rather than rely on other college search services that offer to connect institutions with hard-to-come-by prospective students. Its student-generated program is now part of the university’s recruitment package.
Trying to Keep Up
“We are going to get to a point where people can request the information they need and get it quickly,” says Dr. Janice L. Nicholson, associate vice president for enrollment management at Washington DC’s Howard University, which also has a Web page on the Internet.
