Historic graduate student enrollment increase
Overall graduate student enrollment grew 7.2%, a University record and only the second time in a decade that Western has seen an increase in graduate enrollment. Special congratulations to the College of Education and Human Development, which saw a 30% enrollment increase largely due to working in concert with school districts across Michigan to utilize the state’s Future Proud Michigan Educator Grow Your Own Program.
Growth was not limited to this college, as the colleges of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Fine Arts and Haworth College of Business also increased graduate enrollment.
Admissions seeking student workers
If you know of students who would be fantastic representatives of the University, please encourage them to apply for one of the following positions in the Office of Admissions.
Tour guide
The Office of Admissions is seeking undergraduate student applicants for the tour guide position within the Student Ambassador Office. Responsibilities for the position include:
- Act as a representative of WMU who is professional, displays excellent customer service skills, follows all health and safety protocols and exhibits Bronco pride.
- Conduct in-person daily campus tours and virtual experiences (Q&A sessions, virtual tours, etc.) for prospective students and families.
- Serve on diverse student panels and share your personal experiences as a WMU student.
- Participate in campus-wide recruitment events to encourage prospective students to become a Bronco.
Guides are required to work at least two times per week during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Currently, campus tours are offered at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. on select Saturdays.
Call center representative
The Office of Admissions Call Center is also looking for friendly, motivated and enthusiastic student representatives to help the University connect with prospective and admitted students via phone. Student caller representatives will use their excellent customer services skills in an interactive and high-energy work environment to generate excitement about WMU. Callers will provide accurate and timely admissions information to students and their families.
Additional details and an employment application for both positions can be found at wmich.edu/admissions/ambassadors.
Satisfactory academic progress appeals due by Oct. 1
If needed, students should file their satisfactory academic progress (SAP) appeal by Sunday, Oct. 1, to receive financial aid for the fall 2023 semester. Review Student Financial Aid's SAP standards for more information.
Oct. 1 is the deadline for April 2024 graduation applications
Once the deadline has passed, students may submit a late application by Dec. 1 or apply for the next available graduation term. Please direct students interested in submitting a late application to contact Jessica Pickett. Late applicants will be charged $200 in addition to the $55 graduation fee.
As with previous application campaigns, the Registrar's Office utilized a multi-pronged approach comprised of targeted communication, general communication and support/partner communication.
Targeted communication
Eligible undergraduate and graduate students received personalized emails and phone calls. Eligibility is determined by Degree Works percentage (65% and above), advisor approval (those who have been approved to graduate but have not applied) and credits earned (12+ for students in master's programs and 40+ for students in doctoral programs). We also contacted all students enrolled in certificate programs to reiterate that students earning both a certificate and a degree must file separate graduation applications.
All of these students will receive a follow-up email in November regarding the Dec. 1 late application deadline.
General communication
The application deadlines have been incorporated into our general messaging as well, including:
- Our "welcome" email, sent to all enrolled students on the first day of the semester/session, contains an entire section regarding the application deadlines (in addition to listing the deadlines in a calendar format).
- Our registration email, sent approximately two weeks before registration periods begin, contains application deadline information for juniors, seniors and graduate students.
- Our home page has showcased the Oct. 1 deadline since late July.
Support/partner communication
Thanks to collaborations with the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications, the Office of Information Technology and Online Education, we have been able to share the Oct. 1 deadline via announcements in goWMU and Elearning, dates on the WMU Events calendar, a write-up in WMU Today and posts on WMU social media.
We also worked with numerous departments and colleges to run new flyers on nearly all of WMU's digital display screens, including the electronic marquee of the WMU Student Center!
We will be offering virtual and in-person assistance on a walk-in basis on Monday, Sept. 25, through Friday, Sept. 29, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information about walk-in assistance was sent to students via email earlier this week.
We know that many of you have been calling, emailing and meeting with students to help them make the application deadline. Thank you. Your work is appreciated and your efforts are making an impact. Please contact John Scott with questions.
Fall commencement information
Fall commencement ceremonies will take place in Miller Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 16. Ceremony times are as follows:
9 a.m.
- College of Education and Human Development
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Noon
- College of Health and Human Services
- Haworth College of Business
- Merze Tate College
3 p.m.
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Aviation
- College of Fine Arts
Ceremonies will be livestreamed and publicly available via wmich.edu/commencement/fall-2023.
Did you know? A fun fact from the Registrar...
Since Aug. 1, the Registrar's Office has provided 10,400+ targeted notifications to eligible students regarding the spring graduation application deadline.