Ten with Ken (Audio)

Ken Steele sums up recent trends in new university programs, from interdisciplinary degrees to college-university collaborations, based on Ontario-wide data and on interviews with university presidents and recruiters at the 2016 Ontario Universities' Fair.

North American youth are increasingly focusing on STEM subjects and the traditionally high-paying professions, from accounting and law to medicine and engineering. Many universities are launching new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level to appeal to these students, and even partnering with international law schools when they don't have one of their own.

Increasingly research is being directed towards interdisciplinary subject areas, and interdisciplinary programs are on the rise, from broad-spectrum human, animal, plant and planet health, to programs combining business and the humanities, or entrepreneurship and biomedical engineering.

Many universities also report that programs related to sports and kinesiology, social work or child and youth studies are popular.

Particularly intriguing is the number of new college-university collaborative programs launched in the past three years. Ken sums up some examples from Brock, York, Laurier, McMaster, Carleton and Queen's to illustrate the pattern: typically, students can earn a university bachelors degree plus a college diploma or advanced diploma, and usually save a year or two in the process.

Colleges Ontario "Kindergarten" commercial: https://youtu.be/Bq1erNvHQ0k

Interviewed for this episode: Brock U: Brian Hutchings, Acting President James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International Carol Merriam, Interim Dean, Faculty of Humanities (2015)

Carleton U: Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment Lakehead U: Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor Laurentian U: Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor

Nipissing U: Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor

OCADU: Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor

UOIT: Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor

Queen's U: Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Ryerson U: Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor

Trent U: Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor Western U: Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment Wilfrid Laurier U: Craig Chipps, Manager of Recruitment & Admissions (2015)

uWindsor: Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor

Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)

Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics. Next week: How universities are evolving to serve the needs of the 21st century learner.

For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe

Ken Steele went to the Ontario Universities' Fair, in September 2016, and asked 45 experts for their best advice for young people trying to choose between universities. And these are people who ought to know: 11 university presidents, 9 recruiters and admissions professionals, and 25 current undergraduate students.

In the end, there was consensus on 8 key pieces of advice you should keep in mind:

1) Take Your TIme 2) Do Your Homework 3) Ask Questions 4) Visit Campuses 5) Look Further Afield 6) Find a Comfortable Fit 7) There are No Bad Choices 8) Ultimately, It's Up to You

Interviewed for this episode:

Algoma U: Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador Brock U: Brian Hutchings, Acting President James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International

Carleton U: Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment Lakehead U: Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador Laurentian U: Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador

Nipissing U: Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union

OCADU: Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor

UOIT: Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador

uOttawa: Steve Perry, Dean of Science Karen D'Souza, Student Ambassador Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador Queen's U: Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative Ryerson U: Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor

Trent U: Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador Western U: Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide King's UC: Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer

Wilfrid Laurier U: Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator

uWindsor: Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador OUAC: Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications

Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)

Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics, and Advice on Choosing a Program. Next week: Hot New Programs at Ontario Universities.

For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe

Ken Steele went to the Ontario Universities' Fair, in September 2016, and asked 45 experts for their best advice for young people trying to choose a program or field of study after high school. And these are people who ought to know: 11 university presidents, 9 recruiters and admissions professionals, and 25 current undergraduate students.

In the end, there was consensus on 7 key pieces of advice you should keep in mind, if you're trying to make a decision about your post-secondary path:

1) Don't Panic! 2) Start Early 3) Follow Your Passion 4) It's OK Not to Know Yet 5) Don't Limit Yourself 6) Keep an Open Mind 7) University will Expand Your Horizons

Interviewed for this episode:

Algoma U: Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador Brock U: Brian Hutchings, Acting President James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International

Carleton U: Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment Lakehead U: Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador Laurentian U: Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador

Nipissing U: Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union

OCADU: Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor

UOIT: Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador

uOttawa: Steve Perry, Dean of Science Karen D'Souza, Student Ambassador Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador Queen's U: Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative Ryerson U: Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor

Trent U: Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador Western U: Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide King's UC: Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer

Wilfrid Laurier U: Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator

uWindsor: Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador OUAC: Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications

Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.)

Recent episodes have examined the top reasons why people love attending the OUF, and new booths and recruitment marketing tactics. Next week: Advice on Choosing a University.

For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe

In the second episode from the 2016 Ontario Universities' Fair, Ken Steele surveys the exhibit floor and interviews university representatives to summarize what's new in student recruitment marketing this fall. (See the first, "Why Go to the OUF?" at https://youtu.be/CyXKcQ7fsac ). This podcast includes some flashback photos, video and even some unused interviews from previous years' OUFs, from 2006 to the present.

Data Collection: The underlying goal for student recruitment offices at the Fair is to collect contact information for as many prospective students as possible. As Deanna Underwood of OUAC explains, in previous years that meant that prospective students had to enter their contact information in 21 different ways, on paper, iPad, laptop or computer, at all the various booths. That also tended to mean that many universities offered prize incentives to collect data. Last year we interviewed Craig Chipps of Wilfrid Laurier about the branded hoodies they were giving away; Deanna MacQuarrie of uGuelph about their prizes ranging up to an iPhone 6; and both York's Jock Phippen and Carleton's Jean Mullan about their draws for free tuition.

All this repetitive data entry seemed pointless for students, and after years of discussion, this year finally introduced centralized data collection: the OUF Passport. Prospective students were encouraged to register online in advance, and thousands did so. Many more registered at the computer terminals in the OUF lobby, or on their smartphones with the assistance of staff at the university booths. By day two, universities were collecting more contacts than in previous years. In place of all the various contests of previous years, this year COU had a "money booth" for students.

Exhibit Booths: Ontario universities are investing six figures in spacious, professional booths, so they use them for years, with minor updates. (This year, Laurentian added more bilingual signage, Laurier added a new photo collage, and Windsor added its new tagline, "Promise.")

This year, considerable floorspace in the exhibits was freed up from the various desks and kiosks that were so critical for data collection. Many universities rearranged their booths to allow much more space for conversation. New booth layouts for Nipissing, Carleton and Brock focused on kiosks for each major faculty or program, where prospective students could speak with recruiters, faculty or current student ambassadors. Brock wanted to emphasize the transdisciplinary opportunities for students. Carleton wanted to leverage more technology, like video screens and an interactive robot, to engage students and tell its story. McMaster's new booth adds many backlit images of campus and animated video screens, but unlike the open-concept designs, Mac's booth seems to create corners and cubbies for small conversations to occur.

Western's Lori Gribbon took time to describe their brand-new exhibit, which utilizes the maximum 12-foot height, plenty of backlit graphics and video screens to convey a sense of the beautiful campus. They analyzed the previous booth, and modified the layout to optimize traffic flow. A new "student experience" corner focuses students on co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, from athletics to residence.

Virtual Reality: Last year, we reported that UOIT was pioneering the use of 3D (VR) campus tours using beta versions of Oculus Rift headsets. https://youtu.be/7YVIz2RMXCg Now that 3D video is supported on YouTube and Facebook, and easily available on most smartphones, the cost has come down and more universities are creating VR tours. Western shot dozens of 360° videos of campus, from residence rooms, classrooms and labs to outdoor orientation events. The videos are available on the Western welcome page, on Facebook and Twitter, and Western ambassadors had branded iCardboard viewers for prospective students and parents to take a look. uWindsor likewise had branded cardboard viewers for students. Lakehead was using plastic HooDoo viewers, which fasten to your head with velcro. Laurentian's Jean-Paul Rains showed us their ViewMaster brand viewers, using an app designed by Laurentian CompSci students. He explained that the initiative was very cost effective, using a tiny $500 Ricoh Theta S camera, $30 headsets, and $500 smartphones.

Travel Incentives: Algoma U has started offering all-expense-paid visits to its campus in Sault Ste Marie, for interested prospective students. President Craig Chamberlin says they provide transportation, housing and meals, and tour potential students around campus to meet their future faculty members and attend classes.

In the next episode, we'll ask people at the OUF for their advice for high school students contemplating their post-secondary futures.

Remember, subscribe to our free email newsletter to get exclusive early access to upcoming episodes. www.eduvation.ca/subscribe

Ken Steele goes on location at the largest PSE exhibition in North America, the Ontario Universities' Fair in Toronto. Over 2 days he interviewed 11 presidents, 9 front-line staff and 25 student ambassadors.

This week, we find out what they like best about the OUF, and why they recommend prospective students attend. It should be interesting to anyone who has ever attended the fair, or is considering it!

Algoma U: Craig Chamberlin, President & Vice-Chancellor Brad Lloyd, Admissions Advisor Anna Stilin, Student Ambassador Brock U: Brian Hutchings, Acting President James Mandigo, Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management & International

Carleton U: Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President, Students & Enrolment Lakehead U: Brian Stevenson, President & Vice-Chancellor Adriel Martin, Student Ambassador Kelsey Agnew, Student Ambassador Laurentian U: Dominic Giroux, President & Vice-Chancellor Abegail Villaruel, Student Ambassador Alexander Mayhew, Student Ambassador

Nipissing U: Mike DeGagné, President & Vice-Chancellor Victoria Bass, Student Ambassador Deanna Jackett, Student Ambassador Jordan Andrews, President, Nipissing University Student Union

OCADU: Sara Diamond, President & Vice-Chancellor

UOIT: Tim McTiernan, President & Vice-Chancellor Happy Inibhunu, Student Ambassador Alykhan Sumar, Student Ambassador Devon McGrath, Student Ambassador

uOttawa: Steve Perry, Dean of Science Karen D'Souza, Student Ambassador Chantal Breton, Student Ambassador Queen's U: Stuart Pinchin, Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Laura Wyatt, Intern, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment Maura Mackenzie, Recruitment Representative Ryerson U: Mohamed Lachemi, President & Vice-Chancellor

Trent U: Leo Groarke, President & Vice-Chancellor Dexter Fichuk, Student Ambassador Gytha Chapman, Student Ambassador Western U: Amit Chakma, President & Vice-Chancellor Lori Gribbon, Associate Registrar, Admissions & Recruitment Haley Everitt, Senior Campus Tour Guide Maher Alazzam, Campus Tour Guide Michael Maximino, Senior Campus Tour Guide King's UC: Brandon Csendes, Admissions & Liaison Officer Paul Wilton, Admissions & Liaison Officer

Wilfrid Laurier U: Ty Ackerman, Student Ambassador Jordan Baechler, Student Ambassador Urbashi Das, Campus Ambassador Coordinator

uWindsor: Alan Wildeman, President & Vice-Chancellor John-Michael Lemaire, Student Ambassador Abrial Cooke, Student Ambassador OUAC: Deanna Underwood, Manager of Communications

Thank you to all who agreed to be interviewed! And our apologies to those we missed because of time constraints. (We had just 1.5 days onsite this year.) Also apologies to those who will be at the Ontario College Information Fair next month - unfortunately Ken's travel schedule prevents him from attending this year.

Watch for upcoming episodes about new booths and marketing tactics, advice for prospective students, how universities are evolving to serve the needs of 21st century learners, and much more. For exclusive early access, subscribe to our free email newsletter at www.eduvation.ca/subscribe

Meanwhile check out these past episodes about college and university fairs:

Overview - 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/hD0dDn2iP3Q Hot New Programs - 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/O5c1OrH73RQ Bringing the Campus to the 2015 OUF - https://youtu.be/7YVIz2RMXCg

The 2013 Ontario College Information Fair - https://youtu.be/jYO2JlqCQWI

The 2013 OUF - https://youtu.be/jyyMXXIMjYs

This week, Ken reviews this fall's back-to-school college and university videos, from presidential welcomes to o-week excitement, from bubble gum records to Pokémon Go!

We looked at "O-Week Winners & Sinners" in a previous episode. https://youtu.be/imr8-zMyEDg This time, we're focused on more official videos:

UPEI provided vital orientation information in their video. https://youtu.be/xzzWt_xswSY

Trinity Western University recaps the excitement of move-in day. https://youtu.be/jMm7Mw1FqNI

Ryerson University organized more than 1200 students, staff and faculty to "pop" the Guiness world record for bubble gum blowing. https://youtu.be/AgI0arSkyLI

But back-to-school videos also tackle "heavier" issues. In a previous episode we looked at campus and dorm room safety videos. https://youtu.be/NRPY2RSSfK8?t=2m1s

Respect and sexual consent campaigns are also widespread at this time of year, and for good reason: The first few weeks of school are when the vast majority of sexual assaults occur. In an effort to keep things gender-neutral, this fall the Sexual Assault Resource Centre at Montreal's Concordia University enlisted some unusual spokesfruit to explain sexual consent. https://youtu.be/zzuTjVwlcgo

Just as we've seen holiday greeting videos proliferating in December, it's no surprise to see presidential "welcome back" videos in September. Most just capture a president's welcome to new students, although others are specifically directed at staff and faculty, and some manage to incorporate some quirky humour, like this from St Lawrence College president Glenn Vollebregt: https://youtu.be/i2jSZd9wjYM

And then there is Pokémon Go, perhaps the viral sensation of the summer. Within weeks the new augmented reality game attracted more than 21 million active daily users in the US alone – more than Candy Crush or even Twitter! Old fogeys took delight in mocking the distracted gamers, but some Pokemon players "poked" fun at themselves: https://youtu.be/go-UKdfStHg

Colleges and universities quickly discovered that their campuses were popular locations for Pokemon hunting. If you take a left turn at Albuquerque, you'll find plenty of Pokemon players at the University of New Mexico: https://youtu.be/m8siqgCkjB0

Many institutions quickly leveraged Pokemon to get students exploring more of the campus, like Wright State University in Ohio: https://youtu.be/Md1JgRxTQBU

Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, mapped their Pokestops and gyms: https://youtu.be/z9VO5le86gc

BCIT organized a real-life scavenger hunt they called Pokemon Go Day, to bring students, staff and their families to campus: https://youtu.be/DgGsiF85SWs

(If you haven't already discussed ways to incorporate Pokemon Go into your next student recruitment cycle, your competitors have!)

At a time when public health experts are worried about the impact of a sedentary gaming lifestyle on North American young people, fans of Pokemon Go were quick to emphasize the exercise component of the game.

Campus student life and mental health professionals are hopeful that augmented reality games like Pokemon Go may create a stronger sense of community, particularly for introverts.

Naturally, school mascots were among the first to get into the Pokemon craze, like Duke the Lion at Florida's Warner University: https://youtu.be/SxO-gFa-Jlo

This summer, some students were already starting to worry that their obsession with the game might be interfering with their studies, but at least one professor at UC Berkeley is playing along, and considering using Pokémon lures during his office hours. https://youtu.be/XZsudfgZ7iQ

In fact, within weeks Fresno City College announced a new Pokemon credit course in Phys Ed. https://youtu.be/ZtIpE9Yuy-8

Perhaps my favourite back-to-school video this year comes from the Student Union at Dalhousie University. They welcomed students back to campus with a rousing 3-minute music video, a tribute to their school colours, "Black and Gold." https://youtu.be/QkeYEa9jKto

Don't forget to subscribe to my free email newsletter, to get exclusive early access to upcoming episodes! www.eduvation.ca/subscribe