Left to right: Andrew Tallman, Glen Christensen, Stephanie Rogan, Stacy Schlaudraff, Sheree Hale, Deanna Ward, Jennifer Palermino, Holly Schwarmweber, Jenna Klein, Kristina Rock
The team had only been in existence for six months by late January, but there was reason to celebrate: The 100th student had just enrolled as a result of efforts that began with a team member contacting a prospective student.
“Most of the people we contact have already spoken to someone at Ross,” explains Call Center Director Glen Christensen. “Our purpose isn’t to get them to enroll right there on the phone. It’s to invite them back to the campus so they can talk to experts who can get them started toward a better career and a better life.”
The center opened in August 2009. It has nine representatives, though Glen says the goal is to eventually have 14. Working out of the St. Clair headquarters, the team members make about 100 calls a day to people who have contacted Ross in the past, but did not enroll.
“They usually have three concerns: time, money and fear,” Glen says. “When we reach them, we ask what they’re doing—if they’re employed and if they like the work they’re doing. We talk about the dream of having a rewarding career in a solid, growing field.
“We invite them to take another look at Ross. We say, “In six to nine months, you could be working in a hospital or doctor’s office—but you need to come to the campus to talk to people in admissions and financial aid who can show you how to make it happen.”
Getting 100 people to start making it happen was no easy task. Glen notes that the team succeeds in reaching a prospective student on just one out of every 10 calls. About a fourth of those contacted, though, make appointments to visit one of the 17 Ross campuses.
“We let the call center representatives know when someone they called enrolls,” Glen says. “It’s great to know you’re having that kind of affect on people’s lives.”
“Our purpose isn’t to get people to enroll right there on the phone. It’s to invite them back to the campus so they can talk to experts who can get them started toward a better career and a better life.”
Jacquie says the two things she loves most about her role with Ross are helping people change their lives and then watching them do it.
“The students come to me knowing how much the program they’re in will cost, and if you’ve got no job and you’re a single parent and you’re trying to take care of three kids, that can be scary,” she explains. “But as we go through the process, and they begin to see that, yes, this can be worked out, you can see the load being lifted off them.”
After our prospective students have met with admissions and are eligible for enrollment we schedule a one-on-one financial aid appointment and review the items needed. I like to follow-up by phone as well to prepare them further for our meeting. This phone conversation allows Jacquie to discover whether the student is employed or married or living with relatives. The answers ensure the students bring the right information they’ll need to their individual financial aid appointment.
“What we do on the phone allows us to individualize it, because everyone has a different situation,” she says.
During the face-to-face meeting, Jacquie helps students complete the financial aid application—making sure all the answers are correct. Software then analyzes the forms so that students immediately know how much aid they can get.
That, Jacquie insists, is just when the fun starts.
“A big advantage of a small campus is that we can stay in touch with the students the whole time they’re here,” she says. “We want them to feel comfortable so they’ll come to us to talk about problems with their finances—or about problems-- whether they’re at home or at school—and we can often help them with those issues, too.”
The payoff for her, she says, is when the students they helped at the beginning are getting close to completing their studies at Ross.
“They come in all excited to say, ‘I only have one module left,’ or to tell us where they’re going for their externships,” Jacquie says. “Seeing that change, seeing how excited they are…that’s when it’s the most satisfying for me.”
“The students come to me knowing how much the program they’re in will cost, and if you’ve got no job and you’re a single parent and you’re trying to take care of three kids, that can be scary.”
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Ross Medical has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
– Mary Beth Post
