Prospective students are getting much more from their visits to
St. John’s University these days than the traditional answers to
their academic and financial aid questions. Thanks to the
University’s corporate partner, Bed, Bath & Beyond, high school
students and their parents get to see what their dorm room could
look like – even on a tight budget.
In the past few years, St. John’s has seen a significant
increase in applications, no small achievement during these
difficult economic times. Part of the challenge of securing strong
enrollment numbers is to maintain interest from applicants and
provide them with exceptional customer service during the
application process with the hope that they will ultimately become
students.
Many of these “inquiry stage” students come from outside the New
York metropolitan area, making on-campus accommodations an
extremely important part of their college decision-making process.
Rather than viewing an empty institutional dorm room, students can
visit the recently completed dorm room makeover which displays
products to outfit student rooms. This sample room “provides a
‘real picture’ of what students get when they come to St. John’s,”
notes Student Ambassador Michael Carolan '11C.
Carolan leads prospective students and their parents on tours of
the campus during their visits and has witnessed the positive
reactions. “Students and their families are impressed with the
residence halls, and specifically the room itself.”
According to Jennifer Pye, a Counselor in the Office of
Admission, the Bed, Bath & Beyond dorm room is more than just a
practical tool for students. “It showcases one more way that St.
John’s is student-centered, that their needs are our first and top
priority. We are realistic about the needs of college students and
work to develop programs that are valuable to the student
body.”
Students and their parents can envision their room and consider
the various supplies they will need to purchase. During Move-In
Weekend, Residence Life will sponsor a trip to Bed, Bath &
Beyond for incoming students where they can pick up any of the
supplies that they still need and receive a discount, exclusively
for St. John’s students.
In addition to the obvious sales that Bed, Bath and Beyond hopes
to gain from this project, the chain has a specific mission they
are trying to accomplish says Yemisi McDavidson of Bed, Bath &
Beyond. “We strive to meet the needs of our customers,” she
relates, viewing them as members of the community. “We commit to
providing great service as we work to create customers for
life.”