In-Person Campus Tours and Virtual Open House Meet Students Where They Are

Male student walking on campus wearing a mask
October 9, 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created new opportunities for the Office of Enrollment Management to make both personal and virtual outreach to recruit students to attend St. John’s University. After months of pandemic-related restrictions, in-person campus tours are now offered on both the Queens and Staten Island, NY, campuses. In addition, an expanded and fully interactive Open House is being designed for the traditional Fall Open House dates and college tour event season.

“After campus activities went completely remote last spring, we quickly adjusted our recruitment efforts,” stated Jorge L. Rodriguez, Vice Provost and Chief Enrollment Officer. “Months later, as we all navigate this new normal, we are offering a variety of ways for prospective students from around the globe to interact with St. John’s.”

This year a newly added benefit is the Fall 2021 Engagement Grant. Current high school seniors and transfer students who attend a St. John’s event this academic year and continue on to enroll full-time at St. John’s University in the Fall of 2021 will receive a one-time tuition grant of $500 toward the 2021–22 academic year. Qualifying events must take place between August 1, 2020, and May 1, 2021, and include

  • Open House
  • Virtual Information Session and Campus Tour
  • On-campus Tour (if available)
  • Academic Webinar or Chat
  • Accepted Student Event

“We recognize the many challenges facing families due to the COVID-19 health crisis and we want students and their families to know that we are here to help,” Mr. Rodriguez observed.

Volunteer Student Ambassadors now provide private, personal guided tours of indoor and outdoor campus facilities on weekdays. In-person tours are scheduled throughout the day and all COVID-19 protocols are followed, including the required COVID-19 wellness screening and face covering. In-person tours are limited to a total of two people (the student and one other person).

admissions ambassadors on campus looking at the camera, two female wearing red jackets standing outside.

For students who reside in states listed on New York State’s COVID-19 travel advisory, virtual engagement takes traditional video conferencing software to the next level to create an elevated virtual Open House experience this fall. Students may navigate through a thoughtful and engaging portal to experience live streams with professors, live tours of campus, and live chats with students, administrators, faculty, and deans.

All Fall Open House events include a mix of presentations delivered in real-time and virtually.

“This is truly a collaborative effort of the entire family of St. John’s,” Mr. Rodriquez declared. “From our student volunteers to the Department of Public Safety, Office of Information Technology, and Office of Marketing and Communications, everyone has been instrumental in assisting our office as we move forward with our recruitment and enrollment initiatives—and, as always, we enjoy the support of the broader University community as well.”

For more information, visit the Undergraduate Admission website.

Fall 2020 Open House

Queens Campus
Saturday, October 17 | Noon–3 p.m. EST | RSVP
Sunday, November 22 | Noon–3 p.m. EST | RSVP

Staten Island Campus
Sunday, October 18 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m. EST | RSVP