Telecounselors play key role in recruitment efforts
By Sheldon Yoder

Telecounselors fulfill a vital role in bringing prospective students to the school according to Carri Rutherford, admissions coordinator at Oral Roberts University.

"Since the recruiters travel all over the United States and gather approximately 15,000 to 20,000 inquiries from these recruitment events, we need to have some method to contact the student and connect with them," Rutherford said. "That is where the telecounselors come in."

The Undergraduate Admissions Department gathers names and numbers of prospective students using several different tactics. The majority of individuals ORU has information on comes from the inquiry cards students and parents fill out at college fairs, high school visits and other recruitment events.

Those who indicate some interest in ORU get a call from a telecounselor, encouraging them to fill out an application. The degree of interest expressed by the prospect is noted. The telecounseling department employs approximately 45 individuals in several roles. There are four team leaders, one head team leader and between 35 to 40 telecounselors. Each telecounselor is assigned to one of four different regions in the U.S.

The relational aspect of the job is heavily emphasized. For example, if a prospect indicates he or she is playing in a basketball game that week, the information will be recorded. The next time the individual is called, the telecounselor will ask how the game went. "That wins big brownie points with people if you remember those little things," Rutherford said.

When interest is indicated in the University, the telecounselor's job is to encourage the individual to attend a College Weekend Event or schedule a visit to ORU. "Approximately [75 to] 80 percent of the students that attend a College Weekend at some point end up enrolling at ORU,"Rutherford said. "That is a tremendous turn-around rate."

The telecounselors have the opportunity to pray with the prospective students and encourage them in their daily lives, as well as share how they came to ORU, said Rutherford. One telecounselor was even able to lead a prospective student to the Lord. Sophomore Ghislaine Grant, a team leader for the southwest region who worked as a telecounselor over the summer and was recently promoted, loves the opportunity to talk to people. "Some people don't know where they are going when we talk to them on the phone," Grant said. "[I] am kind of like a bridge to help them and let them see [their] destiny. That's a huge step."

Rutherford does not attribute all enrollment success to the telecounselors. However, without the telecounselors, it would be very difficult for ORU to reach its recruitment goals. "At this point, what we are doing is showing results, and we are continually changing things to move up higher and stretch ourselves wider to gain more ground and to spread the news about a wonderful University in Tulsa, Okla., that is founded upon Jesus Christ and doesn't just say it to sound good; the students live it, breath it and believe it," Rutherford said.

The telecounseling department employs several methods to keep their workers motivated. Team leaders meet with the telecounselors under them on a regular basis.

The sense of camaraderie among the telecounselors is greater than one would find at a typical job. Grant values the many friendships she has established with other telecounselors while working in the department. As a commuter she does not have the opportunity to make friends like she would if she lived in the dorm.

"The best thing is my circle of friends just got bigger," Grant said. "I can say 'hi' to 10 or more people because my circle [grew]."

Each week the department has "The Hour of Power!" The team leader designates a time when the team must work the hardest at obtaining the most successful calls. Whoever wins gets to draw a prize ranging from candy, to picture frames, to a grand prize "which I cannot tell because I do not want the TCs to know what it.

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