Planning Your Department Outreach Efforts

The following outlines best practices in engaging the most talented and brightest students to apply to UC Santa Barbara. While there is no single, standardized approach, these may be starting points for your department's development and/or improvement in its outreach efforts. Attention to diversity in these efforts ensures a welcoming climate for all students.

NOTE: Some of these events will be taking place virtually.

Conferences/Graduate School Fairs

Participate in Graduate School Fairs at other colleges and universities, as well as major Conferences that target a demographic of students interested in your respective department discipline. Examples include:

  • Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
  • American Psychological Association Annual Conference
  • American Sociological Association Annual Conference
  • California Diversity Forum in Graduate Education 
  • Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Research Conference

Communication Plan

During this time, communication should be delivered through multiple channels (e.g., promotional online advertising, direct mail, zoom workshops, and multimedia presentations) and come from a variety of sources (e.g., faculty, admissions advisors, and current students).

Include photos of faculty and students working together and showcase the welcoming and inclusive environment of your department.

  • If possible include testimonials or stories from students or alumni, student and faculty accomplishments and awards, and demographics of program (i.e. % of students receiving funding, placements, time to degree, ethnicity, gender, etc.).
     
  • Include important links to campus resources, Graduate Division, student services, etc.
  • Include a departmental statement of support for diversity and equal opportunity in education.

Use social networking websites (Facebook, Twitter), Instant messenger (G-Chat, Yahoo), video conferencing (Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype) -- particularly for those who are unable to visit the campus.

Utilize student online forums by submitting an article about your graduate program/activities or participating in the ongoing Day in the Life series chronicled on Graduate Division’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

  • Graduate Division’s Instagram Page: For more information about providing content for Graduate Division’s Instagram account or participating in the Day in the Life series, please contact Marge Perko, Director of Graduate Division Marketing and Communications.
     
  • The GradPost: For more information about submitting an article about your graduate program/activities, please contact Anna Theogarajan, Editor and Director of Graduate Professional Development.

Strategic Communication Plan

Based on Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s (Virginia Tech) recruitment plan, the Graduate Division has adopted a similar model and developed a strategic communication plan. We strongly encourage departments to develop a strategic communication plan that highlights all or part of the following:

Guest Lectures

Fund faculty and graduate students to participate in outreach visits to other universities highlighted by a talk or symposium, and/or a presentation to a disciplinary student club/organization.

Identify and Develop Feeder Schools

Contact UC Santa Barbara alumni/current faculty, faculty colleagues, department chairs, and undergraduate research programs at other universities. Alumni who are now faculty can be persuasive advocates for your program. In turn, where UC Santa Barbara faculty and current graduate students attended undergraduate and graduate school can be another fruitful venue to revisit.

Professional Connections

Encourage faculty and graduate students to engage in outreach activities such as hosting a reception when attending professional and academic meetings.

UCSB Graduate Division Information Session/Department Open House

A virtual UCSB Graduate School Information Session and/or UCSB Department Open House will provide scholars with a broader understanding of the opportunities available through a graduate education at UC Santa Barbara. We encourage departments to utilize the Graduate Admissions and Outreach team and/or collaborate with other departments/colleges to facilitate campus visitations and activities. Activities may include application and funding workshops, campus and department virtual tours, and student panels, Here’s an example of how the Graduate Division and UCSB department can collaborate:

TIME EVENT
9:00 AM Log In – UCSB Video (2 Minutes)
9:00 – 9:15 Welcome by UCSB Graduate Admissions, Outreach and Diversity Team
9:15 – 9:45 Presentation of UC Santa Barbara Application Process, Q&A
9:45 – 10:00 Graduate Division Resources and Diversity Support Systems
10:00 – 10:05 Farewell and Reminder about Department Information Sessions
10:05– 10:15

Break – Prepare for Department Information Session

 

TIME EVENT
9:00 AM Log In – UCSB Video (2 Minutes)
9:00 – 9:15 Welcome by UCSB Graduate Admissions, Outreach and Diversity Team
9:15 – 9:45 Presentation of UC Santa Barbara Application Process, Q&A
9:45 – 10:00 Graduate Division Resources and Diversity Support Systems
10:00 – 10:05 Farewell and Reminder about Department Information Sessions
10:05– 10:15

Break – Prepare for Department Information Session

 

Strategic Partnering

Partner with specific faculty, in particular, at other UC and the California State University campuses. The CSU system graduates the largest number of underrepresented students in the state of California.