Conference presentation from the Texas Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (TxGAP) 2012 Professional Development Conference. Author: Dana Mordecai Recruitment Coordinator University of North Texas Description: Technology is part of our world, but sometimes we don’t know how to use what’s right in front of us with all the new products, updated versions and various gadgets out there. Learn how a virtual conference was created as a way to reach conference attendees at satellite locations. In addition, a virtual graduate recruitment fair, the first of its kind, was developed using technology that students are used to using every day. Learn how to find technology options using a bit of creativity and ingenuity, thinking outside the box. For more information, visit www.txgap.com.

1. Conference Outside the Box:
Using Blackboard to Create a
Virtual Graduate Recruitment
Fair
Presented by:
Dana Mordecai

2.  Established in 2006 in response to
“Closing the Gaps” Initiative
 Encourages diversity in Texas graduate
programs
 Underrepresented minorities
 Women
 First-generation college students
 Collective effort by all colleges and
universities in Texas

3. What did we want to
accomplish?
 Workshops
 Funding graduate school
 Choosing the right
graduate school
 Undergraduate research
 GRE testing strategies
 Networking with other students, faculty, and university
representatives
 Decreased attendance over time

4. Virtual Component
 New initiative to create a
virtual component
 First time for institutions to
consider this format  Numerous options considered
 No prior experience with  GoToMeeting
virtual events  Voxwire
 No technical knowledge  Cisco Webex
on staff  Blackboard/Wimba

5. Attendance
• 122 students from 7 institutions
• 26 recruiters from 19
institutions
• 40 students
• 14 students
• 7 students
• 33 students

6. CLEAR’s Support
 Video conferencing
 Virtual Grad Fair/Wimba

7. Getting Started
 How would everyone use the technology?
 On-Site Coordinators
 Recruiters
 Students
 Decisions about hardware
 Troubleshooting during creation of virtual
classrooms

8. Preparation
 Creation of “Wimba for
Dummies” guides
 Prepared for each user group
and recognizing how each of
them will use the technology

9. On-Site Coordinators

10. Student Participants

11. Recruiters

12. Preparation
 Creation of “Wimba for Dummies” guides
 Calls to recruiters to get them on board
with the virtual fair
 Creation of web interface for students

14. Preparation
 Creation of “Wimba for
Dummies” guides
 Calls to recruiters to get them on
board with the virtual fair
 Creation of website interface
 Creation of classrooms, presenter
accounts and passwords
 Get tech support on board

15. Execution
 Set-up at least 1 hour before the event
 Two classrooms in BLB
 Technical support
 ABN
 Randy Evans - Grad School IT
Specialist
 Chris Johnson – ABN Support
 Michelle Farley – Instructional
Consultant
 Technical difficulties
 SNACKS!

16. Lessons Learned – Recruiter Survey
 Ease of software
 “Very easy”
 “Excellent and easy to navigate”
 Instructions provided
 “Thorough”
 “Excellent step-by-step/trouble-shooting”
 Efficient way to talk to students
 Other Comments
 “Would love to have seen more students
participate”
 “For this being the first time, I really enjoyed it”
 “Great idea. I wish more students would have
participated
 “Allow students to see University PowerPoint in
advance”

17. The Future of Virtual Recruitment
 Program specific presentations
 General interest presentations
 Diversity at UNT
 Research at UNT
 Funding at UNT
 International presentations
 Mitigates issues of access, reduces time out of
office, and increases assessment of applicants
 Marketing issues for online recruitment
presentations

18. Questions