Chaparral 2018-2019: 27.4 Letter from the Editor

As we examine our enrollment numbers and consider how this affects our college, there are some questions on many people’s minds: What is our marketing plan? How are we getting the word out to potential students? How do we share what makes GCC special, when there are so many other colleges in the area that students can choose from?

Already, we can see in-campus marketing taking shape, notably in the form of short videos that play on our screens throughout campus, to inform students about our various course offerings and other opportunities. These videos are eye-catching, and I often see students watching them with interest. But what are we doing beyond the campus to bring in new students who might be considering attending GCC?

Individually, we probably engage in a lot of word-of-mouth sharing. I have a few colleagues who I know have hustled like crazy to get the word out about new classes that were difficult to fill. But as admirable as this kind of work is, I don’t think that the onus should be on individual faculty members trying to market their classes in a vacuum. There has to be a larger plan that we can all be keyed into, to distribute cohesive messaging about GCC in the most effective way.

Luckily, we have incredibly invested faculty and staff here who are engaged with the community and the state. Marketing is not always about direct advertising; sometimes it’s about participation and engagement, and demonstrating value that way. For instance, members of our Guild recently attended the CFT (California Federation of Teachers) Convention, where they had the opportunity to engage with members of other California community colleges.

I’m pleased to share that Chaparral won four awards at the Convention:

I want to extend my gratitude and congratulations to everyone who has contributed to Chaparral, whether as a columnist or guest writer. Truly, this publication would be nothing without you. Let’s keep sharing our successes, asking difficult questions, and discussing important issues together.

Sincerely,

Joanna Parypinski
Chaparral Editor-in-Chief