Undergraduate Update
Undergraduate Update
Undergraduate Update Enrollments and Rankings Go Up; Students Return to Campus
By Jimmie R. Markham
New and returning Naveen Jindal School of Management students arrived on The University of Texas at Dallas campus in full force during the fall 2021 semester. They were eager for in-person university experiences after social distancing necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. News of increased enrollments and a jump in rankings of undergraduate programs awaited them.
In-Person Learning ‘Desperately Missed’
Alexis Daubendiek, a global business freshman, had been studying remotely for more than a year and graduated from high school online. For her, online learning had been fun at first but became repetitive. Focusing on her studies became challenging.
“I was starting to have to teach myself and a few classmates the materials, as learning outside of a classroom environment is very difficult for me,” she said. “I specifically remember creating my own Zoom class for a friend and [me] so that we could help each other with physics.”
She “desperately missed” in-class learning and being around her peers. When “UTD announced de-densification,” she said, “I was extremely happy to have an opportunity to get back in the classroom.”
De-densification, enforced the first several weeks of the semester, allowed courses to be taught in person, but with a lower density of students per classroom.
Daubendiek’s enthusiasm prompted her to hit the ground running. She joined three student organizations, applied for a leadership position in one and joined case competitions to gain back education experiences.
Participating in in-person learning and activities “is helping me from an educational standpoint,” she said. It is “also allowing me to thrive in my personal hobbies and interests.”
Dr. Hasan Pirkul, Caruth Chair and Jindal School dean, said faculty and staff most keenly feel their responsibility toward students in undergraduate programs. “Those are the ones where we take young people in their formative years, and we shape their lives and careers.”
Relentless Efforts Yield Record Enrollments
Record numbers of freshmen – 801 – and transfer students – 579 – enrolled at the Jindal School in the fall. Dr. Shawn Alborz, associate dean, undergraduate program management, said one reason for the records was that staff, faculty and administrators put significant effort into helping students navigate the onboarding process.
As part of the strategy, Alborz and his team made every effort to promptly respond to inquiries from prospective and returning students — in-person, via email or by phone. Recruiters conducted campus and virtual visits to ensure all students and parents received necessary information and support to make informed decisions. Advising and registration staff conducted numerous individual and group sessions and course-registration sessions to ensure on-time enrollment.
“Our recruiting and advising teams worked relentlessly and did an amazing job,” Alborz said. “That has been the cornerstone of our strategy, and every year we raise the bar to achieve more.”
Operational Changes Bring Improvements
Another reason for undergraduate enrollment increases was an expanded pool of applicants.
This year, UT Dallas opted into the Common Application, an undergraduate admission application tool used by more than 900 colleges and universities nationwide. Previously, the only tool available was Apply Texas. Adding the second option increased the number of prospective students, including more from out of state.
Also, due to reduced testing available because of social-distancing constraints, UT Dallas no longer required an SAT or ACT test as an admission prerequisite. (Admission for fall 2022 also will be test optional.)
Dr. Marilyn Kaplan, associate dean, undergraduate academic operations, said lessons learned from moving from in-class to virtual learning during the pandemic translated to operational improvements, including recruiting. “We did such a good job of teaching online that we transferred those skills to recruiting,” she said. “The technology we use helps us create customized one-on-one virtual experiences, which is in line with what this generation wants.”
Technology Helps Level the Playing Field
Sarah Bengston, director of undergraduate recruiting at the Jindal School, said that before the pandemic, her staff conducted only in-person open houses and visits. Between the start of COVID-19 and the fall 2021 semester, they hosted numerous virtual recruiting events.
Her staffers learned, Bengston said, that even virtually they could connect well with prospective students. Virtual recruiting also extended the office’s reach.
“We learned that sometimes physically coming to campus is a barrier, whether that is due to location or financial barriers,” she said. “We saw an increase of 40% in our underrepresented minority students attending virtual events compared to in-person events. While the pandemic has been challenging, it has opened some really great doors for us to do more.”
Kaplan said those lessons resonated clearly. “We’re definitely not going to do away with virtual outreach once the pandemic is brought under control,” she said. “It’s the new normal because it works.”
converses with students
Undergraduate Deans Reward JSOM with Higher Ranking
The recruiting staff’s mindset was only part of what was driving success for undergraduate programs. This past September, U.S. News & World Report released its 2022 Best Colleges rankings. In rankings of undergraduate business programs, the Jindal School saw a significant increase, from No. 67 to No. 41. That the jump came soon after the Jindal School presented the inaugural Undergraduate Deans Conference was not surprising to Dean Pirkul.
“These rankings are based on opinions of undergraduate program directors and deans. As such, it is not sufficient to simply have an excellent program — this excellence must be understood and accepted by our peers at other institutions,” he said. “I am glad to see that the quality of our students and faculty, as well as the innovations we have been introducing in our programs, are finally being recognized by our colleagues around the nation.”
Alborz said the Jindal School’s leadership team constantly strives for better efficiency and effectiveness to achieve better results.
“This requires significant effort on our part to become more entrepreneurial, trying new approaches to keep the momentum going,” he said. “We are in the education business with a purpose of creating knowledge … sharing our success stories with other business schools and learning from theirs to achieve better results for the greater good.”
That strategy led to the creation of that undergraduate deans conference, held last March and attended by more than 100 associate and assistant business school deans, who left with a favorable impression.
Given that UT Dallas began as a graduate institution and has been a four-year undergraduate institution only since 1990, Pirkul said that both undergraduate program enrollment increases and their higher rankings are integral components of the school’s success.
In recent years, Pirkul and his leadership team have implemented several initiatives to add significant value to a JSOM undergraduate degree. These include a mentoring program (see Meteor Mentoring Program Launches on page 4), a capstone course that gives graduating seniors practical real-world experience, an internship requirement that introduces undergrads to on-the-job experiences and a community-service requirement.
Pirkul said all these efforts pay off not only by delivering high-quality management education that prepares graduates for business success but also by creating awareness and enthusiasm in the community so that its members, who include business leaders and UT Dallas alumni, are eager to partner with the Jindal School.