All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics’ retention efforts increase undergraduate enrollment as universities face declining applications

WVU
Universities across the nation are regularly seeing new challenges when it comes to recruiting students to college and keeping them there. The John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University has implemented a series of strategies for student retention, which has helped the business school increase overall undergraduate enrollment. Such strategies include a wider choice of academic minors and individual attention to students in areas of advising, tutoring and academic coaching.

Despite regional and nationwide trends of declining numbers of students graduating from high school, enrollment at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University has increased.

Actually, undergraduate enrollment has increased every year since the business school went to a four-year format in 2011, allowing business students to be directly admitted as freshmen instead of after they have met specific criteria prior to their junior years. That format also benefitted students through earlier access to advisors and increased internship opportunities.

But recent years have presented a different set of challenges, said Rebel Smith, assistant dean for undergraduate programs, including a decreasing number of high school graduating seniors in most parts of the nation. While those trends were identified only a few years ago, the Chambers College has seen increased enrollment ever since.

“We have substantially increased our retention efforts, and that is evidenced by our undergraduate population increase,” Smith said. “This is an increase for the second straight year, despite declining high school populations in this area of the country. So, we’re investing more in retention.”

And the good news doesn’t end there. Updated enrollment data also shows an increase in both SAT scores and GPA of freshmen who started in the Fall 2018 semester, as well as an increasing number of women in WVU’s business school. Specific programs seeing jumps in enrollment include global supply chain management (47.8%), management information systems (12.9%) and marketing (6.2 %).

The number of first-time freshmen was down slightly over the previous year, but the overall undergraduate student population at the Chambers College has increased to 2,550. That increase, Smith said, has everything to do with the school’s retention efforts.

While higher education institutions are periodically criticized for not doing enough to provide students the resources needed to perform well enough to stay in school, Smith said that’s just not the case at WVU. She further explained that the eastern U.S. has seen a significant decline in the number of high school graduates, and that trend is expected to continue for the next few years.

“There are actually fewer people graduating, so we have even further stepped up our efforts to keep students here by helping them be even more successful,” she said.

The college has also applied an innovative approach to educational offerings. For example, the Fall 2018 semester marked the first time business majors could minor in business at WVU. The fall semester also saw the start of the online general business major, an offering that has attracted both traditional and nontraditional students.

The Chambers College has implemented retention efforts that also include the creation of the Academic Engagement Success Center, where students have access to resources ranging from tutoring to honing their writing and speaking business communication skills, and peer coaching for career readiness.

Additionally, the Department of Undergraduate Programs — which offers individual advising to all business school students — has beefed up its resources, greatly benefitting students.

“Advising staff has nearly doubled over the past two years,” Smith said, “and we now have a director of retention and recruitment, Rachel Nieman. The director’s focus is solely retention and recruitment, and that has made a big difference.

“If we bring students to WVU, we have an obligation to do everything we can for them to be successful. Retention is a good investment.”

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

Baseball suffers losses to Point Pleasant and University

The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball team fell to Point Pleasant 8-5 then suffered a 16-0 shutout against University, dropping their record to 7-11.

Softball Lady Bucs take down Bearcats by an 8-3 score

Kynnedy Marple pitched a complete-game three-hitter and contributed offensively as Buckhannon-Upshur defeated Grafton 8-3 in a Big 10 Conference softball game, improving the Lady Bucs’ record to 9-7.

Highland Landscaping takes week one lead in men’s golf league standings

Highland Landscaping claimed an early lead in the Buckhannon Country Club Bob Cupp Memorial Golf League, defeating Feola’s Flowers and topping the standings after the opening week of play.

Wesleyan misses out on MEC post season lacrosse tournament as seeds and pairings announced

West Virginia Wesleyan College did not qualify for the 2025 Mountain East Conference Women’s Lacrosse Tournament as seeds and pairings were announced Thursday, with play set to begin Sunday.

Wesleyan lacrosse ends year with 23-5 loss to Charleston

West Virginia Wesleyan women’s lacrosse fell 23-5 to Charleston in their final regular season game, with Charleston dominating offensively and outshooting Wesleyan 34-12 despite standout defensive efforts from Francesca Sloan and Emma Adcock.

Lady Buc lacrosse team downs Morgantown, 9-5

The Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Buc lacrosse team snapped a two-game losing streak with a 9-5 win over Morgantown, led by Mallory Moss’s four goals and Kylie Hull’s 16 saves.

Lacrosse Bucs cruise past St. Albans for third straight win, 12-2

The Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers won their third consecutive lacrosse game, defeating St. Albans 12-2, led by three-goal performances from Braylon Oldaker, Forest Catlin, and Tobias Marple.

Leadership Upshur to host free Community Skills Share event at Parish House

Leadership Upshur and the Upshur Parish House are inviting residents of all ages to a free Community Skills Share event on May 7, featuring practical workshops, demonstrations and door prizes to foster learning and community connection.

Middle schoolers bring Shakespearean magic to life via ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School students will bring laughter and enchantment to the stage with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” They invite the community to enjoy their free performances on April 25 and 26.

Elkins Raceway launches 73rd anniversary season honoring late track manager Jim Skidmore

Elkins Raceway begins its 73rd season of Saturday night racing, honoring late track manager Jim Skidmore with weekly events, full race divisions, and family-friendly admission in Kerens, West Virginia, through August 2025.
asphalt pavement road paving work

Reger Avenue paving project to begin Monday, April 28

The City of Buckhannon announced that J.F. Allen Company will begin paving Reger Avenue on April 28, with the work expected to finish by the end of April 29.

Waggy wins 1600 meters for Bucs in final home meet of the year

Senior Jack Waggy won the 1600 meters in 4:32.92 during the Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers’ final home track meet, where the team earned 56 points to place fifth out of seven teams.