Canton, IL – Spoon River College has a management team in place to increase enrollment.
President Robert Ritschel says the team has created a thorough marketing plan. "It will be headed by our Dean of Student Services," Ritschel says. "We will be looking at ways we can reach our target audiences."
Ritschel says those audiences include the displaced worker, the lifelong learner, and high school students. "Of course we have different job markets," says Ritschel. "In Macomb they are tied to the west side of the state. In Canton we are more tied to Peoria. It's just 2 different markets and 2 different populations."
Ritschel says the main goal is to increase enrollment in every one of the college's target populations. "It's what everybody wants to do," says Ritschel. "We have a number of goals targeted to the different populations to increase enrollment in every area. Whether it be adult basic education to literacy to those who come in looking for the opportunity to transfer in to a 4-year degree like WIU."
But he says it's impossible to come out with one plan to fit all areas of the district. Ritschel feels the college's plan fits in with President Obama's idea of creating a better educated workforce. "Most of his plan has to do with increasing the education in the workforce," says Ritschel. "That means a 2-year degree and not necessarily a degree to transfer to get a bachelor's degree."