Meet Sueann Robbins

What drew you to college admissions and, more specifically, to graduate and transfer recruitment? 

I began at West Chester University in Student Activities and Leadership. When my daughters were young, that area did not fit with our schedule and I found a part-time admissions advising position at Immaculata University. I could stay in higher ed working with nontraditional students and be home to get the girls off the bus. From there, I was able to move to the College of Graduate Studies as a counselor/recruiter and then eventually to Director of Graduate Admissions. My daughter, Dani Robbins ’16, and I were volunteering at YCP Accepted Student Day when I heard about the position here. Dani had such a wonderful experience and was very involved in campus activities and leadership. Every time we came to visit her, I felt so at home and wanted to be a part of the Spartan experience. 

What services does the College offer for a smooth transition for transfer students and graduate students and how have those services been a success? 

Graduate students are mainly focused on their degree program and how it can enhance and advance their careers. They typically live off campus and extracurricular activities are not as relevant to them. However, it’s important to not only provide them with a robust academic experience, but also still make them feel connected to YCP. 

Transfer students have an entire team dedicated to making their admissions process smooth and successful. The Transfer Team is made up of myself, Erica Schieler, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions; Katie Schwienteck, Associate Registrar; and Ed Lane, Assistant Director of Financial Assistance. Transfer students receive hands-on support from all four of us from inquiry to enrollment and beyond. 

In your experience, how has the admissions process evolved in terms of marketing and recruitment to take on the national decline in enrollment?

Social media! At the beginning of my career, there were no cell phones, no laptops, no tablets, no email, and no internet. We had to snail-mail everything, make posters to hang around campus, and physically find students to speak with them directly. 

It’s hard to build a relationship with a potential student via text when you are limited to 140 characters. The challenge is to make those limitations stand out, leaving the potential student wanting more, and entice them to visit campus. Once they get on campus, they can see what a vibrant and engaging community YCP is.