In just a few weeks, Texas A&M University-Commerce will start mailing out brochures to 26,000 military veterans as part of a new advertising campaign focusing on those who have served in the Armed Forces.
The new initiative comes as part of a multi-faceted approach by A&M-Commerce to attract students and increase enrollment. Along with an effort at globalization and increasing Hispanic enrollment, A&M-Commerce has sought to increase the number of veterans who attend the university.
The university has interviewed veterans currently attending the university and made their testimonials available on the newly revamped veteran’s benefits page on the school website.
“Veterans are a huge market,” Randy Jolly, director of the marketing communications department said. “It was a natural fit.”
The marketing communications department has also coordinated with the Veteran’s Affairs Office on campus to ensure veterans interested in attending have a place to get answers.
Answering those questions is Ted Oats, a retired Air Force pilot who now heads the department.
“We actively went out to find someone with military experience,” Jolly said. “He’s a perfect transition person.”
The Veteran’s Affairs office is located in the newly built One-Stop-Shop, where students can ask questions, speak with advisors and get answers.
“One-Stop-Shop is the key that puts us [A&M-Commerce] ahead,” Jolly said.
Oats said he was committed to helping the veterans.
“I want all the vets here to know all they have to do is give me a call,” Oats said.
Oats is an A&M-Commerce graduate and grew up in the area. Oats is also involved with the Veteran’s Vigil, a yearly event on campus that honors veterans.
Along with the new advertising campaign, Oats has been meeting the commanding officers of local bases and has secured a jet fly-over during the week of the vigil. Also, he is trying to get an ROTC program started at the university, an organization that had strong roots when the school was East Texas State University.
Projections are to increase veteran enrollment by at least ten percent over the next three years, a goal that is being furthered by both the new ad campaign and the hiring of Oats as director of the Veteran’s Office.