Higher education is evolving, with Oklahoma universities rethinking how they welcome students, support them through their transition to college, and help them build meaningful paths beyond graduation through hands-on learning, entrepreneurship and career-connected experiences. The result is a more cohesive college experience, where students are encouraged to explore, build confidence and see a clearer line between study and future opportunity.
The New College Recruitment Battle
Amid shifting demographics, declining birth rates and growing skepticism about higher education, colleges and universities are rethinking how they recruit prospective students.
“The way in which we communicate has changed as technology changes,” says Fred Dietz, Director of Admissions with Rogers State University (RSU). “It seems like the language and message shift according to the demographic audience. For example, we are currently recruiting Gen Z students who are focused on clear and concise information centered on affordability, cost and careers. So, our messaging needs to hit those topics, and we need to do that in a multi-channel approach.”
This approach includes email, text and print messaging, along with social media marketing, allowing the university to reach students across multiple platforms.
In the past, recruitment efforts often relied on what Dietz calls “academic jargon” — language that resonated with an insular group of education professionals but often felt inaccessible to prospective students, creating feelings of separateness and disinterest.
“Our recruitment emails and texts utilize direct, highly concise language delivered directly to platforms students frequent,” says Dietz. “We are now entering Gen A, and our communication will evolve based on their needs. Gen A is highly visual and will want interactive digital approaches.”
Dietz predicts that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Discord will continue expanding their role in professional communication, making them increasingly credible sources of information for prospective students.
Gen Z is also “interested in just the facts, and not all the academic jargon,” says Dietz. “Messaging needs to be very targeted and personal.”
Jacob Guthrie, Communications Executive at the University of Oklahoma (OU), says that while declining birth rates are creating challenges for higher education nationally, the university is working diligently to make students from all walks of life feel welcome – no matter what their goals may be.
“Today’s students … are making thoughtful decisions about the value of higher education and want to understand how a college education will prepare them for success,” he says. “OU is responding by creating strong connections between academic programs, career preparation, experiential learning opportunities, student support services and post-graduation outcomes. Whether students are pursuing their first degree, returning to complete a degree, advancing their careers through graduate education or seeking new skills through continuing education, universities must continue demonstrating value and relevance in a rapidly changing world.”
Mack Burke, Associate Director of Media Relations for Oklahoma State University (OSU), says that recruitment efforts have also shifted to include a prospective student’s entire family.
“College is more of a family decision now than it’s ever been,” he says. “Previously, there was a true handoff between parents and institutions. Now, we’re seeing stronger family support and involvement from the start of the college search process through graduation. We have launched a family application portal, added personalized family newsletters and adjusted visit and orientation programming to ensure parents and families are included at every step of the process.”
Unlocking Options
Oklahoma leaders like Carolyn Eastlin – Director of Compliance, Accountability and Title IX at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) – feel that degree programs seeing the most growth are those where strong career prospects exist. The college, in turn, has worked to meet the burgeoning demand in those certain areas of interest.
“That means offering high-quality academic programs, workforce-aligned credentials, flexible learning outcomes and clear pathways to meaningful careers,” she says.
Workforce demand and long-term career stability are driving many of these changes.
“I often tell students that education is ultimately about creating choices,” Eastlin shares. “The more knowledge, skills and credentials you acquire, the more doors become available to you throughout your career. Higher education remains one of the most effective pathways to economic stability.”
With that in mind, colleges and universities are also working to demonstrate the long-term value of higher education to students weighing whether college is the right investment.
“Students are most likely to understand the value of education when they can see a clear connection between their academic experience and career outcomes,” says OU’s Guthrie. “Universities can help by sharing employment data, connecting students with employers and alumni, and providing opportunities for career exploration, internships and other experiential learning opportunities. While there are many paths to career success, data consistently shows that higher levels of education are associated with increased earning potential, lower unemployment rates and expanded career opportunities over a lifetime.”
That emphasis on career outcomes is reflected in enrollment trends across Oklahoma institutions. RSU’s fastest growing bachelor’s degree remains the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The second fastest belongs to Business Administration, followed by Social Science and Allied Health Pre-Occupational Therapy. Most of these programs have experienced a significant increase in enrollment, according to Kenny Day, Director of Communications and Marketing at RSU.
Receiving a higher education degree “remains one of the most effective pathways to economic mobility, but we must communicate that message through real stories, employer partnerships, workforce data and student outcomes,” says Eastlin. “Whether a student is pursuing a short-term work certificate, an associate’s degree, or planning to transfer college credits to a university offering a bachelor’s degree, our responsibility is to help them understand how each educational milestone expands opportunities and earning potential.”
Supporting Students: Guiding Freshmen to Success
Today’s college freshmen arrive with different academic experiences than previous generations. Many spent formative high school years navigating pandemic-era disruptions and inconsistent learning environments, leaving some in need of remedial coursework upon entering college. Yet while their academic preparation may have changed, the core challenges of transitioning to college remain remarkably consistent.
“Students are navigating new academic expectations, building relationships in an unfamiliar environment, making independent decisions and often managing responsibilities they may not have faced before,” says OU’s Guthrie. “From a mental health perspective, some students struggle with the pressure to succeed while also trying to find their place on campus. It is common to experience anxiety, self-doubt, homesickness, loneliness or concerns about belonging.”
This struggle creates a balancing act for colleges and universities: the need to support their students with free on-campus resources while also helping to foster their independence and self-reliance.
“One of the most important ways college and universities can support their students in the transition to higher education is by providing an environment for students where resources are readily available and broadcast repeatedly during their first year of college,” says Savannah Roeder, RSU’s Director of Student Success.
RSU tailors student support to each academic year. Freshmen receive frequent reminders about available resources, while sophomores are encouraged to become more independent. Juniors take greater ownership with mentors in a supporting role, and seniors lead the way as they prepare to enter the workforce.
“By pouring into our students from the get-go with constant and repeated communication through a variety of formats, we are able to teach students to seek out resources and advocate for themselves without fear,” says Roeder. “Our goal in higher education should be to help students with the transition, and it should be a proactive approach.”
Burke mentions that OSU offers ample resources to help freshmen thrive, from supportive living/learning environments to counseling services, family weekends, welcome events and myriad student groups.
“Student wellness and well-being are critical during periods of transition. Resilience is an important part of the college experience, and students are more successful when they have the tools and coping strategies to lean on during challenges,”
he says.
Guthrie agrees – colleges should be there to help.
“One of the most important lessons students learn is that they do not have to navigate those challenges alone. Connecting with friends, faculty, staff, mentors and mental health resources can help students build resilience, develop healthy coping strategies and gain the confidence needed to thrive both academically and personally.”
Entrepreneurship on Campus
Universities statewide encourage student innovation through on-campus startup incubators, pitch competitions and business mentorship programs. At OU, innovation is a key component of the overall student experience.
“Universities are increasingly creating ecosystems where students can move beyond learning concepts in the classroom and apply them to real-world challenges,” says OU’s Guthrie.
At OU’s Price College of Business, “innovation is intentionally woven throughout the student experience. Through academic coursework and programs such as Tom Love Division of Entrepreneurship and the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, students compete in regional and national competitions, while solving real business challenges, analyzing data, developing business plans and presenting recommendations to industry leaders,” he says.
But entrepreneurship education isn’t limited to business students.
“Students across a variety of academic fields [engage] in entrepreneurship, research, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities,” he says. “Complementing these programs, the OU Career Center recently launched a mentorship program that paired students with OU alumni working in their fields of interest.”
That emphasis on experiential learning extends to universities all around Oklahoma. RSU business students Cathryn Lewis and Ngoc Nga Nguyen recently earned finalist honors in the 2026 Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup Competition – a collegiate business plan competition open to students on Oklahoma campuses. Lewis and Nguyen submitted a Business Plan Executive Summary in the Small Business category.
Competitions like the Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup give students the opportunity to refine their ideas, receive feedback from experienced business leaders and present their business concepts before panels of judges. The students’ submission was a digital wedding planning platform called L’Amour that streamlined vendor discovery, communication and organization of details. They presented their business plan to a panel of community business leaders and attended the awards ceremony in April.
OSU embraces the same hands-on philosophy through programs designed to foster innovation and career readiness.
“OSU and the Spears School of Business are built on the belief that students learn best by doing, not just by studying, and that mission shows up most clearly in how the university supports student innovation and career readiness,” says Burke. He points toward OSU’s Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which focuses on delivering experiential learning for students, faculty and alumni, as well as the Eastin Center for Career Readiness, which “carries that same hands-on philosophy into career preparation, supporting students through internship and job searches, career fairs, interview prep, resume work and one-on-one mentoring.”
Featured photo credit: As colleges adapt to changing student expectations, Rogers State University is emphasizing affordability, career readiness and personalized support. Photo courtesy RSU
