MCLA Director of Admissions Kayla Hollins films a webinar for the MCLA Office of Admission.
06/02/20
While nothing can replace an in-person campus visit, the MCLA Office of Admission has been making sure prospective students and their families can experience the College’s unique charms in other ways during the pandemic shutdown.
In lieu of an accepted student day that was scheduled to welcome more than 300 visitors to campus, Director of Admission Kayla Hollins and her team have created online events that include virtual tours, informational videos, webinars, and interactive meet-and-greets. “Right before spring break, some of our admission ambassadors ran around campus creating virtual tours and they came back with such amazing content,” said Hollins. “The tours and videos were something we’d always wished we had, and there’s nothing like a pandemic to get you motivated.”
Using a remote format has allowed the office to turn what normally would be one-day events into multiple, more intimate experiences spread out over five weeks.
The webinars have featured panels of MCLA staff members, current students, and resident assistants, and focused on everything from athletics programs and life on campus to the very popular “MCLA and the Berkshires Bucket List.”
The more informal live opportunities included a trivia day where students answered pop culture and MCLA questions, and the winners earned MCLA swag. Meet-and-greet sessions were available for prospective students based on their location or interests (theater, LGBTQIA+, honors program), as well as some geared toward transfer students. “These events were more laid back,” said Hollins, “because it’s stressful for students right now, so we wanted to give them something fun to do.”
The Office of Admission’s “Face to Face with Faculty” series was a chance for future students to get to know the College’s department chairs in a more personal way. Professors spoke about why they think MCLA is a great place to be, what the classes are like, and where struggling students can find help. “Prospective students asked really great questions and got a chance to see the professors as people,” Hollins said.
Interested students still have time to apply to the College and take advantage of these new tools. MCLA offers rolling admissions and a free application, and students can now apply without submitting SAT scores, as most of these tests have been canceled for the year.
You can contact the MCLA admission office by calling 800-969-MCLA or 413-662-5410, or emailing admissions@mcla.edu.
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Are you an MCLA student, alum, or faculty member? Do you want MCLA to share your story? Please email Creative and Brand Strategy Manager Francesca Olsen at Francesca.Olsen@mcla.edu.
