Some tips for a new-look PPC

Published 11/12/98

If Point Park College was to appear on a daytime talk show, it would probably be on an episode that gave its guests 60-minute makeovers.

The reason for this selection is because Point Park President Katherine Henderson and other administrators have decided that the college needs a new look if it wants to remain competitive in bringing new students through its Academic hall entranceway.

Currently, a new marketing plan is being developed for the college, which is included in the college's five-year strategic plan. Although there are several objectives that Point Park wants to achieve with this campaign - like increasing the college's profile in the surrounding area - the eventual goal of this new marketing campaign is to give all academic departments equal exposure.

In addition, the school wants to promote the professional experience of all its faculty members from journalism and mass communication to natural sciences and engineering technology.

Henderson said that Point Park needs a more updated image because too many people associate it with only a single department, such as fine, applied and performing arts, or a specific activity or sport, such as the men's baseball team that went to the NAIA World Series last summer.

This multidimensional approach is an intelligent way to alter Point Park's image because, as the saying goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket, which will be exemplified if just one or two departments are highlighted.

Although it is important to have a good outer appearance, The Globe suggests it's what's inside that counts. While polishing up its image around the Pittsburgh community, Point Park should work even more diligently on improving itself internally.

The college may attract more people with an updated marketing campaign, but after a semester of decrepit elevators, walls with paint peeling from the sides and overpriced and under-cleaned dorm rooms, the chances of that student returning could look dismal.

The idea of marketing isn't simply to attract new customers or students to an establishment; it's also used to satisfy those who already attend.

One angle that The Globe feels is being overdone in promoting Point Park is its location. Mentioning all the companies that are blocks away from the school is all right, but saying its urban setting is a huge plus over other schools is stretching it a bit.

After the first day of class, a student who is stuck in rush-hour traffic or looking for an affordable place to park along Fifth Avenue (read: under $10 per day) may not take so kindly to Point Park's urban setting. Also, students who are waiting for a bus that constantly runs 15 minutes late may not see the positives of city life when a local panhandler is badgering them for a dollar.

A strategy that Point Park needs to implement more often is to promote successful alumni. Mentioning Dennis Miller, a former Point Park student, at every orientation gets annoying to hear. By showing a different face every time a potential student visits the college, that person will think that someday their names will be mentioned in the same breath as the ones they first heard.

Cartoon by Jamie Jones.

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