In a recent Academic Leader article, we outlined the need for colleges and universities to increase their efforts in undergraduate student recruiting in order to remain fiscally secure in an environment where the student pool is shrinking. The top public and private universities and colleges will continue to prosper on account of reputation, quality, size, and large cash reserves that include billion-dollar endowments. It is the tiers below these universities that will have to scramble for students. In that article we suggested that these institutions define what distinguishes them (what is particularly excellent and unique about them) and direct their attention, through appropriate marketing strategies, to subsets of the applicant pool that they best serve. Our purpose here is to suggest some strategies for promoting your strengths and uniqueness so that your institution can successfully compete for undergraduate students.
Beyond Programs: Leadership Lessons from Ireland’s Inclusive Universities
During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Ashley Rodrigues
July 20, 2026
