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By Darin Stone
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 15, 1996
The Arizona International Campus of the UA has ended a massive statewide recruiting mission in hopes to attract prospective students.The recruiting effort, headed by Mike Celaya, AIC's director of enrollment and student services, and Lori Tochihara, recruitment director, targeted Arizona high school seniors. The trip, which began Sept. 16 and ended Nov. 8, covered over 150 Arizona high schools.
Celaya said the response from prospective students was positive.
"We collected over 800 information cards from students, so it was a good response," Celaya said.
He said most high school seniors were attracted to AIC because of its smaller size and emphasis on liberal arts education.
"We were asking students who are looking to go out of state to a small college to look at us," Celaya said. "(Students) were looking for a smaller option and a broad-based liberal arts education."
Celaya also said the class sizes, which top out at 22 to 25 for introductory courses, appealed to students along with AIC's affiliation to the UA. Possible applicants cited the UA's traditional "the cream of the crop" of students and its prestigious academic reputation compared to the three state universities as sparking further interests in AIC, he said.
Local high school counselors, who recommend college and university options for their students, hold mixed feelings about AIC.
Kathleen Mapes, a Pueblo High School counselor, said AIC's biggest strengths are also its main liabilities.
"It's very new and has an untested track record," Mapes said. "It also hasn't developed into a rigid bureaucracy."
Overall, she said AIC is a "good option" which gives its students "more personal attention."
Dave Sire, counselor at Canyon Del Oro High School in Oro Valley, said AIC is a good option, but is concerned about its distant location.
"This is a new and alternative choice for students to attend a new type of university," Sire said. "But it appears to be a commuter campus located in a non-commuter place."
AIC is located southeast of Tucson, 9000 S. Rita Road, just north of Interstate 10.
Celaya said AIC plans to continue its recruiting efforts throughout the calendar year and into the spring.
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