Capture the Flag: Diversifying Your International Student Body

Don McMillan, President, McMillan, Howland & Spence, MA Tom Sheppard, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Lawrenceville, CT Brendon Welker, Dean for Enrollment and External Affairs, Avon Old Farms, CT Tommy Adams, Assistant Head of School for Enrollment, Mercersburg Academy, PA Suzanne Walker Buck, Rector, Chatham Hall School, VA Amidst dwindling domestic boarders and the flood of Asian applicants, schools need to strategize to expand the breadth of their mission-appropriate international enrollment. Panelists from a range of schools share techniques for adding more flags to the international collection in the dining hall from countries outside of Asia, including both emerging markets and traditional ports of call. Novel techniques include, but will not be limited to, recruiting certain niches of students such as Europeans, Bermudians, repeat 11s, and girl “non-athlete” PGs, as well as internationals who begin working with educational consultants on the college process and are gradually steered to boarding school. Panelists also discuss best practices for travel, orientation, and general integration of international students into the school community.