Duck Alumni Recruitment Team seeks volunteers

 

For more than a decade, the Duck Alumni Recruiting Team (DART) program has been providing University of Oregon alumni the opportunity to give back to their alma mater, while adding a personal touch to the college admissions process. 

Through college fairs, reception events, and forming relationships with prospective students, DART volunteers play a key role in the UO’s efforts to recruit future Ducks. As UO alumni, DART members share their personal experiences with prospective students and their families, giving insight into what it means to be a Duck and highlighting what makes the UO special.  

Joelle Goodwin, BS ’86 (telecommunications and film) created the DART program in 2012. Now the UO’s senior associate director for recruitment administration, Goodwin said she loves getting alumni involved in the recruitment process.  

“I really enjoy meeting prospective students in their home cities, so I like giving our alumni that same opportunity,” Goodwin said. “This is a chance for our alumni to shape the future of the University of Oregon by bringing in the best and the brightest students.” 

Olivia Manwarren, BA ’14 (family and human services), is now taking the lead on the DART program. Her role as a Houston-based regional admissions counselor provides unique insights into the impact that DART participants can make, particularly for prospective students outside of Oregon. 

“I love the perspectives alumni recruiters provide and the personal anecdotes they can share with students,” Manwarren said. “It is especially powerful for our out-of-state prospective students, who can hear from alumni who grew up in the same area they did.” 

This spring, the university will be hosting receptions for admitted students around the country in places like Texas, Colorado, California, the Washington, D.C. area, and many others. Oregon alumni are encouraged to get involved to make these future Ducks feel welcome before they even step foot on campus for their first term. 

It was at a past spring reception that Bay Area-based DART member Jaime Jensen, BA ’99 (public relations), had one of her fondest memories as an alumni recruiter.  

“I had a student approach me following my audience address. She saw me speak at an event the year prior, and told me she chose the UO because of my story,” Jensen said. “There is no greater gift I could receive as a DART member. As a native Oregonian and first-generation college student, I want to give back by sharing my background and experiences with prospective UO students and their families.”  

To learn more about becoming a DART member and to complete an application, visit dart.uoregon.edu/join-dart. For questions about the program, contact Olivia Manwarren at omanwarr@uoregon.edu or 541-346-1341.  
 

- By April Miller, assistant director of marketing and communications