SUNY Brockport has seen a significant increase in both applications and accepted students in recent years, requiring changes to be made in recruitment programs, such as the transition from the overnight Scholar Sleepover to the Day Long Shadow program.
According to data from the university, first time applications rose from 10,853 in fall 2023, to 13,927 in fall 2024. The number of accepted students also increased significantly, from 7,738 to 9,210.
One of the biggest changes in Brockport’s recruitment efforts has been the shift from the Scholar Sleepover to the Day Long Shadow program. The previous overnight experience allowed prospective students to stay overnight in residence halls, attend classes and experience the overall campus life. However, with the large surge in enrollment, dorm space is no longer available to host visiting students.
To ensure prospective students can still get a meaningful experience, SUNY Brockport designed a one-day program that allows them to attend two classes related to their field of interest, tour campus facilities and interact with current students. Each visiting student is also matched with a host based on their academic and extracurricular interests, ensuring that they can get an inside look at what life at Brockport is like.
“First and foremost, the goal is that everyone has a fun, enjoyable experience on campus,” said Danielle Benedetto, who oversees Day Long Shadow program. “I always want everyone to have a fun, safe time on campus and look back and be glad that they did it.”
SUNY Brockport also facilitates access for downstate students through its Ellsworth Express Bus Trips, which brings students from New York City and Long Island to campus for a two-day visit.
“From New York City, it’s about a five to five and a half hour drive minimum. And then for Long Island, it can be anywhere from like six and a half hours to like eight and a half,” said Benedetto. “We do bus trips so that students don’t have to worry about a transportation method to come visit campus when they might not usually be able to.”
In the past, students who participated in the bus trip were able to explore campus, eat at the dining hall, hang out with the student hosts, play trivia games, stay overnight and then the next day attend an Accepted Students Day. This year, for their second day on campus they are also attending two classes, similar to a Day Long Shadow.
For Student Host Coordinator Lucas Vargas, his Ellsworth Bus Trip experience solidified his decision to commit to Brockport.
“The bus trip was kind of my make-or-break decision,” Vargas said. “Coming from the Bronx it was definitely a bit of a change. But meeting faculty members and seeing what my department had to offer definitely swayed my decision to come here, to Brockport.”
For Vargas and many others, the program offers a new way to view college life.
“This program kind of gives you a different perspective. Going on tour and seeing the campus is one thing, but actually living as a student and doing things that students do is another thing. With this program you kind of get to see the college workload, what students do on a regular basis and really get a feel of how you would fit in as a student,” Vargas said.
SUNY Brockport also considers parents’ needs by offering separate information sessions during the Day Long Shadow program. While students get to attend classes, parents meet with representatives from Residence Life, University Police, Financial Aid, the Academic Success Center, and more.
“A lot of times a student’s first want and need is to see and experience campus, whereas with parents, they want to know the logistics behind everything and make sure that they’re sending their student to college with everything they need to succeed,” Benedetto said. “They [parents] get to meet different people on campus and get to ask them all those questions. Parents get the relief they want and students get the experience they want.”
Accepted student Ava Russo, from Stillwater, N.Y., said that for her, this event boosted her confidence in her decision.
“I’ve visited a lot of schools, but this was by far the best experience,” Russo said. “It’s really making me feel like I made a good decision.”
Benedetto said the program’s success is evident in how quickly students commit to SUNY Brockport after attending.
“We already saw from our first one, that we had a few students deposit the following day, which was definitely a really good feeling to have,” Benedetto said. “I’m hoping that I can continue that trend throughout the next three.”
With applications and enrollment continuing to rise, SUNY Brockport’s admissions team aims to maintain a welcoming environment for all prospective students.
