The Spring Open House assessment documents the effectiveness, impact, and ongoing value of EMCC’s “Let’s Get Ready Together” event, designed to welcome students and their support systems prior to the start of the semester. Survey data was collected for Spring 2025 and Spring 2026, so this assessment will not only utilizes the feedback but also participation data and qualitative observations to examine whether the event:
(1) increases student and family engagement as demonstrated through attendance growth,
(2) fosters a sense of belonging and connection to the campus community,
(3) provides meaningful opportunities for students to interact with faculty, staff, and campus resources,
(4) supports institutional goals related to outreach, onboarding, and early student engagement, and
(5) continues to merit investment of time, staffing, and resources.
The Spring 2025–Spring 2026 comparison focuses primarily on changes in participation levels and observable indicators of student engagement, including interaction with campus services, volunteer involvement, and overall campus energy during the event. Observational data—such as student participation in activities, questions asked, and time spent engaging with departments—serves as a proxy for student experience in the absence of formal feedback instruments.
This assessment provides insight into the event’s role in strengthening early connections to EMCC and informs future planning, including opportunities to enhance data collection, improve programming, and expand outreach efforts for upcoming semesters.
The Spring Open House directly supports EMCC’s Strategic Enrollment Management goals by promoting early engagement, strengthening student belonging, and reducing uncertainty during the transition into the semester. As a key onboarding touchpoint, the event provides an important opportunity to connect students and their support systems with campus resources in a relational, high-impact way.
The significant increase in attendance between the two semesters reinforces the importance of continued assessment. Growth in participation suggests sustained interest and perceived value from students and families, warranting ongoing evaluation to better understand what is driving engagement and how the experience can be further strengthened.
Qualitative observations further highlight the need for this assessment. During both Spring events, students and families actively engaged with faculty, staff, and volunteers, asked detailed questions about programs and services, and demonstrated increased comfort navigating campus resources. These interactions point to the event’s role in fostering connection and reducing barriers to engagement, particularly for first-generation students who benefit from direct, face-to-face support.
Additionally, this assessment was necessary to determine whether keeping the bookstore open during the Spring Open House was an effective use of staffing and resources. In the previous year, bookstore traffic was minimal, raising questions about the value of remaining open during the event. By assessing participation and engagement trends, EMCC can make informed decisions about resource allocation and operational planning for future spring events.
Given the Open House’s expanding reach and role in early student engagement, ongoing assessment ensures the event remains intentional, sustainable, and aligned with institutional goals while supporting data-informed decisions about programming and campus operations.
The Spring Open House implementation was informed by lessons learned from previous fall and spring events and followed many of the same successful practices used in Fall 2025. Key components included:
Structured planning process
Planning meetings were held in advance of the event to coordinate logistics, communication strategies, space usage, and staffing needs across divisions/departments. While the spring event is intentionally smaller in scale, early coordination helped with clarity of roles, streamlined setup, and smooth day-of operations.
Volunteer engagement and cross-campus collaboration
The event relied on strong campus-wide participation, with volunteers representing advising, counseling, academic divisions and faculty, tutoring, Workforce & Experiential Learning, Honors, clubs, and student services (and many more!). This broad representation helped students and families to have access to multiple support areas and helped reinforce a sense of campus community and shared ownership of the event.
Check-in and attendance tracking
Sign-in tables were used to capture attendance data, allowing for comparison between Spring 2025 and Spring 2026 participation levels. While surveys were not administered for the spring events, attendance tracking provided a key quantitative measure of engagement and growth.
Intentional space and flow management
Event layout and room assignments were intentionally designed to encourage movement, visibility, and interaction between students and campus representatives. Lessons learned from previous large-scale events informed how space was utilized to manage traffic flow and avoid congestion.
Welcoming environment and engagement strategies
Food and welcome stations were incorporated to encourage attendees to remain on campus longer, engage in conversations, and feel comfortable asking questions. These elements contributed to a welcoming atmosphere and supported relationship-building.
Marketing and outreach efforts
Targeted outreach included email communications, social media promotion, and coordination with enrollment and advising teams to ensure prospective and continuing students were aware of the event. While similar strategies were used in Fall 2025, spring communications were streamlined based on prior campaign insights.
Bookstore participation
The bookstore remained open during the event to assess student usage and determine whether continued participation during spring Open Houses was warranted. This allowed the college to observe foot traffic and engagement as part of operational decision-making.
Overall, implementation of the Spring Open House focused on replicating proven strategies while refining logistics based on prior assessment findings. This approach ensured consistency, supported continuous improvement, and allowed EMCC to compare outcomes across semesters to inform future planning.
Participation Trends
Spring 2025 recorded 134 student check-ins, while Spring 2026 increased to 156 student check-ins, not including family members and support systems who also attended (most students brought at least one additional person with them). This represents a clear year-over-year increase in participation. The growth in attendance suggests expanding awareness of the event and continued interest from students and their families. This upward trend reinforces the Open House as a valued onboarding experience and an effective early engagement strategy.
Spring 2025 Student Feedback Themes
While formal survey data was not collected for Spring 2026, Spring 2025 feedback provides meaningful insight into student perceptions. Several key themes emerged:
Value of Direct Interaction
Students consistently identified face-to-face engagement with faculty, staff, and clubs as the most helpful aspect of the event. Representative comments regarding what they liked about the open house included:
• “Being able to meet my teachers before the semester started”
• “The tables in the conference room being able to chat with them all”
• “All the clubs present”
This reinforces the importance of personal connection in helping students feel supported and informed.
Desire for Increased Faculty Presence
Multiple students expressed interest in having more professors present, highlighting the value students place on early academic connection and access to faculty.
Welcoming Environment and Preparedness
Feedback such as:
• “Was a great event for a new student to attend”
• “Everything was great”
• “None, it was perfect”
indicates that students felt welcomed, prepared, and confident entering the semester.
Areas for Improvement
Students offered constructive suggestions, including:
• Improved wayfinding
• Expanded advertising beyond social media
• Increased one-on-one engagement
• A quiet or decompression space for students experiencing anxiety
These comments reflect strong engagement and a desire to further enhance the experience.
Spring 2026 Feedback Survey (Stay Tuned.....this is coming in)
Spring 2026 Observational Findings
Although survey data was not collected in Spring 2026, qualitative observations aligned closely with Spring 2025 feedback:
• High levels of interaction at information tables
• Extended conversations between attendees and campus representatives
• Families actively asking questions about programs and support services
• A welcoming, energetic atmosphere throughout the event
Bookstore Engagement
A key operational outcome from Spring 2026 was increased bookstore usage. The bookstore manager reported higher student traffic during the Open House compared to Spring 2025, confirming that remaining open during the event was a valuable decision. Last year, low turnout raised questions about whether staying open was worthwhile; however, this year’s increase in engagement demonstrated clear benefit.
Additionally, bookstore staff observed reduced congestion during the first week of classes, as many students had already purchased materials during the Open House. This indicates the event not only supports student preparedness but also improves operational efficiency and student experience during the start of the semester.
Overall Comparison
Taken together, Spring 2025 feedback, Spring 2026 attendance growth, and bookstore engagement data demonstrate:
• Increased participation year over year
• Continued demand for in-person connection
• Strong perceived value of faculty and staff engagement
• Positive operational impact beyond the event itself
• Consistency in positive student experience across semesters
Despite the absence of Spring 2026 survey data, the combination of quantitative attendance growth and qualitative observations supports the conclusion that the Open House remains effective in fostering connection, preparedness, and a sense of belonging for students and their families.
Additional contributors to this include ALL volunteers across campus as well as the Open House Planning Group:
Laura Porritt
Angela Ho
Gerniah Liburd
Miyah Gaston
Nahum Cabrera Olivas
Tracy Tanner
Alissa Manzoeillo