Nigel Pierce is the Graduate School Recruiting Specialist and his role is to share the OGS mission and recruit prospective students.

The month of September was especially busy for Nigel, as it was full of recruitment at graduate and professional fairs in and outside of Texas. “As the recruiting specialist for the grad school, I have coordinated and trained recruiters as well as responded to various questions from prospective students regarding the university,” said Nigel.

Nigel knows that for many students, one of the greatest accomplishments is getting their Bachelor’s degree. “I would want prospective students to know that graduate school education is obtainable. I try to remind students that the same desire and determination that allowed them to get their Bachelor’s degree can help them at the graduate level.”

And that applies to international students, as well. In Nigel’s position, he sees a great number of international students who’ve never lived in the U.S. apply to the Graduate School. “The university name is well known and international students really desire a graduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin,” he said.

For Nigel, he finds that UT’s reputation as a top-notch research institution enables for positive recruiting experiences. “Students desire research experience working with leading scholars and business professionals, which helps in the graduate school’s recruiting efforts.”

Nigel and the Graduate School get help recruiting from representatives who have been involved for years. “Many of the recruiters have years of experience, particularly with the recruitment of minority students. Graduate Coordinators typically assist with our recruitment efforts.” said Nigel.

This recruiting season has taken the recruiting team to many places in the name of UT’s graduate studies. There are local fairs in Austin at Huston-Tillotson and St. Edwards, as well as Purdue University, New Mexico State University and the University of Illinois in Chicago.

One of the main objectives this year for recruitment is to improve access to the university for prospective students. “As we communicate with prospective students, they are encouraged to set up a grad school profile through My Grad School. This allows students to track their application and communicate with graduate coordinators in their area of interest.”

Additionally, the Graduate School offers prospective student-specific information through a Facebook and Twitter account.

His advice for every student that is considering graduate school is to consider your options and understand the benefits of a graduate degree. “For example, students who are considering an MBA should have 3-5 years of work experience in a business related field. This is just one example of where getting a Bachelor’s degree and going straight into a graduate program may not be as beneficial to the student,” Nigel pointed out.

Also, he recommends that students consider the importance of finding a faculty member who is conducting research or doing work in your field of interest. “Try to reach out to that faculty member and don’t be surprised if they respond,” he said.

For more information about the Graduate School’s Fall 2011 recruitment, check out the online schedule. And, as always, browse the wealth of information on the Graduate School Web site.