Some college students devote their summers to a relaxing break far from school. No such luxury is possible for the young professionals in the admissions counseling office at Ouachita. Director Lori Motl and her staff are just as busy in the summer getting ready for school as they are during the school year.
Without students walking around campus, it is much harder to sell a university whose heart and soul is her students.
“We still do a fair amount of tours in the summer and it is so hard to convey what a special place Ouachita is without the students,” says Motl. “The energy and life of OBU is not here. We prefer to have the liveliness of students and student life.”
The summer is a season of change in the Admissions office. They are still very busy working to finish up the fall recruiting class, but at the same time, they are stepping up their contacts with the rising seniors.
“We spend most of our time still contacting the incoming class, contacting the rising seniors, planning new student retreat and planning out our next year,” said Motl. “The summer is full of planning and contacts.”
There are nine staff members in the admissions counseling office including Motl, Lisa Berry who organizes, greets families and “keeps them sane,” as well as seven admissions counselors. Six are in the office full-time and Ashley Drake works full-time from Dallas. She is in the office about one week a month.
“We genuinely have fun together and like being around each other,” said Motl. “I think that’s what makes it easier for us to work so hard and so many off hours, especially during the year. I think that comes across to the students we come in contact with, too. We love our office; we love Ouachita!”
For more information on Ouachita or Ouachita Admissions contact Lori Motl at 870.245.4264 or motll@obu.edu.
