There is a significant lack of current research concerning marketing as a function of minority recruitment. As the applicant pool for colleges and universities becomes more diverse, institutions of higher education need to evaluate the messages that are being disseminated to ethnic minority students. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the marketing messages that predominantly White institutions use to recruit minority students.
The primary question guiding the research was, “How do predominantly White institutions position themselves to prospective ethnic minority students in recruitment literature?” Recruitment literature from institutions in the Big Ten network were chosen as the sample for this study and analysis of the received materials showed that predominantly White institutions position themselves not as the most diverse institutions, but as institutions who 1) recognize diversity 2) attempt to make the minority student experience comfortable by facilitating connections, provided students are intentional about seeking resources and 3) are supportive of minority students’ personal growth in consideration of cultural backgrounds.