Credit Goldey-Beacom College

Summary

Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) in Wilmington, Delaware discusses the strengths of their campus and faculty extensively, highlighting how their resources can better prepare any student who attends. GBC’s ideal student is one that does not live in Delaware, a student that is going to college only to enter the workforce, and one who has financial difficulties. GBC uses the APATSARC strategy of Audience in order to sort out their niche and uses the larger strategy of Kairos to showcase their policy on inclusivity as well as to welcome the students into a comforting environment.

Analysis

            The strategy Goldey-Beacom College uses to persuade students is by reaching out to specific audiences. Goldey-Beacom simultaneously attempts to constrict their specific audience, as well as try to welcome all to their college through various themes. Throughout their website, the same themes are mentioned as important values of Goldey-Beacom: affordability, job placement, and inclusivity. In addition to targeting a specific audience, GBC also uses Kairos in their writing to touch on current events or topics, as well as to strategically introduce ideas.

In terms of affordability, GBC makes it abundantly clear that they have financial aid programs available. Through this, Goldey-Beacom attempts to speak to their audience of those who have financial difficulties. On the page “At a Glance,” GBC says “We can work with you to make a Goldey-Beacom College education affordable” (GBC). They use this section to let students know that Goldey-Beacom can be a realistic choice for them, regardless of price. The website has a page titled as “Mission” which lays out in a list of goals – with a few paragraphs scattered – that explain the most important values of the college. The third item on their list talks about their financial aid, saying their goal is “to help make the College accessible to all academically qualified students through financial aid, flexible scheduling, and the use of technology” (GBC). The way GBC talks about their financial aid at specific times reflects the heavy use of Kairos. Not only is their affordability listed on their goals at all, but it is the third item. By mentioning their programs so highly, and in this specific place, they are announcing to students how important their financial programs are. As a result, they draw in those who struggle with paying for college.

The next important theme is job and career placement. Goldey-Beacom refers to jobs several times, making it clear how important of a value it is to them. On the page “At a Glance,” GBC mentions that over 90% of alumni have job placement (GBC). Within the “President’s Message,” the president says, “We want to achieve greater as a college and we want you to achieve greater in the classroom and ultimately in your chosen career” (GBC). Finally, on the list of goals under the second slot, GBC says that they are dedicated to preparing students for their careers through their curriculum (GBC). There are a few things that can be taken from these pages. First, GBC addresses the reader as if their sole reason for going to college and entering a major is to get a job in that field. Through this, the college is addressing its job-seeking audience, and trying to convince them that their school can help get them a job. Secondly, there is no coincidence that the percentage of job placement is under the page titled “At a Glance.” By doing as such, GBC is using the appropriate timing of Kairos by saying if someone only glanced at all the information about their school, they would see that job placement is prevalent. The president enlists Kairos as well by saying both the school and the students can achieve greatness together, especially with the student’s chosen career. Finally, similar to affordability, GBC lists the curriculum for preparing a student for their career as the second item on their goal list, further ranking its importance to the college. As such, GBC labels It as a core value and uses that to attract people who want a career in their major.

            The last prevalent theme for Goldey-Beacom is diversity and inclusivity. They bring this up as a way of comforting potential students and making them feel more welcome in their school. GBC explains on their website that they have “1800 students enrolled from 22 states and over 60 nations” (GBC). Included with this statistic is a graphic with all the nations who’s students have attended or are attending GBC. The graphic is a tad misleading, however, as an entire country is highlighted when maybe one student from there attended GBC. In terms of Kairos, by including the statistics and then the map, GBC is making their college feel more inclusive, which is appealing to a wider audience. In addition to widening the audience, GBC uses diversity and inclusivity in a way to appeal to the existing audiences by reassuring them they will feel cared for. In the “President’s Message,” the president says, “I am confident that you will discover an extraordinarily welcoming community here at Goldey-Beacom, a place that celebrates diversity in all of its forms, a place that feels like home from the moment you arrive” (GBC). This sentence is not directed at any one audience, it is directed at all who are interested in the college. As another example of Kairos, GBC times when they mention diversity here until the end of the message. They do this to end their persuasion on a positive note that regardless of what someone wants out of college, will make you feel as though GBC is a safe and comforting place for anyone to thrive. In this way, GBC is effectively expanding the range of their audience using the timing of Kairos.

This Infographic represents the various nations that students are from at GBC (Credit Goldey-Beacom College)

Response

            After navigating the pages of Goldey-Beacom College’s website, I can say that I would not be interested in their school. I see college as a place for not only learning but a  place of personal growth. One of my strongest values is helping people, so I want to go to college so I can learn better ways to help the environment and the world. Although I do plan to have a job one day, my main goal with going to college is not to immediately get a career. Goldey-Beacom college may have helpful financial aid, as well as a very inviting and friendly campus, but they heavily emphasize that their curriculum is targeted to help make me a productive citizen by getting a career. Goldey-Beacom College, while having a fun to say name, and being a college that no one I have talked to has heard of, does not match what I want out of college.

Works Cited

Goldey-Beacom College | Wilmington DE |  www.gbc.edu.