"From the moment a prospective student calls, e-mails or walks into the Enrollment Office, the staff in our office takes the time to answer all questions and provide all options regarding graduate study at CNR." Melanie Whelan Director of Enrollment Management Graduate School The College of New Rochelle

Melanie, tell us a little about yourself.

What is your position here at The College of New Rochelle?
How long have you been at CNR?

I started as the Acting Manager of Graduate Enrollment in July 2007. I took on the role of Director of Enrollment Management in October 2007.

What are your responsibilities
as the Director of Enrollment Management?

My most important role is to assist prospective students with the application and enrollment process through meetings, phone calls and e-mails. The application packets with all necessary materials for admission to the Graduate School are sent from the Enrollment office. I attend recruitment events to promote enrollment and arrange the CNR Graduate School Open House events on campus. I conduct tours of the campus. I work with College Relations and our advertising agency to arrange advertisements for the Graduate School in newspapers and other publications. In addition, the Enrollment Office continually communicates with prospective and current students through mailings of flyers and postcards, as well as e-mails regarding events and registration for classes.  

What are some of the special (or unusual) courses of study
that are offered by the Graduate School?

Many of the Master’s degree programs that we offer allow a student to take one or more electives. These courses give students an opportunity to gain knowledge in a related area of the field she/he has chosen to pursue. Some programs, such as the Master of Science degree in Communication Studies, offer “special topic” courses. The topics for these courses are decided upon based on current developments in a particular field.

What are some of the advantages for students
to come to CNR for graduate school?

The Graduate School offers flexible evening, weekend and summer course scheduling for graduate students with daytime obligations, such as a full- or part-time job.  We are located just 16 miles from mid-town Manhattan, which is convenient for student commuters from the city, and for our students living on-campus who enjoy traveling to the city for entertainment and dining. We have relatively small class sizes, in comparison to other larger institutions. At CNR, students are known to the faculty by name. Upon acceptance, each student is assigned a faculty advisor from the appropriate division who meets with her/him on an individual basis each semester to assist with registration of classes.  

What are the some of the important questions that students
have about the Graduate School when they come to apply to CNR?

Prospective students often ask how they can obtain an application and information on the intended program. The application and immunization form, as well as the course catalog, can be downloaded from www.cnr.edu/gs which is the Graduate School website. The same material can be mailed upon request by contacting the Enrollment Office at (914) 654-5334.  The other necessary materials for the application packet include two sealed letters of recommendation, official transcripts for all institutions attended, and a $35.00 application fee.  For the many students that ask about financial assistance, I refer them to our Scholarship Information Sheet which includes information about our various scholarship opportunities, including graduate assistantships, program scholarships, merit scholarships, research assistantships and community service grants. This information is also available at www.cnr.edu/gs.

In what ways do you—and the Graduate School Administration
-- help students adjust to graduate school and the College?

From the moment a prospective students calls, e-mails or walks into the Enrollment Office, the staff in our office takes the time to answer all questions and provide all options regarding graduate study at CNR. As I mentioned earlier, upon acceptance each graduate student is assigned an advisor who meets with students before each semester on an individual basis to assist them with choosing the necessary classes in the appropriate order for registration. The Enrollment, Division and Faculty offices are open Monday-Friday during designated hours to accommodate students’ needs.  

Do any graduate students live on campus?

Yes, there are some graduate students living on campus. There is limited on-campus housing available for graduate students. Meghan Toomey in Student Development at (914) 654-5488 is the contact person for housing. Student Development can also provide information on local, off-campus housing.

What is the best way for students to find out
what courses are offered in the Graduate School?

The Graduate School catalog contains a description of all courses that are currently being offered and is available at www.cnr.edu/gs.

What do you like best about your job?

I really enjoy interacting with prospective and current students. It’s very rewarding when we receive positive feedback from applicants regarding the time and attention they receive from staff and faculty of the Graduate School. We take a personal approach here and people appreciate that!