College in the High School director to present research to CWU community

Kyle Carrigan has called Ellensburg and Central Washington University home for a long time.

The Director of Concurrent Enrollment and Continuing Education has earned two degrees at CWU, and he recently completed his Doctorate of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. His doctorate culminated in a capstone research project on the potential recruiting benefits of concurrent enrollment programs like College in the High School (CiHS).

“I’ve lived in Ellensburg for 15 years now, and received both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from CWU,” Carrigan said. “I have this deep love for Central, and having the chance to find ways to help the school grow is something I don’t take lightly.”

On Wednesday, September 11, Carrigan will present the results of his research to the CWU community in a talk titled “Concurrent Enrollment: A Potential Recruiting Solution for Institutions of Higher Education?” The research is based on surveys sent to CWU CiHS students from the class of 2023, and it seeks to answer about how high school students choose their university, which strategies might lead them to consider Central, and how their concurrent enrollment program may have influenced that decision.

Ultimately, Carrigan found that the key to bridging the gap between participation in CiHS and enrolling at CWU after high school graduation comes down to information sharing, brand awareness, programs offered, and location.

“What we’re doing as an institution is just getting our name and brand out there, to make sure students know who we are and what we can offer them,” he said. “College in the High School is a great time to do that, because those students are already taking classes from us.”

Carrigan will present his findings in detail next Wednesday in Samuelson 104 from 2-3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided, and the event will double as an opportunity to celebrate the completion of his doctorate.

Carrigan is excited about the future of CWU’s recruitment efforts, and looking for ways to get the message out to students that their futures can be found in Ellensburg.

“Everyone is trying to infuse the Central brand into what they do, which is great to see,” he said. “Bringing that to the next level within CiHS is going to be the way forward for us.”