Chip Timmons -A few years ago with the help of the Football staff, we created a recruiting pipeline from Arizona.  The coach that helped get things started left Wabash a few years ago, but Assistant Football Coach Steve House and I have done our part to keep the pipeline in tact. 

This year, I traveled solo to Arizona and put together a schedule that ultimately took me to 26 high schools over five sunshine-filled days.  With so much ground to cover, I didn’t really have the opportunity to enjoy the weather, but it’s nice to step out of the car at each high school into 70 degrees in December. 

My trip could turn out to be the most productive out-of-state recruiting trip
I’ve made during my ten years with the Admissions Office, but only time will tell.  During those 26 visits, I met with 63 students, three Wabash alumni, and the parents of one current student.  That’s a great start.  View photos from my trip to Arizona.

I believe the recruiting landscape in Arizona provides Wabash with a strategic advantage.  We know there aren’t many schools like Wabash in the country, but for students in Arizona, the nearest liberal arts colleges are in either California or Colorado.  For students looking for a small college, they have to travel by plane to visits those schools, so why not catch a plane to Indiana?  Our biggest advantage is the fact that our current students from Arizona are having great experiences at Wabash and the fact they were all leaders in their respective high schools serves as living proof that Wabash has something special to offer the students from this area.

Now, it’s time to pack the bags, bundle up, and head for home.