Simpson’s efforts to expand recruitment out of Iowa are applauded. It will help boost our appearance outside of the state and gain more recognition for the college. But, we also see some potential problems with having more out-of-state students come to Simpson.

Some of the students might not have cars they bring to school with them because they live many hours away. How can they get to the airport? Would Simpson provide transportation to and from the airport for out-of-state students, especially during the breaks?

If Simpson wants more out-of-state students to come, the college should really push the fact Simpson is close to the airport. We think more out-of-state students would consider Simpson because it is close to the airport, and they can easily fly here.

We also think our location close to Des Moines is a great asset. Some out-of-state students may be more comfortable being in a city as opposed to rural areas, so the close proximity to Des Moines should be stressed.

We think Simpson would have to do more activities to make Iowa resident students want to stay at Simpson and not go home on the weekends. Some out-of-state students are in shock their first weekend because they see the campus pack up and leave. Simpson already is doing a great job with Stormy Nights, but if Simpson really wants to increase out-of-state students coming to the college, more would need to be done.

Out-of-state students, no matter where they’re from, offer a different perspective on life and in the classroom. Call us crazy, but having students from out-of-state helps Iowa students learn about a different kind of diversity. You can learn a lot about a person from where they lived and grew up. By Simpson recruiting in other states, the college is opening up “the Simpson experience” for all of us.