TAMIU Campaign Models Boost Enrollment, Visibility

Their bright and confident smiles graced all Texas A&M International University TV, radio and print advertising this past year as role models for TAMIU’s 2008-2009 public relations and marketing campaign.

And all say widespread media appearances have provided valuable exposure for the University, them and their respective employers.

The TAMIU campaign included University alumni Margarita Araiza, executive director of The Webb County Heritage Foundation; Alaster Love, global sales executive for U.S. Southern Border and Mexico for Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.; Sofía Salinas, operating room nurse for Doctor’s Hospital of Laredo and Reymundo Martínez, deputy constable for Webb County Precinct 1.

Mika Akikuni, TAMIU associate director of marketing, said the campaign has been among the University’s most popular and has helped to encourage enrollment by students of all ages.

“This campaign is a variation of our ‘What Do You Want Out of Life’ theme—basically showing lives made possible for our graduates through higher education with TAMIU undergraduate or graduate degrees. This campaign, coupled with focused and aggressive student recruiting, has resulted in historic enrollment at the University, including 5,858 for Fall ‘08, a 13.1 percent increase over Fall 07,” she said.

Araiza said she was at first shy about being a campaign role model, but that her opinion changed when she saw the public’s response to the University’s messages and, by extension, the Foundation she helps direct.

“I’ve had quite a lot of response from the public,” said Araiza, “A lot of people tell me that they see me on TV and on the bus and I am very pleased that the Heritage Foundation has also been able to be publicized in that way.”

She said attending TAMIU prepared her for a career as a historic preservation foundation non-profit administrator.

“The professors were very, very good and prepared me in a very specific way for what I do now,” Araiza said, “Although I did my MBA in international trade, the studies very easily carried over to working in the non-profit field, which is basically management.”

She said she was glad to have participated in her alma mater’s marketing campaign.

“It has really brought awareness about historic preservation that we didn’t quite have before,” Araiza said, “That degree of outreach was made possible through the campaign.”

Love, who also earned his MBA in international trade, said he feels proud and honored to have represented TAMIU.

“I think that by virtue of attending the University, I have access to greater opportunities and maybe via that, better prepared to take care of my family and contribute to global commerce,” he explained.

Martínez, who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, said he enjoyed participating in the campaign and promoting the University’s role and that of the law enforcement agency he works for.

“It was an awesome experience,” he said, “A lot of people from different law enforcement agencies and departments know me and the campaign has exposed our agency to the community. They keep on asking me, ‘Aren’t you the guy that comes up in the commercials?’”

After graduation, Martínez said he worked as a teacher for some time.

“When I graduated with a criminal justice degree, I went into teaching at first, but I am fortunate to have found a position in which I can actually use my criminal justice degree,” he said.

Spring Registration is ongoing at TAMIU. The first day of classes is Monday, Jan. 12 and late registration continues through Jan. 16.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 326-2180, e-mail prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.

University offices will be closed in observance of the holidays starting Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 12 p.m. Offices will resume regular hours beginning at 8 a.m., Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu