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🎯 Recruitment
The 4-Phase Recruitment System
From January awareness through fall move-in day — a step-by-step system for recruiting, selecting, and launching your first LLC cohort.
Jan
Awareness begins
Feb
Info session
Mar
Applications open
Apr
Acceptances sent
May
Summer engagement
Jun
Virtual meetup
Jul
Mentor assignments
Aug
Move-in & launch
01
January – February
Phase 01: Awareness
Plant the seed before students start planning their fall.
Get the LLC on students' radar before they finalize their housing and course plans for the fall semester.
Announce the LLC program to current first-year students
Send an email from the Dean of Students or Entrepreneurship Center director. Keep it short: what it is, who it's for, and when to apply.
Post in high-traffic campus channels
Student newspaper, campus social media accounts, entrepreneurship club listservs, and residence hall bulletin boards.
Host one informal info session
A 30-minute drop-in session — no slides required. Answer questions, share the vision, and collect interest forms.
Brief faculty advisors and RAs
Ask advisors to mention the LLC to students who express interest in entrepreneurship, business, or innovation.
Open the interest form
A simple Google Form or equivalent: name, major, year, and "why are you interested?" No commitment required.
✓ Milestone:Interest form live. 50+ students on the interest list.
02
March – April
Phase 02: Application & Selection
Select your cohort with intention — diversity of major, not of motivation.
Identify and confirm 30–35 students (slightly over-recruit to account for summer attrition) who are genuinely motivated and represent a range of academic backgrounds.
Open the formal application
Keep it brief: short essay (why entrepreneurship?), major, GPA (informational only — not a filter), and one faculty or staff reference.
Review applications for motivation, not credentials
The LLC is open to all majors and all GPAs. Look for genuine curiosity and willingness to collaborate — not the highest achievers.
Conduct brief interviews (optional but recommended)
A 10-minute conversation with each applicant. Ask: "What does entrepreneurship mean to you?" and "What do you hope to build or create?"
Send acceptance letters by mid-April
Include a welcome packet: LLC overview, housing assignment timeline, course registration instructions, and mentor program details.
Collect housing deposits and course pre-registration
Coordinate with the Registrar and Housing office to reserve LLC floor space and LLC course sections before general registration opens.
✓ Milestone:35 students accepted. Housing and course sections reserved.
03
May – July
Phase 03: Pre-Arrival Engagement
Build community before students set foot on campus.
Keep accepted students engaged over the summer so they arrive on Day 1 already feeling connected to the cohort and excited about the program.
Launch an LLC group chat or community platform
A GroupMe, Discord server, or similar. Introduce students to each other and post regular updates about the program.
Send a summer reading or podcast recommendation
One book or podcast series on entrepreneurship. This becomes a shared reference point for early conversations.
Introduce students to their faculty mentors
Send a brief bio of each faculty mentor and facilitate an introductory email exchange before the semester begins.
Host a virtual summer meetup
A 45-minute Zoom call in late June or early July. Introduce the LLC director, share the fall schedule, and let students meet each other.
Confirm community mentor assignments
Finalize the roster of community (industry) mentors and prepare their briefing materials for the fall kickoff.
Send a move-in day logistics email
Floor assignment, move-in time window, LLC welcome event details, and first-week schedule. Send two weeks before move-in.
✓ Milestone:All 30 confirmed students engaged in community platform. Mentors assigned.
04
August – Move-In
Phase 04: Launch & Move-In
The first 72 hours set the tone for the entire year.
Create an immediate sense of belonging and excitement on move-in day. The first week is the highest-leverage moment in the entire LLC calendar.
Host an LLC-specific move-in welcome
Have LLC staff, mentors, and returning students (Year 2+) present on the floor to greet new students as they arrive. Small gesture, massive impact.
Run a Day 1 community dinner or cookout
A casual, low-pressure social event the evening of move-in day. No agenda — just food and conversation. Faculty and community mentors attend.
Host the LLC Kickoff Event (Day 2 or 3)
A structured 2-hour event: program overview, cohort introductions, mentor introductions, and a collaborative activity (e.g., a 20-minute pitch challenge).
Distribute the LLC Student Handbook
One-page overview of expectations: mentorship meeting schedule, course requirements, incubator pathway, and community norms.
Facilitate first mentor meetings in Week 2
Schedule the first faculty mentor meeting for all students in the second week of classes. Set the cadence early.
Collect baseline assessment data
Administer the pre-semester survey in Week 1: sense of belonging, entrepreneurial confidence, and academic goals. This is your Year 1 baseline.
✓ Milestone:All 30 students moved in. Kickoff event complete. Baseline survey collected.
Recruitment at a Glance
Phase 01
Awareness
January – February
5 action items
Phase 02
Application & Selection
March – April
5 action items
Phase 03
Pre-Arrival Engagement
May – July
6 action items
Phase 04
Launch & Move-In
August – Move-In
6 action items