# Student Starter Kits The University of Ozarks' Welcome Box is Helping to Increase Enrollment By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2018-03-16 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/welcome-box References: [thedieline](http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2018/2/27/explorers-welcome-how-a-custom-welcome-box-increased-enrollment-at-the-university-of-the-ozarks) & [ozarks.edu](https://ozarks.edu/) As a private, rural and relatively small college in Arkansas, The [University of Ozarks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-campus-collection) knew that it needed to appeal to prospective and new students with more than just the standard welcome letter—so a [custom welcome box](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woodmans-bunny-james-sampler-box) was assembled for students designed to surprise and delight. The student welcome kit aims to provide a feel for the school by immersing the box's recipient in the school's culture. Some of the branded objects that can be found in the [starter kit for students](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/craft-starter-kit) include everything from a canteen-shaped water bottle to buttons highlighting local attractions. Now that the welcome kit is being shared with students, it has been noted that "the results so far have shown a 29 percent year-over-year increase in student yield which shows that this appeal truly did resonate with the students." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.4/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Custom Welcome Kits:** Creating personalized welcome kits for new students can enhance their sense of connection and engagement with the institution. - **Branded Objects:** Including branded objects in welcome kits can help students develop a sense of pride and affiliation with the school. - **Student Engagement Initiatives:** Implementing creative student engagement initiatives like welcome kits can positively impact student recruitment and enrollment. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Higher Education:** Incorporating custom welcome kits can disrupt the traditional approach to student recruitment and improve enrollment in educational institutions. - **Promotional Products:** The demand for branded objects and customized merchandise within welcome kits creates opportunities for the promotional products industry to cater to the needs of educational institutions. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Developing and implementing creative student engagement initiatives like welcome kits can be a disruptive innovation opportunity for marketing and advertising agencies targeting the higher education sector. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Student Skincare Packs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/student-skincare.md) - [Savory College Student Packs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraft-mac-cheese-college-care-pack.md) - [Welcome Gift Design Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/earths-hatch-kit.md) - [Gamified Back-to-Campus Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uo-haul.md) - [Experiential Student Activations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hey-u-up-campaign.md) - [Menu-Inspired Dorm Decor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urban-outfitters-x-chipotle.md) - [Student-Focused Taco Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sos-kit.md) - [Free College-Targeted Giveaways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rokuthemed-van.md) - [International Student Employment Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jump-start-program.md)