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Missouri Western president outlines enrollment decline, new branding and workforce strategy
Summary
President Dr. Kennedy presented slides showing multi‑year enrollment declines, a strategic shift toward workforce‑aligned programs and a refreshed 'Mo West' brand; she highlighted program gains in nursing, cyber security and social work, and urged focus on regional student recruitment and revenue diversification.
President Dr. Kennedy gave an extended presentation to the board, framing the university’s near‑term priorities around student enrollment and workforce alignment. She said the university had seen significant fall‑to‑fall enrollment declines in recent years (slides cited a five‑year fall‑to‑fall decline of roughly 31.2% or 1,687 students on an earlier slide) but noted recent signs of improvement and several programmatic gains.
Dr. Kennedy explained the university’s 10‑county service area and stressed that most students remain drawn from five core counties. She described steps taken to match programs with local employer needs — citing growth in the nursing program (consistent high pass rates on licensure exams), expansion of social work (from 65 to 80 enrolled students) and a cybersecurity bachelor’s program that grew from four students at its start in 2021 to more than 33. She emphasized that the college aims to balance affordability, applied learning and workforce readiness: "students are the reason that we exist," she said, adding that graduating students remain key to local economic development.
The president previewed new branding built from focus groups and market work with a Kansas City firm; the brand will lean into the colloquial name "Mo West." Some board members asked questions about generational differences in how the branding is received; Dr. Kennedy and other administrators said the rollout was informed by community feedback and that marketing and enrollment staff will continue to refine messaging. She also noted plans to expand workforce development revenue streams (the WNE Center and partnerships such as a proposed UMKC dental program) and described fundraising and operational steps taken to make new facilities financially sustainable.
Dr. Kennedy closed by thanking governors and staff and said the administration will continue to press for enrollment gains, align program offerings to employer demand, and pursue legislative and philanthropic support to stabilize core appropriations and grow auxiliary revenues. The presentation concluded with audience questions and brief follow‑up discussion on the brand and program articulations.
