Earlier this month, more than 30 academic advisors and administrators from Macomb Community College toured Wayne State University, where they received program updates and exchanged ideas on facilitating student transfers and boosting student retention at both institutions.   

Macomb counselors also visited Greektown, Campus Martius and the city’s prominent sports complexes. The WSU campus tour began at the Law School and continued to the colleges of Education and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the School of Business Administration and the Towers Residential Suites.

The visit concluded at the Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center laboratories for alternative energy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, smart sensors, advanced propulsion and other translational research areas.

Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs at Wayne State, welcomed the Macomb staff, noting that the university’s commitment to working with the community college “has never been stronger.” Ezzeddine stressed Wayne State’s desire to “expand and push” the partnership it has forged with Macomb, citing as recent examples the Reverse Transfer Agreement signed in August and the development of the WSU Advanced Technology Education Center on Macomb’s south campus.

Donna Petras, Macomb’s dean of university relations, said the community college routinely invites representatives from Wayne State and other Michigan universities to its campus to update advisors on their enrollment criteria and programmatic enhancements. She added that the Macomb counselors enjoy a richer experience by visiting Wayne State’s campus.

“Visiting the campus, its facilities and the Midtown area is an opportunity for advisors to learn firsthand about the university’s educational and community resources,” said Petras. “In turn, they are able to share this information and their personal observations with their students.”

Gerald Knesek, director of counseling and academic advising at Macomb, said he was personally surprised by the resurgence of housing and lofts in the area — something that is sure to appeal to Macomb students who want to attend a local research university while still having the experience of going away from home.

According to WSU Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Corinne Webb, who joined Ezzeddine in welcoming the Macomb staff to campus, enrollment of students transferring to Wayne State is increasing. Of the transfer students admitted to Wayne State for the fall 2012 semester, 17 percent were from Macomb — up from 15 percent last year.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. Wayne State offers full degree programs at its extension centers in Warren, ClintonTownship and Farmington Hills.