HILLSBORO, Kan. - Tiffany Seiter has been hired to perform the roles of Academic Media Marketing Coordinator and Cheerleading Coach at Tabor College, to promote the school's academic programs through social media, and attract more female students to the campus through an enhanced competitive cheerleading program.

While a part-time cheerleading coaching position has been in the school budget for several years, Linda Cantwell, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, and Rusty Allen, Vice President for Athletics, identified Seiter as an ideal candidate to fill a new full-time position which combines the role of Cheerleader Coach and Academic Media Marketing Coordinator, to help increase the number of female students and the number of students who choose Tabor for academic reasons.

Cantwell said that Seiter's academic preparation, faith background, experience, and skill set were "a perfect match for Tabor."

Allen agreed, adding, "Excellence enhances ministry. Every time a program on campus is characterized by excellence, the overall image and ministry at Tabor College is enhanced. Coach Seiter brings not only experience as an outstanding cheer leader and as a cheer coach, but she has the kind of Christian commitment that helps set the Tabor College Athletic Department apart."

According to Cantwell, research suggests that prospective students, in general, and females and high-achieving students, in particular, shop for higher education using social media and Web 2.0 technology.

"In order to tell our Tabor story to these particular audiences in their preferred communication styles, we needed to increase our presence on the Web with success stories of current students, young alums, and faculty," Cantwell said. "Tiffany will begin telling the story of Tabor's academic excellence and relevance by highlighting current students, young alums, and faculty. Her focus will be to ‘get the word out' when our students are accepted into top graduate schools; pass the exams for teaching, nursing and the CPA; are selected for competitive programs, receive third-party endorsement from educational and professional organizations, and hone their service and leadership skills."

Seiter holds a bachelor's degree from Huntington (Ind.) University in digital film and a minor in broadcast journalism. She completed a semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, in 2006, and has work experience as a videographer, editor, photographer, and film maker.

"Tiffany will also help us spotlight young alums that are recognized by their employers or professional organizations for outstanding service and leadership," Cantwell added. "And, finally, Tiffany will tell the Tabor story by highlighting our faculty for their outstanding service, such as with awards received, and when their research and publications appear in peer-reviewed journals.

"Tiffany will primarily tell these stories through digital media."

While the 12-member Tabor cheerleading program is considered a club activity and not a sport at this time, Allen would like to see Seiter grow the current cheer squad to 20 participants by next fall and have many as 30 participants in the not-too-distant future. He also expects Seiter to bring the cheer program to the level of a competitive team sport at Tabor.

"Cheerleading is operated as a competitive sport all across the country and our vision is for the program to raise to the level of a competitive sport," Allen added. "This cheer position is not new and has been in the budget for a couple of years already.We believe Coach Seiter will be an excellent recruiter and we look forward to her building an excellent cheer program. It offers potential for enrollment growth if recruited properly.Further, it allows us a targeted way to increase the number of women on campus."

Seiter was an accomplished competitive cheerleader and gymnast at Ashland (Ohio) High School and at the Ashland YMCA. She also was captain of the cheer squad at Huntington University, which competed for the first time during Seiter's senior year.She also coached cheerleading and gymnastics at the Ashland YMCA and More Than Gymnastics in Huntington.

"At Huntington I mixed our music, made up the routine and pushed the squad to the point where we could compete at the Indy Cheer 500 competition," Seiter said. "We placed first in the competition and felt really great about our accomplishment."

Cantwell says Seiter "has her work cut out for her" in accomplishing her important dual roles, adding that she has already met with the Provost and others on campus to create strategic and measurable outcomes for her first year. Seiter says she is up to the challenge.

"I am so excited to build a strong and successful cheer squad that will turn people's heads, and I am excited to use my gifts and talents to show people how great Tabor is and in return help increase enrollment," Seiter said. "Most of all, I love that Christ is the center of the college, and I am ready to grow and be challenged spiritually and to meet new people who will become friends and accountability partners.

"I am really excited for what is to come for me at Tabor College!" she added.