In arguably one of the boldest attempts to deliberately recruit a specific demographic group, the University of Arkansas has approved a $300,000 marketing initiative to attract larger numbers of African-American and Hispanic students to the state’s flagship university.

University officials say they were impressed by a proposal put forth by Advantage Communications, a Little Rock, Ark.-based company, to develop a diversity strategy to attract minority students.

“I have said that increasing diversity at the University of Arkansas is my top priority, and now is the time to move forward with a specific initiative to complement the efforts currently under way by our admissions office,” says Chancellor John White. “It is imperative that the university be a more diverse, welcoming community that reflects the cultural and ethnic makeup of our state, nation and world.”

Michael Steele, the president and CEO of Advantage Communications, says he was inspired by White’s dedication to diversity. Even though the university had a well laid-out infrastructure, Steele says that from a marketing perspective, UA was not “a diversified brand.”

Since May, the slogan “University of Arkansas, Make a Move Now” has been featured on television and radio spots targeted to reach the Black community. The university increased the frequency of the advertisements during the NBA Finals, because research had showed that nearly a third of the Finals audience is Black.

Steele says the campaign involves a two-fold message; offering a personal invitation to potential students and addressing the barriers to getting into college itself, such as financial aid and ACT scores.

“The Razorback Workshops” are geared at likely college-bound students in ninth- through 12^th-grades, offering them an opportunity to learn about UA’s degree programs and admission requirements. The workshops also provide advice on improving college applications, says Steele.