Enrollment referral program provides personal connections to prospective students

July 14, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 19)
Article by Sofia Ellis

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Mike Eichberger and his stepson, Tristan, are pictured at a Laker football game. Tristan will be a new student this fall after participating in the Be a Laker, Bring a Laker program.

Beginning this year, all students referred through the Be a Laker, Bring a Laker program will receive specialized, ongoing support from the Admissions and Recruitment team, starting with Simran Kour, program manager and admissions recruiter. 

This referral program provides students with a more personal connection during the college selection process, which can be overwhelming for some. Admissions recruiters provide individualized aid throughout the application process, ensuring that referred students receive all of the help and information they may need. 

“You’re not just getting a bunch of cold marketing emails. You’re getting connected to a dedicated support person in our recruitment office who can help walk you through the process and personalize the information that you get because you have a relationship with our office now,” said Amanda Rainey, associate director of Admissions and Divisional Marketing and Communications. 

Kour added, “The biggest thing is that Be a Laker, Bring a Laker students get more hand-holding through the college application process, especially since they are presented with a lot of information.” 

For many students, referrals resulted in more streamlined paths to GVSU. Mike Eichberger, director of prior learning, referred his stepson, Tristan, who will attend GV this fall. 

“I always knew Tristan would love GVSU,” said Eichberger. “The Be a Laker, Bring a Laker referral program just made it easier to get him into the pipeline.”

For questions about the program, contact Kour at [email protected] or 616-331-8939.

— Sofia Ellis is a senior writing major and a student writer for University Communications. 

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