She lies awake at night. Questions, worries and doubt fill her mind. How will I be able to sell this product? Her past experiences flash before her eyes: a public, co-ed school followed by a huge, Big 12 university. Can I sell a small, private, Catholic, all-girls experience?

Katie Mulder arrived at Sion as the new Assistant Director of High School Admissions this year. Previously an admissions rep for Kansas State University, Director of Admissions Valeri Reynolds said Mulder is more than qualified for the job because of her experience with the recruitment process.

“She is more than qualified for the job,” Reynolds said. “K-State is known for their admissions process so she was ready to jump in right when she got here. She’s taken the bull by the horns and just ran with it.”

The admissions process at Sion is receiving a major facelift with everything from restructuring shadow visits to requiring interviews for high school applications. Shadows are now welcomed at the door, attend a talk about schedules and the admissions process, sit in on four classes and a student panel, watch a Sion hype video and receive iPads for their designated shadow day. Shadows will also earn a Sion t-shirt to take home with them. Mulder hopes to create a buzz surrounding Sion that will promote its positive and prestigious aura.

“When you think about promotional materials, it’s more impactful to give them something that’s visible,” Mulder said. “When they’re out in the community, you get that brand presence built up.”

So far this year, the statistics back up Mulder’s changes and she hopes the numbers only continue to improve. For the month of September, Sion hosted seven shadows in 2013 and 16 in 2014. This year, in September alone, 56 shadows attended a Sion visit day. Mulder is trying to build the future of this school and thinks that once you get to know the students, the Sion experience sells itself.

“Mrs. Mulder is awesome,” junior Vice President of Student Ambassadors Ali Odermann said. “She’s promoting things that she missed in her high school experience and I love how involved she is.”