SURGING WITH SUCCESS GUTSY, LITTLE-KNOWN SCHOOL FOCUSES APPEALS TO STUDENTS.

Byline: Jennifer Hamm Staff Writer

BURBANK - A new marketing campaign is being credited for a major growth spurt at Woodbury University, where enrollment has jumped 20 percent in the last two years, university officials said.

The small Burbank-area university always considered its programs high- quality, such as the flagship architecture curriculum, but has only recently gotten hip to packaging to its target audience, said Kenneth Nielsen, university president.

``You have to do something like this J. Crew approach,'' said Nielsen of the stylish new catalog Woodbury sends to prospective students.

That approach has contributed to the biggest student population since the university relocated from downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley area more than a decade ago. Woodbury has had an 11 percent enrollment surge this year alone and more growth is expected over the next two years, Nielsen said.

The catalog looks more like a J. Crew or Banana Republic advertisement than a college brochure, which was just the tactic university officials had in mind when they began sending it out to prospective students. The pamphlet shows jovial students frolicking by the pool and lounging at local eateries, with the appealing backdrop of lush lawns and stately palm trees.

Efforts have also been made to work more closely with potential and new students, showing them that Woodbury has a caring academic environment where they'll get plenty of one-on-one attention, Nielsen said.

``I tell students during the welcome days, `You are going to be the celebrities here,''' said Randy Brockman, student body president. ``Not many colleges are like that.''

Like many students, Brockman relocated from Sacramento for the school's architecture program.

``It's the draw,'' said Brockman, a 19-year-old sophomore. ``That's the No. 1 thing here. That's the nucleus.''

Woodbury opened a San Diego campus two years ago that school officials say has also somewhat contributed to the enrollment rise. But the growth is across the board, said Don St. Clair, vice president of enrollment management.

College enrollment is on the rise throughout the state because children of baby boomers are entering college, but Woodbury's surge is higher than at most other colleges, Nielsen said.

More students have also meant some growing pains for the school, which is building more facilities and remodeling old ones to accommodate the extra bodies.

Though Woodbury is technically within the Los Angeles city limits, Burbank City Manager Robert ``Bud'' Ovrom said city officials are proud to have the university consider itself a part of Burbank.

``We're happy their enrollment is going up,'' Ovrom said. ``We think they're a major contribution to the area.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, map

Photo:

(1) Nestor Larios, left, a fifth-year architecture student, and Sergio Arenas, in his fourth year, work in their Woodbury University studio.

(2) First-year students Danelle Jumanan, left, and Bianca Delgado enjoy a lunch break on campus at Woodbury University.

Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News

Map: Woodbury University