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Modern enrollment success relies on a mix of factors that are both in and out of our control. Institutional reputation, geographic proximity and cost to career are just a few of the powerful forces that shape a student’s post-secondary decision. Even with all of these factors, marketing still has a strong sphere of influence. We […]
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We were thrilled to join 6,000 of our closest friends in college admissions and enrollment at this year’s NACAC Conference in Columbus. The theme of United We Rise was woven throughout the event as college and high school representatives came together to connect and recharge while recommitting to the work of supporting students pursuing higher […]
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Roanoke-based ad agency AccessU continues to grow with four new critical hires that reinforce its position as a respected leader in education marketing for nearly 30 years. The agency has strengthened its leadership team, expanded its strategic communications division and made a pivotal hire to elevate its production capabilities. AccessU is proud to welcome Pete […]
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As the Class of 2025 walks across the graduation stage, they enter a workforce filled with complexity and uncertainty. In addition to the challenge of finding a job, they are learning how to thrive in a chosen career. A recent article from The Hechinger Report underscores a growing concern: many Gen Z graduates are entering the job […]
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As the pool of available college students continues to shrink in the face of a looming demographic cliff, stakes are getting higher to develop the right approach to attract students. The Hechinger Report details how colleges are now closing at a rate of one a week. Hechinger higher education editor Jon Marcus writes: “Mergers are […]
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The need for effective branding for colleges has never been more crucial as institutions grapple with increasing competition in the higher education space. Branding expert and AccessU faculty member Ricky Parker has researched how iconic brands of the ’90s and early 2000s created lasting impressions through experiences, community-building, and storytelling. Examining success stories from fast-food […]
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Your institution’s reputation can be your most valuable asset—or your biggest vulnerability. With campus protests, social media firestorms and global events influencing student opinion, reputation management is a key component of any crisis communication strategy. Dean Browell, a faculty member at AccessU and chief behavioral officer at Feedback, recently reflected on how campus protests disrupted […]
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Over the past year, AccessU has been repeatedly approached by varied organizations, from nonprofits to higher education institutions, all facing the same challenge: the need for a better strategy to engage donors and raise funds. Fundraising is a complex and ongoing process that requires strategic planning and benefits greatly from effective relationship-building. Here, we explore […]
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Higher education is changing in many ways. One thing that hasn’t changed is the value that colleges and universities bring to their local communities. College-based arts and culture centers have long been places of artistic exploration for students and cultural cornerstones like the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, are a benefit […]
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Workforce development, skills education, microcredentials, short-term credentialing, and non-degree credentials are just a few of the phrases used to describe programs and coursework that prepare adult students for jobs in the workforce. At AccessU, we use the term workforce development program to describe any institution or organization committed to skilling, upskilling or reskilling workers for […]
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The rollout of the updated FAFSA form has been fraught with challenges and is posing a risk to colleges across the nation. One of the biggest unknowns for colleges, as they move between academic years, is how many students they will have for the following year. How many students will they retain, and how many […]
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Community colleges nationwide feel the burden of lower enrollment in credit-bearing courses. The effect of lower enrollment is compounded when you factor in that funding for workforce-ready (or noncredit) courses is dramatically lower than funding for credit-bearing coursework. Community colleges and workforce development programs are critical components of the infrastructure for labor, and supporting their […]
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