Creating connection through collaborative, integrated communications to boost the student engagement journey

This paper examines an integrated marketing and communications model at Florida State University (FSU), USA, to help connect new students through a collaborative approach to promote campus offerings. FSU’s Undergraduate Student Experience Strategy (USES) Committee is comprised of various campus partners across the university whose main goal is connecting students to the services and resources that they offer. The model includes connecting with students through multiple points of contact, including artificial intelligence-infused personalised e-mail journeys, social media video clips featuring diverse student groups as well as various weekly promotions spanning the campus experience and offering resources. Through this unified, cross-divisional approach, campus partners collaborate to invigorate student engagement by regularly communicating information to help students succeed. Results presented indicate increased engagement and event participation, supporting a holistic view on student development and learning. Fostering a sense of belonging and increasing awareness of university offerings supports improving student success and retention rates and potential for continued connectedness after graduation. This paper offers several suggestions on how to create a multichannel, unified student success campaign that can be implemented across campuses and institutions of all sizes and compositions. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.