Hastings College

Brand new site and increased enrollment? Hastings Does That.

270

Enrollment Prior to Launch

407

First Year After Launch

429

Second Year After Launch

59%↑

Increase Over Two Years

Hastings College is a private liberal arts college located in Hastings, Nebraska. Faced with declining enrollment, the college had to take a closer look at its overall brandespecially its recruitment messaging and website. 

Lacking visual appeal, the site didn’t communicate compelling, differentiating reasons to choose Hastings. Further, it was not organized around prospects’ needs and was not mobile friendly.  

With the next recruitment cycle just around the corner, Hastings needed an accelerated site overhaul. 

Stamats partnered with Hastings to conduct an ambitious site makeover that would be complete in time for the next recruitment cycle.  

We identified and implemented three key site components:  

  • Distinctive messaging centered around the theme, “Hastings Does That” 
  • User-centered architecture to customize the experience 
  • A vibrant interface 

We developed: 

  • A new information architecture 
  • A beautiful, responsive design to promote user engagement and relevancy 
  • Accessible templates  

All content was then migrated to the new design—on time and on budget. 

Enrollment at Hastings has reached record highs. 

Hastings is now well-equipped with an engaging website that serves as a powerful recruitment and brand-building tool.

  • The Challenge

    Hastings College is a private liberal arts college located in Hastings, Nebraska. Faced with declining enrollment, the college had to take a closer look at its overall brandespecially its recruitment messaging and website. 

    Lacking visual appeal, the site didn’t communicate compelling, differentiating reasons to choose Hastings. Further, it was not organized around prospects’ needs and was not mobile friendly.  

    With the next recruitment cycle just around the corner, Hastings needed an accelerated site overhaul. 

  • The Project

    Stamats partnered with Hastings to conduct an ambitious site makeover that would be complete in time for the next recruitment cycle.  

    We identified and implemented three key site components:  

    • Distinctive messaging centered around the theme, “Hastings Does That” 
    • User-centered architecture to customize the experience 
    • A vibrant interface 

    We developed: 

    • A new information architecture 
    • A beautiful, responsive design to promote user engagement and relevancy 
    • Accessible templates  

    All content was then migrated to the new design—on time and on budget. 

  • The Results

    Enrollment at Hastings has reached record highs. 

    Hastings is now well-equipped with an engaging website that serves as a powerful recruitment and brand-building tool.

  • Stamats provided an immeasurable amount of support from high-quality market research to building and maintaining our beautiful website. Their marketing efforts continue to bring a significant amount of attention to the Alternative Credit Project and provide an efficient online interface to help nontraditional students return to college.
    Brice Struthers
    Associate Program Specialist, American Council on Education
  • If you are looking to start a research project – and in particular, new academic program research – I strongly recommend and endorse the Stamats team. The final report was filled with comprehensive information to meet the needs of the biggest data junkie, yet was also presented in a way that could be easily converted into an executive summary more appropriate for sharing with your Board of Trustees.
    Evan Lipp
    Vice President for Enrollment Management, Assumption College
  • Stamats has empowered us to solve our identity crisis. Since the launch of our new brand, we’ve enjoyed an 11% increase in effective communication institution-wide as well as a 6% increase in enrollment. Stamats doesn’t just fulfill a work contract, they teach you how and why to implement ideas and how to stand on your own two feet.
    Megan Nicolaisen
    Marketing Director, Western Dakota Technical Institute
  • Stamats has done great work studying non-matriculated applicants for our university for a number of years.   Their research provides us strong insight into students’ perceptions of our university which in turn allows us to focus our yield efforts.  The fantastic team tailored the research to our brand needs and provided valuable conclusions that shaped our strategy.
     Chuck May
    Director of Admissions, University of Missouri Columbia
  • Throughout my career, I have turned to Stamats, Inc. time and time again to assist with a market analysis. At my former institution, the work resulted in an immediate 26 percent rise in applications and admissions. By the time I left, our increases year-over-year were close to 49 percent. I knew we needed that at my new institution. The team worked with us and the results have been game-changing for us.
    Cathy Cole
    VP Enrollment & Strategic Communications, University of Montana
  • Stamats was very responsive to our needs and feedback throughout the engagement.
    Mike Brinich
    Communications and Marketing Director, University of Michigan School of Nursing
  • The expertise Stamats brings to the table and the understanding they have of the marketplace is invaluable to us…Stamats has met or exceeded our expectations in every conceivable way.

    Executive Director, Public Relations
  • Stamats was invaluable to Clinton Community College as it developed a new logo and tagline. From start to finish, the Stamats team was attentive, responsive and professional. We were very pleased with the results. I recommend Stamats to anyone who needs this type of service.
    John E. Jablonski
    Former President, SUNY Clinton Community College
  • Stamats has been a capable and collaborative partner throughout our website redesign process. Their research not only helped shape the final form of the site, it helped us clarify our content strategy and extend our institutional brand more effectively. The new site is a far better reflection of RMC -- easier to navigate, more relevant, and more engaging to all the audiences we need to connect with every day.
    Robert Seas
    Web Content Manager, Rocky Mountain College
  • In their work with Ramapo, I found Stamats to be unlike other consultants in that they truly understand the world of marketing and branding, but more importantly for a college campus, understands how to frame and deliver the results to a variety of campus constituents.
    Chris Romano
    Associate VP of Enrollement Management, Ramapo College of New Jersey

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