Nexford University, a globally recognized online higher education institution, sought to refine its initial go-to-market strategy for the highly competitive US market. With a unique value proposition centered on career-aligned education and a flexible "pay-as-you-go" tuition model, Nexford aimed to identify its ideal student profiles, pinpoint effective low-cost acquisition channels, and develop compelling positioning messages to boost enrollment.

Our comprehensive research delivered critical market insights, identifying two distinct Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) and providing data-driven recommendations for program prioritization, messaging, and non-paid acquisition strategies crucial for Nexford's successful US market launch.

Our client, a leading higher education organization, struggled with underutilized resources and disengaged members. We deployed multi-wave research to uncover core member needs, engagement drivers, and communication preferences. These data-driven insights allowed us to strategically revamp their outreach, tailoring communications and optimizing content delivery to different member segments. The result? A 17% increase in total membership and a 10% boost in renewal rates, solidifying their member value proposition and fostering stronger connections.

We partnered with an organization to rigorously evaluate the impact of their work-based learning experience on student agents' financial, career, and personal outcomes. This research conducted a detailed financial benefit comparison between graduates and matched control groups, including national and local peers, as well as those with comparable professional work experience during college. The findings reveal significant advantages for graduates, including lower student debt, higher rates of pre-graduation job offers and current employment, and higher average starting salaries. Furthermore, participation was linked to stronger self-perceived career readiness competencies and more positive early career perceptions.

Our client, a career exploration non-profit, wanted to evaluate the impact of a career-focused microsite and accompanying film documentary on perceptions and actions related to second chance hiring. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, including pre- and post-surveys with HR professionals and formerly incarcerated individuals (FIIs), alongside qualitative interviews, the research demonstrated significant positive shifts in attitudes, increased engagement in second chance hiring conversations among HR professionals, and spurred concrete actions towards career advancement for FIIs.

This study provided valuable insights for our client to refine their resources and further their mission of facilitating successful reentry and employment opportunities.

It also led to additional funding from Ascendium and national recognition at ASU+GSV 2023.