Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) is a two-year public institution of higher education in Roanoke. In 2011, VWCC selected Access to help with their marketing efforts, better articulate their brand, and refine their messaging. Access conducted a full audit of Virginia Western’s existing marketing initiatives, researched quantitative data on regional market dynamics, and prepared a comparative analysis between two- and four-year competitive schools and VWCC in order to determine primary differentiators.
Results
10%+
increase in admissions
#1
enrollment increase in VCCS
In addition, focus groups with area high school students were conducted to learn what students consider to be important factors when making decisions about higher education. Using our business intelligence and insights, we created messaging and creative executions that ultimately proved to resonate and influence our student and parent target audiences in ways that got results. College spokesman Josh Meyer described a typical increase in a good year as one or two percent, but in one year the college’s enrollment grew 10.84% — marking the most dramatic enrollment increase in the school’s history, and outperforming the entire Virginia Community College System. Such dramatic growth involved a combination of factors including excellent facilities, strong faculty and leadership — and great teamwork. Since then, Access has continued to be counted as part of the VWCC team through good times and challenges as we navigate the tricky waters of higher education as it evolves.
testimonial
It [2014] marked our largest [admissions] increase ever, outside the 1960s when our school first started. Double-digit growth is pretty much unheard of.
— Josh Meyer, Coordinator for Marketing & Strategic Communications Virginia Western Community CollegeReady to work with us?
We’re ready to talk.
Access is a full-service marketing communications agency that delivers data with creative direction to get your message heard. For nearly 25 years we have provided branding, advertising, web design, and public relations services to clients of all sizes who come to us with one goal in common: get results.