The Student Journey project applied behavioral metrics from social media and e-newsletter engagement, as well as lessons learned from student focus groups to developing a map of the student development process and engagement touch points that students transition through across their four years of undergraduate study.

Our team collaboratively gathered metrics through a thematic analysis of our Instagram and Twitter channels, @OHIOStudentLife, and a content analysis of our weekly student e-newsletter, Keeping Bobcats Informed. This data revealed themes that were a priority to the student audience, visuals that had the most impact, and the most effective tone and writing style to promote engagement.

In addition to considering the results of our engagement metrics, we used insights from student focus groups as well as insights from student life staff who work directly with the audience to identify priority messaging aligned with the concerns and needs of the students throughout their four years at Ohio University. This informed the creation of a content calendar for the e-newsletter, which directly impacted social content. Additionally, our analysis revealed the unique needs of subpopulations within our audience, which guided the segmentation of the student newsletter into four weekly versions — on-campus residents, Athens Campus residents, Regional Campus students, and parents and families.

Among the lessons learned, we recognized the importance of developing unique content that addresses the student hierarchy of needs — evolving from basic needs to self-discovery to personal growth and finally community engagement. This evolution throughout the student journey guided the development of content for Keeping Bobcats Informed, the student life social media channels, and a comprehensive development report demonstrating the impact that Student Affairs has on the student experience, retention and graduation, and ongoing engagement as alumni.

Driven by the insights developed during the research and analysis portion of this project, a content calendar was created for the weekly student newsletter, Keeping Bobcats Informed. The newsletter was segmented for four populations and unique content was created for each audience.

This content serves as the entrée for weekly messaging and is reworked and distributed across multiple channels including @OHIOStudentLife and @BobcatWell-Being on Instagram, @OHIOStudentLife on Twitter, a parents and families page on Facebook, and The Post, the students newspaper and website.

The newsletter is sent every Wednesday afternoon and serves as a credible and entertaining source for university news, important student updates, content that supports student development and opportunities for involvement and on-campus engagement.

Annual Engagement Averages
Based on 2021 data
83K+ subscribers
35% open rate
6% click-to-open rate
2% click rate
.1% unsubscribe rate

Our team manages four social media channels, each with a specific message and audience in mind.

OHIO Student Life
Platforms: Instagram and Twiter
Instagram Followers: 3,059 (as of Dec. 2021)
Twitter Followers: 6,172 (as of Dec. 2021)
Content: All about what life on campus has to offer
Audience: Current students

Bobcat Well-Being
Platforms: Instagram
Followers: 1,217 (as of Dec. 2021)
Content: Basic needs resources, physical health, mental health, inspiration and encouragement
Audience: Current students

Parent & Family Programs
Platforms: Facebook
Followers: 4,906 (as of Dec. 2021)
Content: Engagement opportunities, updates and helpful resources
Audience: Parents and families of current students

The research phase of this project demonstrated that our primary audience — current students — seeks content that will help them to build community, get involved and find success at OHIO. For the social media channels, we rework the weekly KBI messages into stories and posts, curate a biweekly Instagram story of the best events on campus through @OHIOStudentLife, source stats and inspiration to encourage healthy lifestyles via @BobcatWellbeing, and connect parents and families with campus life.

The Division of Student Affairs 2021 Impact Report was created initially as a print piece, which was shared with members of the board of trustees, as well as with development officers and potential donors. The report was created in November of 2021, and as of December 2021 had resulted in $250,000 in donations to the Division.

In December of 2021, the report was reworked into a website for further distribution with potential donors and to be shared with the larger community of Division of Student Affairs employees.