From the Nominator

With less than six weeks before courses began, the University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences launched "Just One GE" to increase summer enrollment by 25%. Historically, many summer courses--which are primarily general education classes--have been under-enrolled or canceled. Barriers to registration include no summer financial aid and competition from transferable credits elsewhere. The provost’s request to grow summer enrollment was presented at an April 1 meeting, when registration was already open. Our campaign site went live just a few weeks later, on April 24. The summer session began May 19. Our rapidly developed strategy reframed summer enrollment as a small, manageable decision: Take just one general education course. We built a student-friendly campaign identity (“One class. Less stress. Summer vibes.”) and a dynamic micro-site designed to reduce friction and move students from interest to action. We highlighted key benefits, such as the ability to lighten fall/spring course loads; to accelerate degrees; to study from anywhere with online courses; and to enjoy Los Angeles weather and a more relaxed campus atmosphere. An “Explore Courses” experience that sorts classes by GE requirement and modality made choosing courses easier. We promoted the micro-site through USC websites, social media, e-newsletters, emails to students, campus digital screens, and more. Enrollments rose 36.5% year-over-year, and course cancellations fell 29%.

From the Judges

This was a smart, highly targeted enrollment initiative that paired a simple concept with strong execution. Results were impressive. Judges liked the efficient use of resources and the ability to achieve significant enrollment growth within a short timeframe through focused messaging and thoughtful audience segmentation.