In today’s higher-education environment, many institutions struggle to balance scale with meaningful student interaction. With overflowing inboxes and rising expectations for personalization, it’s not enough to simply reach students—it’s about connecting with them.
Enter the partnership between Pitt-Johnstown and CompleteU—a strategic collaboration designed to deliver authentic one-to-one outreach tailored to key enrollment moments. The results speak volumes: 16 % of Pitt-Johnstown’s Fall 2024 class was attributed to outreach efforts, and the institution achieved a 9× return on net tuition.
This case study pulls back the curtain on how they did it—and how your team can apply the same framework.
The Challenge
Pitt-Johnstown faced several familiar—but significant—obstacles:
- High Volume, Limited Bandwidth. With around 20,000 students targeted for Fall 2024 (and pushing toward 25,000 for Fall 2025), the admissions team needed to scale outreach without losing the human touch.
- Diverse Student Populations. The funnel included “Options Students” (those not admitted to the main Pittsburgh campus but eligible for Johnstown), inquiry lists, purchased names, nursing-program prospects, and students with financial-aid eligibility.
- Critical Decision Moments. Campus visits, financial-aid conversations, and deposit deadlines required timely, authentic outreach—not just another email blast.
The question became: How can an institution preserve personalization when the scale demands put pressure on staff?
The Solution: A Strategic Outreach Partnership
Pitt-Johnstown and CompleteU approached the problem with a clear, multi-phase strategy focused on authenticity, timing, and seamless handoff.
Phase 1: Targeted Outreach Campaigns
- Options Students: Personalized phone calls introducing Pitt-Johnstown’s scholarship opportunities, campus advantages, and inviting deeper conversations led by admissions counselors.
- Campus Visitor Invites: Outreach specialists made live calls to excited prospects, answered questions immediately, and registered students for campus visits during the call.
- Financial-Aid Conversations: When students had financial questions, the outreach team booked them directly with counselors—accelerating clarity and decision-making.
- Deposit Reminders: As deadlines approached, real conversations served as timely nudges to secure enrollment commitments.
Phase 2: Seamless Handoff Model
- Pitt-Johnstown supplied student files via a shared template, ensuring List to Contact continuity.
- CompleteU specialists made initial contact and asked qualifying questions. If a student requested deeper engagement or a counselor call, an appointment was placed directly on the counselor’s calendar.
- Admissions staff retained control over availability, aligning outreach with travel schedules and on-campus commitments.
- Weekly check-ins and shared reporting kept both teams aligned on progress and outcomes.
This model bridged automated outreach and human connection—giving students a real voice and giving staff higher-value interactions.
The Results
The numbers are compelling:
- 16% of the Fall 2024 incoming class was credited to the outreach efforts from the partnership.
- The institution achieved a 9X return on investment (ROI) based on net tuition for one year.
- For Fall 2025, over 200 deposits were already attributed to the model—and the campaign continues.
- Visit registrations surged (approximately a 60 % increase) and financial-aid conversations increased in both volume and quality.
- Admissions staff reported improved efficiency and higher morale, as outreach volume was covered without sacrificing personal connection.
“CompleteU didn’t just help us reach students—they made those students feel seen. The results speak for themselves.”
— Brett Haselrig, Director of Admissions, Pitt-Johnstown
Why It Worked
Four key drivers drove success:
- Personalization at Scale. Every outreach call reflected the student’s interest and context—not a generic script.
- Perfect Timing. The outreach aligned with the student decision-journey: campus visit registration, financial aid clarifications, deposit deadlines.
- Human Handoff. When a student indicated interest, a counselor appointment was scheduled before momentum faded.
- Continuous Collaboration. Weekly project-lead meetings and data sharing ensured campaigns remained responsive and tuned to outcomes.
Through these elements, authenticity became scalable, not sacrificed.
Lessons for Enrollment Leaders
- Don’t rely solely on email or digital automation for key decision moments. Real conversations still convert.
- Scale authenticity by combining specialist outreach with counselor follow-through.
- Let your team focus on the conversations that matter most; outsource the volume where feasible.
- Use a repeatable process: Identify → Plan → Execute → Handoff → Review → Refine.
- Track success via meaningful metrics like yield attribution and ROI, not just opens or clicks.
Conclusion
The Pitt-Johnstown + CompleteU partnership demonstrates a simple truth: The human touch still matters in enrollment outreach. When thoughtfully scaled, personalized calls and seamless counselor connections generate measurable results.
If you’re facing increasing volumes, tighter resources, and higher demands for personalization—it’s time to rethink outreach. The model used here provides a roadmap.