Driving Carlow’s Marketing Evolution: Expanding Our Reach in the Digital Era

When I joined Carlow University last year, my goal was clear: to revitalize the brand and make Carlow a household name. The University has a rich history, and its programs are world-class, but we needed to find a modern way to tell a story that would resonate. Over the past year, we’ve made significant progress, transitioning to a multi-channel approach that allows us to connect with our audience more effectively than ever before.?

At Carlow, we’re not just a place to learn—we are a community rooted in compassion, service, and leadership, dedicated to transforming lives and creating a more just and merciful world. Our recent marketing efforts have been designed to reflect this unique mission and expand our reach in an increasingly digital landscape.?

Narrowing the Focus, Making a Broader Impact?

A key recent development has been the creation of an independent marketing and communications department. Previously, Marketing had been under the umbrella of Admissions. With this reorganization, both departments gained the flexibility to think and operate more strategically.?

For Marketing, this shift allowed for a more focused, specialized approach to the university’s branding and outreach efforts, allowing us to develop a cohesive marketing strategy that could stand independently from the enrollment process. Now, we could concentrate on bringing Carlow’s message of unity, healing, and service to a wider audience while ensuring a consistent brand voice.?

Bringing Carlow into the 21st Century?

With the new department in place, we set to work on an integrated marketing plan to modernize our approach. Moving away from outdated mediums, we’re now focusing on methods that meet our audience where they are.??

Our new strategy positions Carlow as a forward-thinking institution. Yet, we require the flexibility needed to reach a range of audiences from senior alumni to prospective students still in high school. This requires expertise in a wide range of tools, from personalized email campaigns to interactive ads.?

Consolidating messaging across our many areas of communication has been a significant challenge. With multiple decentralized platforms, from printed flyers to social media accounts , ensuring a unified message has required careful coordination. But we’ve met this challenge by streamlining our processes and allowing creativity to flourish within a cohesive strategy.?

Revamping the Brand?

At the heart of our strategy is a revitalization of Carlow’s brand itself. We’ve worked to ensure that our communications not only reflect the institution’s academic excellence but also its devotion to compassion and service. Carlow is a place where leaders are nurtured to walk boldly into the chaos of others and transform lives for the better. Our new messaging underscores this commitment to social justice, mercy, and community impact.?

In this process, we’ve focused on how we can best embody Carlow’s core pillars—healing, leadership, expression, discovery, and service—all grounded in the spirit of Mercy. This brand refresh isn’t just about visual identity; it’s about communicating the profound impact Carlow has on students and the world at large.?

A Collaborative Website Redesign?

Our efforts have culminated in a new content-driven website , a truly collaborative effort developed by 150 members of the Carlow community. The site is more than just a hub of information—it’s a dynamic reflection of who we are as a university. It’s designed to engage prospective students, alumni, and donors alike, helping us achieve key performance goals like increased enrollment and deeper engagement with the community.?

Embracing New Platforms?

Video content has emerged as one of Carlow University’s most effective digital marketing tools. It provides a powerful medium to share our story. While we continue to have success with television spots and documentary-style videos for web and social media, we have also been moving toward spontaneously produced videos that aim to depict authentic life on campus.?

With platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok becoming central to how younger audiences consume content; we’ve made significant investments in these areas. These platforms allow us to showcase authentic student experiences in real-time, creating content that resonates deeply with prospective students.?

A standout project was the Welcome Weekend video series in August, which heavily featured candid student interviews. These videos have resonated strongly with our audience, but especially incoming students, helping Carlow foster a sense of community on day one.?

Measuring Impact?

We’ve seen remarkable results since implementing these changes. Our presence on LinkedIn , once viewed as an outdated platform, has experienced renewed growth through our newsletter and thought leadership efforts. More significantly, enrollment numbers have risen, and 65% of applicants reported hearing about Carlow from marketing efforts - a clear sign that our modernized approach is resonating.??

Website traffic has doubled, showing that our digital efforts are attracting attention, and our videos have garnered over a million views—proof that storytelling through video continues to be one of our most powerful tools.?

Looking to the Future?

At Carlow, we’re not just focused on the present—we’re building for the future. The growth we’ve seen among our competitors keeps us motivated to continue evolving. Through ongoing innovation in video storytelling, social media engagement, and our brand identity, Carlow will continue to stand out as a university committed to leadership, compassion, and service.?

As we move forward, I’m excited to continue leading these efforts and ensuring that Carlow remains at the forefront of higher education marketing. Together, we’re not just changing how we communicate; we’re changing the world—one student, one story, at a time.?