Quinnipiac University

The Challenge

Quinnipiac University's vision is to be the university of the future by leveraging technology to unite a diverse global community, enrich the educational experience, and nurture lifelong relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, and donors. Their commitment to delivering a personalized and challenging academic experience extends to their diverse student body, comprising 6,000 undergraduate and 2,700 graduate, medical, and law students. Supported by a dedicated faculty and staff of 2,000 individuals, the university prioritizes students' success and career development.

Recognizing the imperative to adapt and innovate in a highly disrupted, competitive, and rapidly evolving technical and educational ecosystem, Quinnipiac University embarked on a transformative journey focused on growth.

The Solution

Quinnipiac University underwent a comprehensive digital transformation, honing in on research, design, and development to unveil a dynamic, user-centric digital platform. The initiative crafted nuanced personas through meticulous industry research, stakeholder consultations, surveys, and competitive analysis to enhance the digital journey for students. The accessible website, grounded in a robust design system, seamlessly integrated multiple schools, disciplines, and content varieties while offering personalized experiences to visitors.

The revamped website launched with approximately 6,000 pages, over 35-page templates, and a plethora of content blocks. As a strategic partner, Verndale also played a pivotal role in identifying key performance metrics (KPIs) and establishing a framework for continuous enhancement through their effective implementation.

After launching the website, the marketing team implemented eight additional websites along with a site-wide tagging system. They also optimized various elements including news landing pages for Quinnipiac Today, article pages, the Magazine, admissions counselor profiles, and listing pages.

The Outcome

The new Quinnipiac University website, built on the Optimizely Digital Experience Platform (DXP), is captivating prospective students, alumni, parents, and donors. Following the launch, the university witnessed a surge in key performance metrics, with average visitor session lengths soaring by 58%, page views increasing by 33%, and bounce rates decreasing by 42%.

Beyond immediate metrics, this transformation addresses current challenges and sets the foundation for future growth and digital maturity. Optimizely's DXP empowers the team to optimize and generate new content while seamlessly enhancing departmental efficiencies. Since migrating to Optimizely, QU.edu has experienced a remarkable 53% surge in first-year student applications over the past four years, alongside a 38% increase in campus visits over the past two years.

These tangible outcomes underscore the transformative impact of the institution's digital journey, showcasing a commitment to innovation and excellence in higher education.

Watch the interview with Quinnipiac's Senior Director of User Experience and Engagement, who discusses the university's switch to Optimizely and how it's resulted in a unified digital experience connecting their diverse audience.

58 %

Average Visitor Session Growth at Launch

53 %

First-Year Application Surge in Four Years

38 %

Campus Visit Increase in Two Years