Case Study: West Texas A&M University boosts student retention and engagement with AdmitHub

West Texas A&M Reignites Stalled Retention Rates with Custom AI Chatbot

West Texas A&M University, a regional public university in Canyon, Texas, was struggling with stagnant freshman retention and limited success reaching students through traditional channels like email and social media. The university’s Division of Student Enrollment, Engagement, and Success needed a better way to connect students with resources, answer questions, and gather feedback at scale.

AdmitHub helped West Texas A&M implement “Thunder,” a custom AI-powered chatbot for student communication and engagement. The results were strong: freshman fall retention increased by 2.5% in the first year, average student response rates reached 27%, and one housing survey saw about 50% participation. Thunder also boosted event turnout, improved billing reminder effectiveness, and helped staff identify and support at-risk students more efficiently.

West Texas A&M University

Michelle Bonds

Director of Communications