Case Study: IES Abroad strengthens global culture and drives record enrollment with Axios HQ

IES Abroad boosts staff engagement to 80%+ with Axios HQ

IES Abroad, a study and internship abroad provider, faced challenges in rebuilding community and connection amidst record enrollment, a new CEO, and a post-pandemic landscape. Their team, spread across 30+ global locations, needed to reduce email overload, foster global connection, promote transparency, and ensure consistent communication. They turned to the vendor Axios HQ and its platform to implement a newsletter strategy built on the Smart Brevity method.

The solution from Axios HQ involved launching several targeted newsletters, including a bi-weekly internal update and monthly project and external comms. This strategy led to record-breaking enrollment, a significant reduction in ineffective emails, and high staff engagement with over 80% of U.S. staff opening every issue. The newsletters fostered greater transparency, morale, and a unified global culture, earning IES Abroad Axios HQ's 2025 Best-in-Class Award for Culture Creator.

IES Abroad