Case Study: Southern Oregon University boosts student engagement and real-time communication with Kipsu

Southern Oregon University - Customer Case Study

Southern Oregon University (SOU), a residential campus of about 1,000 on-campus students, needed a better way to meet students where they are and boost engagement in Residential Life. To break down communication barriers and encourage quick, low-friction outreach, SOU adopted Kipsu’s texting/digital messaging platform and shifted to conversational, phone-first check-ins.

Using Kipsu, SOU piloted short, friendly texts — including an emoji-based prompt — and trained staff to respond with personalized, thoughtful replies. The approach drove real engagement: during the fall quarter staff received at least one message from more than a third of students living on campus, responses came far faster than email or phone, and Kipsu-enabled conversations resolved issues from spare keys to course registration while strengthening staff–student connections.

Southern Oregon University

Allyson Beck

Assistant Director for Leadership, Retention, and Marketing