Case Study: Kansas State University Polytechnic boosts freshman enrollment nearly 50% with Liaison’s marketing services

Kansas State University Polytechnic Increases Freshman Enrollment by Nearly 50%

Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus faced a “cookie‑cutter” recruiting approach with slow response times and stagnant growth. Upon his 2017 arrival, Dr. Christopher A. Smith set ambitious enrollment goals and partnered with Liaison, using Liaison’s marketing services—including consultative, personalized outreach and variable print strategies—to replace mass outreach with targeted, student‑centered communications.

Liaison implemented a personalized, 15‑month admissions marketing program that tailored messages to individual student interests and supported the campus like an integrated enrollment and marketing team. As a result, Liaison helped Kansas State University increase new students by 53% year‑over‑year, raise the start rate from 31% to 48%, grow applications 23% in eight months, boost freshman enrollment nearly 50%, expand enrollment in 12 of 16 programs, and deliver program‑level gains such as a 118% rise in professional pilot applications, a 32% increase in on‑campus housing, and 45% and 33% increases in female and minority populations respectively.

Kansas State University​

Christopher A Smith

Executive Director of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Financial Aid