Case Study: Evangel University achieves campus-wide, high-density Wi-Fi and improved student learning with RUCKUS Networks

Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi Changing the way Students Learn

Evangel University, a private Christian institution in Springfield, Missouri serving about 2,200 students across a 100-acre campus, faced chronic Wi‑Fi failures from a seven-year-old mixed 3‑COM/Ubiquiti network limited to 2.4 GHz. With more than 1,100 resident students and growing demand for in-class and campus-wide connectivity, faculty and students were frequently disconnected and the CIO, Gary Blackard, prioritized a scalable, high-density wireless solution.

After vendor trials and an on‑site dorm competition, Evangel selected Ruckus and deployed 335 ZoneFlex R710 access points with ZoneDirector 3000 management, leveraging Wave 2 MU‑MIMO, BeamFlex+ adaptive antennas, DPSK onboarding and SmartCell Insight analytics. The upgrade delivered campus‑wide coverage, higher throughput and simplified management, eliminated most connectivity complaints, enabled new online and device‑driven teaching practices, and let students reliably connect multiple devices simultaneously.

Evangel University

Gary Blackard

Chief Information Officer