Case Study: Western Kentucky University achieves a 6% increase in freshman retention with TargetX Schools App

Western Kentucky University - Customer Case Study

Western Kentucky University was struggling to recruit and support admitted students through public Facebook groups: conversations were noisy, questions went unanswered, and staff couldn’t deliver targeted, one‑to‑one communications. The university needed a private, mobile community that would act as a customer‑service hub, foster peer conversations that build fit and affinity, and ultimately improve freshman retention.

WKU implemented the TargetX Schools App, a mobile community platform with targeted messaging, keyword alerts, a questions tab and interest-based communities that let staff monitor topics, answer queries, and connect students with peers. The app became WKU’s primary service hub, helped tailor outreach and improve student fit, and contributed to a 6% increase in freshman‑to‑sophomore retention (hundreds of students), along with better yield and highly responsive vendor support.

Western Kentucky University

Corie Martin

Director of Web Services and Digital Marketing