The Challenge
Many potential students didn’t believe community college could support their needs beyond academics. This perception barrier was preventing them from taking the first step toward enrollment.
Our Community-Centered Approach
Through deep community listening, 3fold uncovered a powerful insight: students needed reassurance about support services that would help them succeed despite competing life responsibilities.
The “What’s Next” campaign reframed the concept of educational growth. Rather than presenting college as a linear path forward, we positioned Southwestern as a partner that supports students through all types of movement—whether taking a step forward, making a lateral move, or pivoting to a new direction.
This authentic, community-based messaging approach was delivered through a strategically targeted multilingual campaign across ConnectedTV, Google, Instagram, Facebook, and Univision platforms—meeting prospective students where they already gathered.
Real Community Impact
By highlighting how Southwestern’s support services address real-life challenges, we created a campaign that resonated with the community’s actual needs and concerns. The results speak for themselves:
- 8% increase in Fall enrollment
- Highest community college enrollment rate in San Diego County
- Strengthened community perception of Southwestern as a supportive educational partner
This success demonstrates the power of 3fold’s community connection approach: when marketing authentically addresses the real concerns of community members, institutions can achieve meaningful growth even in challenging environments.
