The institution propels itself into the future by enhancing the student digital experience with Pathify.
Pathify enthusiastically welcomes Ferris State University to the robust network of forward-thinking institutions embracing the only centralized user experience hub for higher ed. New leadership and new partnerships usher in new beginnings as the student experience takes center stage.
With core values including collaboration, excellence, and opportunity, Ferris’ mission and vision naturally align with Pathify’s commitment to providing better technology, experiences, and happier students. Under its mission, vision, and values, the University equips students for successful careers, fosters responsible citizenship, and nurtures a commitment to lifelong learning. Through numerous partnerships and its career-oriented, comprehensive education approach, Ferris actively engages with the rapidly changing global economy and society.
“Our students are digital. That’s the life they live. And most of our faculty and staff live a digital-first life, too.” Eric Hazen, Director of Digital Marketing at Ferris State University shares, “Bringing in a new president who understood that we needed to transform the way we were connecting our faculty, staff, and students to our campus was a catalyst for launching Pathify, which we call Ferris360.”
“One of the reasons we selected the name ‘Ferris360’ is because it represents an entirely new direction for our institution. In the beginning, we couldn’t improve the poor user experience that our students, our faculty, and our staff, had all come to tolerate. Without improving that user experience, we couldn’t make it easier for anyone to be a Ferris State Bulldog. That was a super limiting quality of the previous portal.”
Pathify addresses the user experience gap within the higher education digital ecosystem by providing a customized and cohesive experience integrating technology, content, communications, and connections. The Engagement Hub offers tailored experiences at each stage of the user journey, featuring independent, system-agnostic integrations, collaborative social groups, personalized tasks, and multi-channel communication, ensuring consistency between web and mobile platforms.
“Before we began the implementation process, time and time again, we would hear ‘well, if Ferris only had this or that resource, I would have been more successful.’” Eric continues, “The really crushing thing for me was that we DID have those resources available on campus. The student, faculty, or staff member was just not aware we had that resource. To that extent, if finding a person, a group, a resource, or a tool, could change the trajectory of a student’s semester, or change the trajectory of their entire education at Ferris, that could change the trajectory of their entire life and accelerate them forward. In a way, that is the goal of every higher ed institution, right?”
Eric adds, “If our old portal was preventing students from finding those resources, Pathify is making them more discoverable. This portal is changing students’ lives and that’s really, really exciting for us.”
Eric’s must-haves included flexibility, a modern interface, and an ability to extend Ferris’ brand into the digital space. “The idea that we have Pathify sitting at the core of our transformation being flexible with us, was very awesome.” Eric continues, “It’s a nicely designed modern platform. I was shocked by how many vendors didn’t look much different than our old platform, but Pathify was just beautiful out of the box. Being able to apply our branding and make it look awesome without a ton of effort makes my life so much easier.”
“Then there was the community aspect. We were so excited to see the community aspect built into a platform where we know our students want to connect with us digitally. Being able to create that within our platform, our portal, is a game changer,” Eric says.
“We are really passionate about that full student experience. We understand that our brand IS the experience. Our brand is what somebody feels and experiences at Ferris. That is what they leave with. Now we have the ability to curate and influence that experience in a more impactful way, we see ourselves a little differently, and we’re excited about how we can leverage those tools to create just an incredible round experience that results in lifelong value.” Eric continues, “With Pathify, we can make the experience for a prospective student, a current student, and alumni in such a way that they evolve from Student to Alumni to Doner, to Advocate to…you know, whatever! We believe we can influence that full experience in a unique way now.”
Ferris State University joins the growing list of trailblazing Pathify community members in Michigan, including Grand Valley State University, Cornerstone University, Aquinas College, Thomas M Cooley Law School, and Saginaw Valley State University.
