How Dalhousie University Unified its Campus Community with Pathify
Dalhousie University Streamlines Systems and Boosts Efficiency with Pathify
Quick Summary:
Dalhousie University struggled with six disparate digital tools until Pathify’s “DalU” app consolidated their fragmented campus technology, transforming costly standalone systems and security risks into a centralized platform where students connect safely while administrators streamline operations and reduce expenses.
Students demanded modern social features but universities faced security dilemmas until Pathify Communities provided the social media experience students wanted within a managed environment, transforming risky public platforms into secure spaces where students create groups, share content, and build meaningful campus connections.
First-year students often felt disconnected before arriving on campus until DalU created pre-arrival engagement opportunities, transforming the traditional orientation process into a comprehensive digital journey where incoming students find roommates, discover events, and integrate into university life from day one.
Dalhousie University’s digital experience relied on disjointed apps and point solutions, making it difficult to surface important information and build meaningful connections. By partnering with Pathify to create a centralized, one-stop app for students and staff, Dalhousie:
- Consolidated 6 disparate tools into Pathify’s centralized portal and app, reducing costs and streamlining the experience
- Added key features — access to grades, course schedules and maps — with Pathify’s robust integration suite
- Facilitated proactive, personalized engagement throughout the entire student journey — in a safe, managed environment
Pathify Consolidates Tools into a Centralized Platform
Erica Zwicker, Director of Communications, Student Affairs, explained, “Our previous social app didn’t integrate with any of our systems. We wanted something with all the social capabilities, plus the ability to integrate with our other tools and systems.” Dalhousie leveraged Pathify to create their app, DalU, — connecting information, resources and people together in one place.
Pathify enabled Dalhousie to both add key new features and consolidate disparate tools (including a standalone social app, communication platform, campus portal, separate mobile portal app and more) into a single hub. “With Pathify, we brought the functionality of six tools into one,” Zwicker emphasized. “Streamlining the digital experience and simplifying administrative processes benefits our entire campus community. It’s also a huge goal from a cost savings standpoint,” Zwicker said.
Now, DalU serves as the central location for the entire campus community to connect and share information. “Through Pathify’s integration suite, we have a single, centralized hub that didn’t exist with standalone apps and tools,” Zwicker emphasized. As contracts expire on other tools, Dalhousie plans to roll as much as possible into DalU, taming digital sprawl. “Pathify continues to help us rethink ways of eliminating outdated, bulky platforms,” Zwicker shared.
Transforming Student Engagement with a New App
Students expect mobile-first, accessible experiences with the ability to message, create groups and learn about events, but public platforms like Reddit and Facebook pose security risks the university couldn’t ignore.
Pathify Communities provides the modern social media experience students want — within a safe, secure and managed environment. “Pathify allowed us to create spaces for connection as an extension of our physical campus,” Zwicker noted. “Once students log into the platform, they discover a wealth of other useful information as well.” Communities enables Dalhousie users to:
- Create groups to connect students with one another
- Post, share and comment — just like popular social media platforms
- Promote and host events, complete with ticket sales and attendance tracking
The role-based nature of the platform, along with seamless SIS integration, enables a truly personalized experience. “DalU helps bridge gaps between otherwise disconnected communities, such as graduate students. Those students live and study in different places, under different advisors, and Communities allows them to connect with each other and with relevant opportunities,” Zwicker stated.
Building Community for First-Year Students
Zwicker and team leveraged Pathify to transition and engage first-year students, creating groups for new students to connect, learn and adjust to university life. “We find tremendous value in creating a digital space for students to connect before they arrive on campus,” she said. “Right away, incoming students know the app will be an integral part of their campus experience.”
When students log-in, they:
- Connect with relevant groups and introduce themselves to their peers
- Find roommates, textbooks and scholarship opportunities
- See orientation and residence events and communications
DalU represents a critical tech upgrade, a thoughtful investment in community and a simplified campus experience. By consolidating tools and creating a unified space for engagement and connection, the university laid strong foundation for long-term success. Zwicker emphasized, “It’s not just a one-time use, it’s a vital tool they’ll take with them throughout their Dalhousie journey.”
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