Editor’s note: This article is adapted from a conversation with Suze Guillaume on the Illumination Podcast. To hear the full discussion, listen to the episode here.
In a time when higher education is navigating intense scrutiny and shifting expectations, one principle remains critical: students are not transactions—they are people, navigating one of the most complex journeys of their lives.
From orientation to graduation, the need for personalized, human communication has never been more vital. Institutions are often preoccupied with funnel metrics and tech stack performance, but the real differentiator lies in how effectively they build relationships. And that begins with trust.
Trust Is the Cornerstone of Retention
The moment a student walks into orientation, they're faced with a flood of information and expectations. It's easy to become just another face in the crowd. But what changes that trajectory is simple: a genuine human connection.
Too often, higher education assumes that engagement will follow once a student enrolls. But the inverse is true—engagement must be nurtured before trust can bloom. Strategic use of tools like texting platforms or group messaging apps (such as WhatsApp or GroupMe) can help institutions create micro-communities and direct lines of communication. These aren't just channels—they're vehicles of trust when used to amplify a sense of belonging.
The goal isn’t volume of outreach. It’s relevance and consistency. When a student hears from someone they’ve met—someone who sees them—it makes all the difference in whether they respond or disengage.
Humanization Over Automation
Yes, automation and AI can enhance efficiency. But the student journey is not a batch process. Empathy must sit at the core of all communications, especially when serving a diverse student population with unique lived experiences.
Today's learners are navigating academic pressures alongside real-life responsibilities—whether that means parenting, part-time jobs, or financial instability. Simply treating them like "adults who should know better" ignores the developmental complexity of the student journey.
True student-first strategies require us to meet learners where they are. That may mean following up outside of standard office hours. It may involve personal outreach when a student goes quiet, not to “check a box” but to demonstrate care. In one case, a late-evening call revealed that a student hadn’t responded because they were about to become a parent. That context would’ve been missed if the communication strategy relied solely on scheduled reminders.
Empathy Scales When the Strategy is Intentional
Skeptics might ask: how can empathy scale? The answer lies in intentional strategy, not more manpower. When staff are empowered with the right data, tools, and freedom to act on their instincts, they’re more likely to engage in meaningful, student-centered outreach.
That means integrating human touches into digital strategies—like embedding student groups into orientation follow-ups, sending personalized nudges through SMS based on student behavior, or creating campus-wide engagement pathways that evolve over time. These efforts compound over a student’s lifecycle, resulting in improved persistence and increased trust in the institution.
It also means redefining what “successful” communication looks like. A response on the fourth try isn’t a failure—it’s a breakthrough. Students often engage on their own terms, and that's exactly what we should design for.
Communication Is Culture
What we say to students—and how we say it—is a reflection of institutional culture. Leaders who want to foster belonging must move beyond transactional communication models and embrace strategies rooted in empathy, relevance, and trust.
This isn’t a shift that can be made through messaging audits or branding campaigns alone. It requires cultural alignment across advising, admissions, financial aid, and academic affairs. The connective tissue must be a commitment to humanizing the experience of every learner, not just guiding them through a process.
The Future Belongs to Institutions That Listen
The modern learner is not passive. They’re evaluating institutions as much as institutions are evaluating them. They’re asking: Do you see me? Will you support me? Can I trust you?
Institutions that can answer "yes" consistently—through timely, personalized and empathetic communication—will be the ones that thrive in an increasingly competitive and skeptical landscape.
Because at the end of the day, higher education isn’t just about enrollment. It’s about building relationships that last a lifetime.
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