Transforming Higher EducationEDMC and Salesforce Communities are Helping Students to Connect and Change the World

Higher education faces a watershed moment. On the one hand, there’s more choice, freedom and flexibility than ever before. On the other, is a persistent crisis with long-term implications for the US economy. By the year 2020, 65% of all employment in the US will require a post high-school degree or certificate. But among today’s 30-40 year old Americans, fewer than 40% meet this standard. The gap is large. The stakes for the nation’s future are even larger.

With more than 130,000 students and four institutions of higher education, Education Management Corporation (EDMC) is changing how students learn. As the nation’s second largest private sector education provider, EDMC is harnessing the power of cloud and social technology, through Salesforce Communities, to connect and empower students, faculty and staff in new ways.

“The power of community cannot be overstated”, said EDMC’s Tracey Zimmerman. “If students feel alone, they drop their courses.” She added, “educators must find new ways to keep students fully engaged and progressing toward graduation. Too much is at stake.”

An EDMC member school is Argosy University, with 28 campuses and a full online program. A new, competency based MBA program at Argosy allows

Tracey Zimmerman, VP of Student Experience and Innovation

Salesforce Communities allowed EDMC to build, extend, customize and launch a social platform directly into the student’s online environment in record time.

Communities

Salesforce Communities lets you build fully-branded online communities that connect you to the Internet of Cus-tomers. Built on Salesforce One, it combines Sales, Service, Marketing and general platform capabilities into a system of continuous customer, partner and employee engagement. Salesforce Communities is the first mobile, social and cloud-ready platform that leverages social intelligence and security to connect you to your customers in a whole new way. To learn more, visit salesforce.com/chatter/communities/ or call 1-800-NOSOFTWARE

working professionals to enroll and study at their own pace. Even while engagement proves more difficult with online programs, Argosy’s goal is that students should persist, progress and graduate. That’s why the school set out to create a community-like experience for online students. It was essential that students support one another, network with faculty and fellow students and truly get the most out of their MBA program.

“Salesforce Communities allowed EDMC to build, extend, customize and launch a social platform directly into the student’s online environment,” said Ms. Zimmerman, who is Argosy’s VP of Student Experience and Innovation. “And,” she said, “we launched it in record time.”

Argosy used the Salesforce One platform along with Visualforce customization to bring students an experience that’s branded and unique. All the while allowing the school to maintain ownership of the experience. And because the community sits on the Salesforce One platform, Argosy can roll out new features and functionality quarterly.

The result is that Argosy students are connected to one other. And, there’s a customized learning plan for each student. Students and faculty can create profiles and connect around curriculum, other interests and hobbies. Critical student management functions help faculty and staff provide the essential support that students need to stay focused. And the best part is that the community allows them all, students and faculty alike, to stay connected–no matter what course they’re taking or where they are in pursuit of their MBA.

CHALLENGE

• Build a community so students engage with learning, each other, faculty and staff.

• Find new ways to support students; facilitate progress and success.

• Create a flexible, unified online experience.

SOLUTION

• An extended, customized social layer built directly into the student experience.

RESULTS

• Supportive student community able to network with each other and faculty.

• Highly engaging, branded online experience.

• New features and functionality every quarter.

• Customized learning plan.

• An ability to create personal profiles across academic and personal interests.

• Critical student management functionality.

Communities