Background: Azusa Pacific University (APU)

Excellence in Education and Faith

Azusa Pacific University (APU) is a private, evangelical Christian university located in Azusa, California. The institution was formed in 1899 and since then has gone on to offer over 150 degrees via the main campus at Azusa, seven regional campuses throughout Southern California as well as via online delivery. The university is recognized as a leader within the Christian Council for Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and recognized annually as one of the best colleges in America by US News and World Report. APU’s mission is commitment to excellence in higher education as well as preparing students to be difference makers in the world.

Challenges

Email headaches, no connectivity and poor experiences

Students were struggling to find the university resources they needed. They weren’t reading email communications, and they didn’t have a place to connect with each other digitally and build strong peer-to-peer relationships.

At the time APU became a customer, they had an app from another vendor that they had built upon internally. But it wasn’t working well. It was clunky and hard to navigate and it didn’t have the ability to share program or event information, so administrators were still relying on email communications that went unread.

Furthermore, because APU’s old app lacked engaging community features—like Channels, a Campus Wall, and direct messaging—students weren’t able to use it to connect with each other, so they weren’t able to gain a sense of community or belonging, factors that years of research has shown determine student success and retention

The Ready Education Solution

Centralized Resources and Tailored Student Mobile Notifications

University information and resources are now easily accessible in one centralized place. Thanks to the app’s targeted communication features, students now receive relevant announcements and reminders directly on their phones.
 
APU also has a vibrant online community where students can connect with each other and build strong, supportive relationships.
 
“Our student feed is now highly active,” explains Rachel Yost. She says students are now asking their questions to other students and getting peer to peer support almost immediately. This has saved staff time and resources and created a really positive student experience with some fantastic feedback from the APU Now Ambassadors, a student volunteer group that tests new features, provides the team with feedback, and suggests content for the app.

Outcomes and Scalability

Transforming Student Experience

Since implementing the Ready Education application, Azusa Pacific University (APU) has witnessed a transformation in student experience and accessibility to essential resources. With access to the 'Home' portal, students can easily navigate class schedules, financial information, and other key items, streamlining their academic journey.

The introduction of the virtual ID card has revolutionized campus access, allowing users to seamlessly log into Chapel services and access food and dining options with ease. Additionally, the Campus Health Hub has become an invaluable resource, providing students with a symptom tracker and essential COVID-19 resources to ensure their health and safety.

Moreover, the integration of the Trolley Tracker feature has greatly enhanced campus mobility. With real-time updates on the trolley's whereabouts, students can efficiently navigate between the two campuses, saving time and improving overall campus accessibility. Overall, the implementation of the Ready Education application has significantly improved student engagement and access to vital campus resources at APU.

Future Hopes For APU’s Campus-Wide Mobile Platform

APU’s Marketing Coordinator Rachel Yost says they are excited about the new Content Preview feature, as it will allow them to share events and other app content within the student feed, the most visited area of the app.
 
Kyra Palmbush, another Marketing Coordinator on the APU Now team, says they are looking forward to the Forms feature so they can easily host polls and gather further student feedback directly within the app.
 
The team says they are also looking forward to onboarding even more university departments, continuing to add content in the app to make it a true campus-wide experience.