KW2

Colleges must now face a difficult truth: the value of higher education, no matter how well substantiated, is irrelevant if people don't believe in it.

KW2’s latest article, “Bridging the Higher Ed Trust Gap”, examines this question and the growing trust gap facing colleges and universities.

If you’re thinking about the future of enrollment marketing, this article offers actionable strategies for reaching audiences that traditional higher-ed messaging may not resonate with. Discover insights on how to reconnect with prospective students and build a stronger recruitment strategy.

Read about the future of higher-ed recruitment: https://kw2marketing.com/articles/bridge-higher-ed-gap

Closing the trust gap: a new playbook for higher education enrollment marketing Why value messaging alone isn't enough to reach today's students

It’s live!

We’re proud to announce the newly redesigned Mid-State Technical College website. This launch represents months of collaboration, problem solving, and thoughtful design.

Together, we created a simpler, student-focused experience that
- Highlights clear pathways
- Prioritizes student’s experience
- Streamlined navigation and content
- Enhances visibility and exploration

The result? An accessible resource designed to help students explore, learn, and act efficiently. We’re incredibly proud of this partnership and the team behind it.

Check it out! https://www.mstc.edu/

Mid-State Technical College Finding Success in the Arborist Lab Where your grit becomes greatness. Finding Success in the Manufacturing Lab Where your grit becomes greatness. Finding Success in the Clinic Where your grit becomes greatness. Finding Success in the Shop Where your grit becomes greatness. Finding Success in the Ki...

We're proud to share that Josh Skowron, Account Manager, was published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal—alongside our partners at Wisconsin Department of Health Services , REACH, and the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative.

This Brief Report, "Prevention Through Partnerships: Empowering Parent-Child Discussions About the Risk of Alcohol and Cancer," highlights a campaign KW2 helped lead in Calumet County, where nearly 1 in 4 adults report binge drinking. The team found a compelling result: cancer is proving to be a powerful entry point for getting parents talking with their kids about underage drinking, driving a 31% engagement lift compared to messaging focused on more well-known risks.

Nice work, Josh—and thank you to everyone who made this report possible👏

Read the full report: https://wmjonline.org/124no4/mccall/

Prevention Through Partnerships: Empowering Parent-Child Discussions About the Risk of Alcohol and Cancer Catherine McCall, MS; Allison Antoine, MPH; Sarah Kerch, MPH; Joshua Skowron; Noelle K. LoConte, MD WMJ. 2025;124(4):368-370. Download full-text pdf. ABSTRACT Background: Alcohol use is increasing in Wisconsin. We aimed to improve a state public health campaign around youth drinking to increase awar...

Losing admitted students to the costly summer melt phenomenon? Mapping student communication can dramatically improve student yield – keeping students connected throughout their enrollment journey, from acceptance to the first day of class.

🔗Read the full article and learn how to rally your strategic enrollment team around streamlined communication and keep admitted students engaged.

https://kw2marketing.com/articles/reduce-summer-melt-with-these-student-yield-strategies

Reduce “summer melt” with these student yield strategies How better enrollment communications can reduce summer melt 

We are so grateful to Jennifer Savino, CEO of KW2, for her insightful presentation at TEMPO Madison Inc.’s Winter Luncheons. Jen shared the influences that shaped her journey as a business owner and led us through a powerful exercise to claim our strengths—no disclaimers, no imposter syndrome. We were proud to have a full table of KW2 staff in attendance.

Thank you to TEMPO for hosting us!

Soup, snacks & Super Bowl ads — we hosted the inaugural KW2 SOUPer Bowl! 🥣🏈✨

KW2ers brought homemade soups to share and entered the soup-making competition while we watched the best Super Bowl commercials from this year and years past.

To taste, people brought at least one non-perishable food donation and received a taste-testing bowl.

Categories & Winners:

Best Overall = Ali’s Thai Meatball Soup

Best Presentation = Allison’s Pho Ga

Most Creative = Tim’s Spicy Peanut Pumpkin & Georgia’s Mulligatawny

We collected two sizable boxes of donations for St. Vincent DePaul food pantry — thank you for helping our community!

Everyone brought their best recipes and appetites, and it was a delicious, heartwarming day.

KW2 is thrilled to welcome as our newest Senior Research Strategist on the Research & Insights team. Holly brings a powerful blend of quantitative expertise, mixed‑methods research experience, and consultative strategic thinking that will elevate the way we uncover insights and guide client decision‑making.

With a strong background in agency environments, Holly has led complex research initiatives, translated data into meaningful narratives, and helped organizations better understand the audiences they serve. We’re excited for the fresh perspective, curiosity, and analytical rigor Holly brings to the team—and we can’t wait for our clients to experience the impact of her work.

Please join us in giving Holly a warm welcome to KW2!

Time together is always special with this crew. Our annual KW2 Holiday Party at gave us a chance to look back on another impactful year, reinforce the values that guide our work, and share some well-deserved holiday fun.

We're grateful for moments like these—filled with laughter, connection, and reminders of why our work and the people we do it with matter so much. We can't wait to tackle 2026 as a team! ❄️

🚨New from KW2: Building trust through anti-stigma strategies

Higher education is facing a growing trust gap, especially among men and rural communities. To rebuild that trust, colleges must rethink their communication strategies, embracing anti-stigma messaging that resonates with specific communities. This article explores a hallmark of anti-stigma messaging, highlighting how to connect with your audience and using language that is affirming, not alienating.

“Anti-stigma communication isn’t a quick fix; it’s an ongoing effort to listen, reflect, and evolve alongside the audiences you serve.”

Let's meet communities where they are, promote flexible pathways, and leave assumptions behind. It’s time to reconnect the value of higher education and ensure a degree feels meaningful to everyone.

🔗Read the full article and discover how thoughtful messaging can rebuild trust in higher education.
https://kw2marketing.com/articles/anti-stigma-strategies