Keene State College
Engaging and Converting Future Students With a Seamless, Student-Centered Digital Experience
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Accessibility
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Drupal
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Higher Education
Keene State College needed a modern, user-friendly website to better serve prospective students while maintaining relevance for parents, faculty, and alumni. The existing site had complex navigation, disjointed content, and inconsistent branding, making it difficult for users to find what they needed. Oomph partnered with KSC to streamline content structure, enhance accessibility, and create a scalable design system. The new site features audience-first navigation, a structured mega menu, and a refreshed digital identity designed to drive engagement and recruitment.
THE CHALLENGE
The Challenge
Keene State College (KSC), a liberal arts institution within the University System of New Hampshire, needed a modern, user-friendly website that aligned with its mission while effectively serving multiple audiences.
Over time, the existing site had grown into an overwhelming digital ecosystem, filled with complex navigation, disjointed content, and inconsistent branding. To better serve students and stakeholders, KSC needed to:
- Prioritize prospective students while maintaining relevance for parents, faculty, and alumni.
- Simplify content structure to help users quickly find what they need.
- Modernize the design and user experience while staying true to the college’s brand.
- Improve accessibility and performance to ensure a seamless experience across all devices.
KSC partnered with Oomph to create a scalable, audience-first digital experience that supports recruitment, engagement, and long-term adaptability.
OUR APPROACH
We focused on eliminating friction and enhancing engagement through a user-first strategy, modern information architecture, and a flexible, scalable design system.
Understanding the Audience & Challenges
Our discovery process included stakeholder workshops, user journey mapping, and content analysis to identify key roadblocks. We uncovered:
- Difficult navigation made it hard for prospective students to find admissions and academic program details.
- Multiple audiences competing for visibility resulted in a cluttered, confusing user experience.
- Inconsistent branding and outdated UI weakened the college’s online presence and first impressions.
By clearly defining what success looked like and identifying areas of improvement, we laid the foundation for a streamlined, student-centric digital experience.
Defining the Strategy & Roadmap
With a deep understanding of user needs, we developed a strategy focused on engagement, clarity, and accessibility.
- Navigation designed for prospective students while keeping secondary audiences accessible.
- A scalable mega menu that simplified content discovery without overwhelming users.
- A brand refresh of the digital identity that modernized KSC’s online presence while maintaining its authenticity.
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance to ensure an inclusive experience for all users.
This strategy ensured that KSC’s website would be functional, engaging, and built to support student recruitment.
Executing the Vision
To bring the strategy to life, we developed a modern design system with a flexible, component-driven architecture that simplifies content management and improves the user experience.
- Audience-first navigation & mega menu – Prospective students can quickly find key admissions and academic information, while faculty, parents, and alumni have dedicated sections tailored to their needs.
- Scalable component library – A structured yet flexible design system enables KSC teams to easily update and manage content while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
- Optimized for mobile & accessibility – A fully responsive, WCAG-compliant design ensures a seamless experience across all devices.
By creating a well-structured, intuitive content ecosystem, KSC now has a digital experience that is easy to manage and designed for long-term adaptability.
This team brings creativity and structure to projects. Decisions are based on data and reports, but they include a connection to heart and real world users. They bring in subject matter experts at the appropriate time but never lose site of the big picture.”
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, Keene State College
THE RESULTS
A Student-Centric Digital Experience
The new Keene State College website now provides:
- A clear, structured experience for prospective students – Admissions, academics, and student life content is now easier to find and explore.
- A modernized digital identity – A refreshed brand and UI create a welcoming, engaging first impression.
- Seamless navigation for multiple audiences – While prospective students remain the priority, faculty, alumni, and parents still have dedicated access points.
- An accessible, scalable, and future-proof platform – Designed to support long-term growth, engagement, and institutional goals.
A Digital Experience That Grows With Its Community
Keene State’s new site is more than just a redesign—it’s a long-term investment in student engagement, accessibility, and institutional identity. By focusing on audience needs, structured content, and a scalable design system, KSC now has a future-ready digital presence that enhances recruitment, supports students, and strengthens the college community.
Is Your Higher Ed Website Ready for the Next Generation of Students?
If your institution is struggling with outdated content, complex navigation, or disconnected user experiences, a strategic digital approach can create clarity and engagement.
Let’s talk about how Oomph can help your institution stand out in an increasingly competitive higher ed landscape.
