Busting Silos with a Student-Centric Website

In this episode, Jaime talks with Kimberly Osborne, associate vice president for integrated marketing communications at UNC Greensboro, about the recent launch of UNCG’s “Next Generation Website.” Specifically designed to be prospective student-centric, the website breaks down the silos of a business unit model. Kimberly explains the rationale behind the shift in focus and the challenges of shifting a campus culture. Takeaways from this episode include:

• Making the case for a prospective student-centric website design
• Tips for persuading the campus community on a new, silo-busting approach 
• Ideas for structuring a massive overhaul project
• Recommendations for needed content a a student-centric model
• Advice and lessons learned from the trenches 

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Rethinking the Website to Prioritize Prospective Students

UNC Greensboro’s website redesign wasn’t just a facelift—it was a full-scale transformation. According to Kimberly Osborne, the project’s goal was to create a website that prioritized prospective students’ needs rather than mirroring the university’s internal structure.

“When we started this project, our website wasn’t serving prospective students well,” Kimberly explains. “It was outdated, confusing to navigate, and didn’t reflect the innovative, inclusive nature of our institution. We knew we had to change that.”

The team approached the project with an understanding of the enrollment cliff and the critical role websites play in influencing prospective students. By focusing on intuitive navigation, simplified program pages, and mobile-friendly design, they set out to make a website that acts as a welcoming front door for the university.

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Breaking Down Silos Through Collaboration

One of the biggest challenges of redesigning a higher ed website is addressing the siloed nature of most institutions. To tackle this, UNC Greensboro brought together more than 100 contributors from across the university, grouped into content teams based on the new site’s information architecture.

For example, the team overseeing program pages worked closely with admissions, academic departments, and marketing staff to ensure content was consistent, user-friendly, and informative.

“Some of these people had never worked together before,” Kimberly shares. “We helped them see how their work connected and how, by collaborating, they could create a better experience for prospective students.”

The process also required extensive training on SEO, accessibility, and content strategy to ensure that contributors across campus were equipped to create effective web pages.

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Designing for Impact: Program Pages

One of the standout features of the redesign is the focus on robust program pages. These pages provide prospective students with key information about degree options, career paths, and application details, while linking to department pages for deeper insights.

“We knew that prospective students want to understand what programs we offer, what they’ll learn, and what they can do with their degree,” Kimberly explains. “By making program pages a priority, we’re ensuring that students get the information they need quickly and clearly.”

To create these pages, the team worked closely with academic units to gather content, standardize layouts, and align messaging with enrollment goals. The result? A comprehensive resource that better serves prospective students while maintaining consistency with the university’s brand.

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Lessons Learned and Advice for Others

The road to launching UNCG’s next-generation website wasn’t without its challenges. The project spanned more than two years and required balancing competing priorities, managing stakeholder expectations, and adapting to a decentralized campus structure.

One key takeaway? Build strong relationships with IT.

“A good partnership with IT was essential,” Kimberly says. “Our university webmaster and project manager were instrumental in making this project a success. We worked closely to align our goals and overcome technical challenges.”

Another piece of advice? Invest in training and governance. Providing campus stakeholders with the tools and knowledge they need to create great content ensures consistency and quality across the site.

Finally, Kimberly emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations and keeping stakeholders informed. Regular communication—through newsletters, meetings, and updates—helped build trust and keep the campus community engaged throughout the project.

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Moving Forward

UNC Greensboro’s next-generation website launched in December 2022, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The streamlined navigation, modern design, and student-focused content have set a new standard for how the university presents itself online.

As Kimberly looks ahead, she’s focused on helping individual units transition to the new design system and continuing to refine the site based on user feedback and analytics.

“Websites are never really ‘done,’” she says. “It’s an ongoing process of improvement, and we’re committed to making sure our site continues to meet the needs of prospective students and the entire campus community.”

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Key Resources

Kimberly recommends the following resources for higher ed marketers tackling website redesigns:

• Book: Content Strategy for the Web by Kristina Halvorson
• Training: Webinars on search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM)
• Best Practices: Use a content audit to evaluate redundant, outdated, and trivial (ROT) pages to streamline your site
• Internal Tools: Create a governance structure and offer campus-wide training on content strategy, accessibility, and SEO

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This episode is brought to you by our friends at Mindpower:

​​Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is sponsored by our friends at Mindpower- a full-service marketing and branding firm celebrating nearly thirty years of needle-moving, thought-provoking, research-fueled creative and strategy. Mindpower is women-founded and owned, WBENC certified, nationally recognized, and serves the social sector – higher education, healthcare, non-profits, and more. The Mindpower team is made up of strategists, storytellers, and experience creators. From market research to brand campaigns to recruitment to fundraising, the agency exists to empower clients, amplify brands, and help institutions find a strategic way forward. Learn more about Mindpower here! 

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