CASE STUDY: Established State HBCU
How an Embedded Magellan Partnership Helped an Online State HBCU Achieve Over 700% Enrollment Growth
An established state HBCU partnered with Magellan to expand their online campus through a coordinated approach to program strategy, marketing, admissions, and student support. Working with the internal team, Magellan helped to target promising opportunities and build the enrollment infrastructure needed to seize them.
%
growth in total online enrollment from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025
growth in online undergraduate Business enrollment
growth in online MBA enrollment during 2025
%
of university-wide enrollment growth came from online programs
The Challenge
The client saw an opportunity to expand their reach by offering flexible online programs. To implement this plan, they needed to identify new programs with strong enrollment potential and create a coordinated student experience from marketing to matriculation.
The client's goals also called for additional capacity. Marketing, admissions, and student support had to be closely coordinated. Each of these functions directly determined whether prospective students enrolled and succeeded.
The Partnership
As an embedded partner, Magellan worked alongside university leaders and staff to support every stage of the student journey. The client gained comprehensive support while keeping strategy and daily operations aligned.
Magellan identified undergraduate Business as a promising area for online expansion and recommended developing the program. They helped the client make the most of this opportunity through coordinated marketing, admissions, and student support.
The embedded partnership model allowed the teams to learn and adjust together. Enrollment and admissions data and students’ reported obstacles helped to refine the university’s recruitment and support strategies. While the client gained needed capacity, they maintained institutional ownership of programs and student relationships.
The Results
Total online enrollment grew more than 700% from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025.
The online undergraduate Business program emerged as an especially strong performer. Enrollment increased nearly sixfold between Fall 2024 and Fall 2025, validating the opportunity Magellan identified during planning phases.
The online MBA also gained momentum throughout 2025. Enrollment rose steadily during the spring and summer before tripling in the fall.
This initiative’s impact rippled across the university. The client later reported that their Online Global campus accounted for 87% of the university’s overall enrollment growth.
A New Engine for Institutional Growth
The client's online campus began as a promising opportunity and became a major contributor to enrollment trajectory. Partnership with Magellan aligned high-level program decisions with the people and processes that attract, enroll, and support students.
The university has gained a repeatable model for evaluating and implementing online opportunities. The results demonstrate the value of embedded partnership with Magellan across the enrollment journey. The collaboration created both short-term gains and sustainable long-term capacity for continued growth.