Student attention is scarce—and losing it can cost universities enrollments. Everspring announced today that its campaign with the University of North Texas (UNT) has won a Bronze Telly Award in the Educational Institution Campaign category. The animated series delivers bold, character-driven content at a pivotal moment in the student journey: after acceptance, before enrollment. By engaging students when it matters most, the campaign does more than tell a story—it drives action. For colleges and universities facing 40% melt rates, it’s a powerful proof point that smart content, strategically timed, can turn admitted students into enrolled students.
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television production, placing winners alongside creative content from globally recognized brands including Netflix, Adobe, and Microsoft.
Beth Hollenberg, Chief Executive Officer of Everspring, shared, "Higher education is experiencing a fundamental shift in how students consume and engage with content. Students need to be drawn in immediately, and if they're not, enrollment suffers. This award validates our approach: higher-quality, more engaging content directly correlates with stronger student outcomes."
The award-winning campaign addresses a persistent challenge in higher education: up to 40% of accepted students never enroll, according to the National College Attainment Network, often due to disengagement during the critical period between acceptance and orientation.
Strategic Storytelling Drives Results
The campaign strategically targets the engagement gap between acceptance and first advising appointment, a period that often results in decreased enrollment momentum.
Key elements of the award-winning campaign include:
- Character-driven storytelling featuring UNT's beloved mascots, Scrappy and Lucky, as student guides through essential pre-orientation steps
- Strategic timing targeting the critical engagement gap between acceptance and first advising appointment—a period that often results in decreased enrollment
- Industry-wide impact addressing the critical retention challenge where up to 40% of accepted students never enroll, according to the National College Attainment Network, often due to disengagement during pre-orientation periods
Proven Creative Excellence in Higher Education
This recognition builds on Everspring's track record of creative excellence in higher education, representing the company's continued commitment to developing content that doesn't just inform—but engages and converts admitted students into enrolled students.
For institutional leaders navigating shifting student expectations, this award represents validation that creative, character-driven content can deliver both engagement and measurable results in addressing one of higher education's most persistent challenges.
About Everspring
Everspring is a technology-first strategy and services partner to higher education. We help colleges and universities identify and own their most critical points of leverage—applying technology and know-how to solve urgent challenges, capture growth opportunities, and build lasting market advantage. Our proprietary platforms, performance-driven campaigns, and hands-on advisory capabilities help institutions grow enrollment, adapt to disruption, and stay visible in an AI-first world.
Learn more at www.everspringpartners.com.