Spark451 Acquisition Further Strengthens Jenzabar’s Capabilities in Empowering Colleges and Universities to Recruit Right-Fit Students, Including Adult and Non-Traditional Learners, as Student Demographics Shift

Jenzabar, Inc., a leading technology innovator in higher education serving the new student, today announced that it has acquired Spark451, a full-service marketing and technology firm providing enrollment strategies for the higher education market. The acquisition comes at a time when creative and modern enrollment strategies are critical for colleges facing declining student populations, shifting learner demographics, and other emerging challenges.

This acquisition is a critical milestone as higher education institutions transform their enrollment strategies during a time of unprecedented upheaval for college admissions. With the acquisition of Spark451, Jenzabar can offer even deeper enrollment strategy expertise and full-service marketing capabilities, including more complete support for institutional enrollment, retention, operations, management, and digital transformation initiatives. The addition of Spark451’s renowned use of data and strategic marketing techniques, including analytics and predictive modeling, helps colleges build or rebuild their brands, which has proven to achieve far-reaching enrollment goals by attracting a new student demographic.

The enrollment crisis facing U.S. higher education institutions has continued amid the pandemic. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, overall undergraduate enrollment dropped by 6.6% from 2019 to 2021, representing a decline of over 1.2 million students, while community college enrollment dipped by 13%. This enrollment decline is forcing colleges of all sizes to find new ways to build their brands, achieve their enrollment goals, and create new revenue streams by attracting non-traditional students who want to secure lucrative jobs in technology, healthcare, business, and other sectors.

“The model for higher education needs to be reinvented as learner demands change,” said Ling Chai Maginn, Founder, President, and CEO of Jenzabar. “By acquiring Spark451 and bringing them into the Jenzabar Family, we can better help institutions build future-proof enrollment strategies that allow them to find, attract, and engage with their best-fit students while simultaneously extending their reach toward the fast-growing, non-traditional student population.”

“We are thrilled to join Jenzabar, a world-class organization that shares our deep commitment to helping colleges succeed and learners thrive in this new and changing world,” said Steve Kerge, CEO of Spark451. “Together, we offer an unparalleled set of solutions and services for higher education institutions, allowing schools of all types and sizes to overcome their enrollment challenges and build a roadmap to success in an otherwise turbulent market.”

Based in Westbury, NY, Spark451 specializes in enrollment marketing, student search, creative services, and digital media, serving over 200 higher education institutions. Since its inception in 2011, Spark451 has been renowned for its creative enrollment marketing strategies. Jenzabar welcomes the entire Spark451 staff and key members of the management team, including Founder and President Michael McGetrick and CEO Steve Kerge continuing in leadership roles.

According to Maginn, Jenzabar and Spark451 share a powerful commitment to innovation and digital transformation in the higher education sector, guiding schools from traditional, paper-based methods to modern, agile, and digital-first approaches. “Spark451’s deep expertise and creativity in higher education marketing complement Jenzabar’s mission to help institutions build and achieve a long-term vision for success,” Maginn said.

About Jenzabar

Created out of a passion for education and a vision for technology, Jenzabar offers disruptive, innovative software solutions and services that empower students’ success and help higher education institutions meet the demands of the modern student. Over 1,350 higher educational campuses harness Jenzabar solutions for improved performance across campus and a more personalized and connected experience for the student. For further information, please visit www.jenzabar.com or on Twitter @Jenzabar or LinkedIn.

About Spark451

Spark451 is a higher education enrollment strategy, technology, and marketing firm that combines creativity with powerful technology to achieve measurable results. With a mission to help colleges and students fuel their future, the firm integrates a multitude of communication channels and platforms for effective enrollment marketing, student search, creative services, and digital media. Since 2011, Spark451 has worked with over 200 colleges and universities nationwide.

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