The Top 10 Conversation Intelligence Wins of 2025

The moments that mattered. The outcomes that moved. The conversations that did the work.

In 2025, higher ed didn’t just send messages. It created momentum; one question answered, one appointment confirmed, one student supported, one alumnus re-engaged at a time.

Here are the Top 10 Conversation Intelligence wins of 2025, pulled from this year’s customer stories.

Carnegie Mellon

1. Alumni replies up 170%

Carnegie Mellon proved that when you treat outreach like a relationship, not a broadcast, alumni respond. Big time: responses increased by 170%.

The Takeaway: Alumni engagement isn’t dead. It just hates generic messages.

2. A 178% lift in social reach

Those replies didn’t stay in the inbox. They fueled a bigger storytelling loop, driving a 178% increase in Instagram impressions.

The Takeaway: Conversations don’t end at “reply.” They turn into community.

Presbyterian College

3. One Giving Day text → $27,751

Presbyterian College showed what happens when you catch donors at the exact right moment. One message drove $27,751.

The Takeaway: Timing + clarity = instant action.

4. Giving Day totals—902 donors and $390,000 raised

Same story, bigger scale: 902 donors and $390,000 raised, beating goals by 150+ donors.

The Takeaway: Text doesn’t just remind. Text converts.

Duke Children’s / Duke Health

5. Real-time stewardship → a $5,000 gift

Stewardship isn’t just “thanks.” It’s responsiveness. Duke Children’s team at Duke Health used real-time back-and-forth engagement that helped lead to a $5,000 check.

The Takeaway: Speed can be the difference between “thinking about it” and “done.”

Defiance College

6. No-shows cut dramatically

Defiance College tackled a persistent retention challenge, student no-shows, by layering helpful reminders into real conversations. Their conduct process shifted from ~50% no-shows to nearly all students showing up the first time.

The Takeaway: The right reminder feels like support, not spam.

7. 100% housing form compliance

Another Defiance win: 100% housing form compliance, turning a “chase” into a predictable, trackable workflow.

The Takeaway: When it’s important, email informs; text completes.

Brenau University

8. Giving Day donations up 300%+

Brenau University used Mongoose to promote Giving Day and saw a 300%+ increase in Giving Day donations.

The Takeaway: When the message is timely (and the ask is clear), donors don’t just engage, they show up.

Kettering University

9. Deposits up 60%

Kettering University saw a 60% increase in deposits, a direct reflection of what happens when enrollment communication is timely, human, and easy for students to respond to.

The Takeaway: Yield happens when confusion doesn’t.

“If we want students to do something, we text. Emails are ignored. Mongoose makes everything easier—for us and them.”

Matt Fortescue, Director of Enrollment, Kettering University

Belmont University

10. 10%+ reply rates year-round + predictive enrollment signals

Belmont University maintained 10%+ reply rates year-round, and used student responses as early indicators to prioritize outreach and forecast outcomes.

The Takeaway: Replies aren’t just engagement, they’re intelligence.

“We’re trying to be surgical… protect our opt-out rate, and increase reply rate through relevance.”

Lindsey Hurst, Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communications, BElmont university

Honorable Mentions: Customer Moments That Capture the “Why”

Because behind every workflow is a real person trying to help a student (or alumnus) feel supported:

“Texting through Mongoose feels personal and consistent—students know there’s a real person on the other end.”

Lisa Gardner, Director of Student Success and Advising, Montcalm Community College

“The chatbot fills a huge gap in after-hours support. Students feel heard, even when we’re not there.”

Lisa Cline, Title III LASSO Project Director, Northwestern Oklahoma State University

“We don’t have 4,500 staff members. But with Mongoose, we’re giving 4,500 students the experience of someone who cares.”

Brian Sondey, Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success, Dutchess Community College

What These Wins Have in Common

Across Admissions, Student Success, and Advancement, the pattern is consistent:

• Two-way beats one-way.
• Relevance beats volume.
• Fast + human beats polished + late.
• Insight beats guesswork.

Conversation Intelligence doesn’t just help teams send messages. It helps them understand what’s working and do more of it.

Want to Turn Your Insights into Wins?

See how Conversation Intelligence can help your team boost replies, reduce friction, and drive real outcomes across Admissions, Student Success, and Advancement.

Book a demo to learn the best practices, and how to apply them at your institution.

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