How NWOSU Offers 24/7 Student Support with Web Chat

Download the Full Case Study

Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) is a four-year public university in Alva, Oklahoma, serving a diverse student population across rural communities. To strengthen retention and persistence, NWOSU opened the LASSO Center, a one-stop shop for academic coaching, advising, and student services. As part of its Title III SIP grant, the university adopted Mongoose to support students at scale, especially outside office hours.

The challenge: No help after hours

NWOSU’s student success team, led by Lisa Cline, Title III LASSO Project Director, is small. Students had a hard time finding key information on an outdated website, email often went unanswered, and staff had little visibility into what students needed, especially after hours. Getting help usually meant an in-person visit or a phone call.

The team needed real-time support that was available around the clock and could route questions to the right department.

Why NWOSU chose Mongoose Web Chat

NWOSU launched AI-powered Web Chat alongside live chat, without adding staff. Lisa’s team uses it in a few key ways:

• Reviewing transcripts to track common questions about housing, enrollment, meal plans, and advising
• Stepping in with live support when an answer falls short or a student needs a personal touch
• Promoting Web Chat at orientation, LASSO Center tours, and onboarding Zoom sessions
• Asking students to rate answers with a thumbs up or down, so responses keep improving

“I log into it every day to see what people are asking. It helps us understand student needs, and often lets us intervene before someone gets frustrated or lost.”

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

Always-on support, with a person behind it

Students now get answers at any hour, from enrollment deadlines to dorm questions to password resets, even at 4 a.m. When Web Chat can’t find an answer, it points students to the LASSO Center, which reinforces NWOSU’s one-stop-shop model.

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

– Lisa Cline

Personal follow-up from real staff

When students leave messages, LASSO staff follow up by phone or email. Some students are surprised to hear from a real person, and it’s helped build NWOSU’s reputation for responsiveness.

“A student messaged that he changed his mind about the military and wanted to attend college. I called him right away and helped him get started. It was that fast.”

– Lisa Cline

A smoother path to enrollment

Web Chat also helps prospective students move forward. It points them to the right academic advisors, shares onboarding resources like orientation videos, helps international students find program information, and routes questions to the LASSO Center for personal support.

“The chatbot helps with one of the biggest hurdles: Who do I contact to enroll? And it makes the website easier to navigate while we work on a full redesign.”

– Lisa Cline

An extension of campus

Web Chat has become part of NWOSU’s tight-knit campus. Community members and staff use it too, to find event information and internal forms.

“We’re in a small town, and we pride ourselves on service. The chatbot helps us scale that personalized experience, even online.”

– Lisa Cline

What made the difference

• 24/7 answers with human follow-up. Support at any hour, with a person when one’s needed.
• Conversation insights. Trends in student questions and seasonal needs.
• Cross-department support. Housing, enrollment, athletics, and more.
• Culture fit. Matches NWOSU’s values of responsiveness, mentorship, and community care.

Looking ahead

With a new website on the way, Lisa’s team plans to add documents Web Chat can draw on, like department advising lists and application timelines, so students get better answers faster. They also plan to bring Web Chat into more of the student lifecycle.

“We call ourselves a one-stop shop, and the chatbot helps us prove it.”

– Lisa Cline

Download the Full Case Study

For a two-page summary of NWOSU’s results to share with your team, download the NWOSU case study (PDF).

Want to see what Web Chat could do for your student support teams? Book a demo.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does NWOSU offer 24/7 student support?

NWOSU uses Mongoose Web Chat to answer student questions at any hour, from enrollment deadlines to dorm questions to password resets. When Web Chat can’t answer, it sends students to the LASSO Center, and staff follow up by phone or email.

What is the LASSO Center?

It’s NWOSU’s one-stop shop for academic coaching, advising, and student services, built to strengthen retention and persistence. Mongoose was adopted as part of the university’s Title III SIP grant.

How does NWOSU use chat data?

Lisa Cline reviews conversations every day to see what students are asking, spot trends and seasonal needs, and follow up before students get frustrated or lost.

Does Web Chat help with enrollment?

Yes. It points prospective students to the right advisors, shares orientation resources, and helps international students find program information.

Did NWOSU need to add staff?

No. NWOSU launched Web Chat and live chat without adding staff.

What’s next for NWOSU?

As NWOSU launches a new website, the team plans to add advising lists and application timelines that Web Chat can draw on, and to expand it into more of the student lifecycle.