Leading higher education firm will accelerate digital transformation across traditional undergraduate enrollment, graduate programs, online programs, and alumni engagement and fundraising
May 2, 2019—RNL, the leading provider of higher education enrollment, student success, and fundraising solutions, today announced its strategic acquisition of Converge, the digital marketing firm for higher education.
The acquisition of Converge allows RNL to amplify its solutions for college student recruitment and marketing, especially with graduate, online, and continuing education students. The graduate and online market will become increasingly important for colleges and universities in the future as students choose how to consume content and credentials and skills become more important. Converge’s focus on the graduate and online population is a core piece of its business. Over the past seven years Converge has partnered with graduate and online programs from leading business schools to engineering programs, new certificate programs, and top-ranked brands. Converge brings its extensive experience working with 300+ programs, proving tremendous ROI for graduate and online learners to RNL.
“We are thrilled to become part of RNL and enable colleges and universities to take advantage of our combined expertise. The combination of Converge’s top-notch digital expertise and RNL’s research and follow up post-inquiry is the perfect solution to proving ROI,” said Ann Oleson, founder and CEO of Converge. “The leadership team at RNL is dialed into what is ‘new and next’ and invested in the future of higher education. That includes understanding that graduate, online, and continuing education will only become more important in the future as people look to gain additional certifications and knowledge and employers expect a different level of sophistication.”
The acquisition also enhances RNL’s digital marketing capabilities within its omnichannel solutions for enrollment and fundraising—including AI chat, digital engagement centers, digital advertising, and ultra-personalized experiences for prospective students and donors. With the Converge acquisition, RNL adds the agency’s digital solutions and insights, especially Converge’s ability to curate cross-channel campaigns that power successful enrollment and fundraising strategies.
“The constant state of digital transformation makes it challenging for colleges and universities to provide the online experiences their constituents expect,” said Sumit Nijhawan, president and CEO of RNL. “With this acquisition and subsequent elevation of RNL’s capabilities, we will transform the ability of campuses to engage prospective students and donors on any device, across any channel, at any time. This 24/7, omnichannel, personalized engagement plays an essential role in helping institutions increase their connections with students and alumni, maximize their enrollment and fundraising results, and remain sustainable in an increasingly challenging higher education environment.”
To learn more about RNL’s acquisition of Converge and how it benefits higher education, visit RuffaloNL.com/Converge.
About RNL
RNL is the leading provider of higher education enrollment, student success, and fundraising solutions. More than 1,900 colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations rely on RNL for advanced analytics, personalized engagement, and industry-leading insights to achieve their missions. The firm is focused on the entire lifecycle of enrollment and fundraising, assuring students find the right college or university, graduate on time, secure their first job in their chosen field, and give back to support the next generation. RNL conferences, research reports, papers, and articles help clients stay on top of current trends. Learn more at www.RuffaloNL.com.
About Converge
Converge is the digital agency for education. They leverage data-driven digital marketing practices to connect the next generation of learners with best-fit institutions and programs, developing sound strategy and translating it into campaigns that deliver ROI. Converge has worked with 100 institutions and more than 300 programs for digital advertising, content and communications, data analytics and reporting, website strategy and optimization, and strategic consulting. They offer experience in education, experience in digital, and experience with inbound. Learn more at www.convergeconsulting.org.