Why Ferris State University Chose Parchment to Streamline Dual Enrollment

Learn why Ferris State University chose Parchment Dual Enrollment to help them streamline their dual enrollment operations, increase transparency with districts and learners, and maximize the growth of their program.

Background

With the goal of supporting all learner pathways, Parchment launched their dual enrollment solution in 2023. In March of 2024, Ferris State University selected Parchment to streamline their dual enrollment operations, increase transparency with districts and learners, and maximize the growth of their program.

Exploring a Solution

Like many institutions across the United States, Ferris State University has seen incredible growth in their dual enrollment program. Dr. Deedee Stakley, Director of the FerrisNow Program, shares the extent of their growth, “When I got to Ferris State in 2011, we had just over 100 traditional dual enrolled students. Today, we serve about 1,000 students per semester with the goal of tripling that number over the next several years.”

While the growth is astounding, it presents operational challenges. Deedee explains, “We are trying to streamline a couple of areas to support our growth plans. We need a better way to track students throughout the application and enrollment process. Today, we are operating in massive spreadsheets. We are communicating via email and phone with our district partners. A lot of our processes are manual and tedious. We knew there had to be a better way so we began looking for the right partner to help us.”

Partnering With Parchment

With the clear goal of streamlining their operations, Deedee began looking for a solution. Once she heard that Parchment offered a dual enrollment solution, she was intrigued. Deedee explains, “Parchment is a known entity. Our district partners are familiar with Parchment, students are comfortable with Parchment, and we already have a working relationship with Parchment. That was really important to us as we think about scale. Dual enrollment is a unique space for students and families, to be enrolled in both high school and college. It can be daunting. We want to make it as easy as possible to navigate the process.”

Ultimately, Parchment’s dual enrollment solution offered what Ferris State University was looking for – the ability to integrate with their Student Information System, automated workflows, and transparent reporting. Deedee shares, “The technology will allow us to serve more students without the added stress. To move from manual processes to just a few clicks will be a huge benefit.”

Expected Impact

Ferris State University will launch Parchment’s solution in the Spring term. Because dual enrollment is a highly collaborative ecosystem, it’s hard to overstate the importance of what this could mean for Ferris State’s high school partners. Deedee explains, “We think this is going to really change how we work with our district partners. To be on the same system and to see the same data is a game-changer. No more emailing back and forth, no more spreadsheets.”

With aggressive growth targets on the horizon, Ferris State envisions a system that provides them the tools to confidently expand offerings to students, while minimizing the challenges of that growth. As Deedee puts it, scalability is a paramount. She says, “Parchment will allow us to create efficiencies and processes that are sustainable, which allows us to continue to grow and expand our opportunities in a systematic way.”

There’s always more to learn.