Concrete Industry Management (CIM) Program at California State University, Chico

FOCUS AREA: Enrollment Growth and Higher Education Marketing

The Challenge

Chico State’s Concrete Industry Management program—a unique, industry-driven degree—faced a challenge familiar to many niche academic programs: visibility and enrollment. Despite strong outcomes, including 100% job placement opportunities and an average starting salary of $85,000, awareness among prospective students remained lower than desired, particularly when compared to larger, more traditional programs like construction management.

The primary goal was clear: increase the number of students enrolling in the CIM degree and help it continue to grow. The secondary objective was to raise awareness of CIM as a premier management degree that bridges the gap between business and hands-on industry experience.

Concrete Industry Management students in front of the O'Connell Technology Center at Chico State
Concrete Industry Management (CIM) at Chico State Scholarship Flyer

Our Solution

Blue Flamingo began working with CIM in 2023 as its dedicated marketing arm, implementing a multi-channel recruitment strategy that complemented Chico State’s broader brand and CIM’s existing recruiting process, all while focusing on CIM’s unique value proposition: “From Concrete to C-Suite.”

Our approach emphasized storytelling through students, alumni, and industry partnerships—humanizing the program and connecting it to tangible career outcomes. We developed a comprehensive annual marketing calendar, segmenting communications to reach students at the right moment in their decision-making journey.

Key Tactics Included:

  • Email Recruitment Campaigns: Personalized messages targeted to specific audiences with tailored calls to action. Over 10,000 total email touches delivered in 2025 with high open and engagement rates.
  • Text Messaging Campaigns: Targeted texts sent to prospective and accepted students. These included personal messages from student ambassadors and reminders to enroll, attend events, or explore CIM opportunities.
  • Social Media and Digital Ads: Campaigns emphasizing CIM’s hands-on learning, paid internships, and career placement outcomes. The “I am CIM” series showcased real students sharing why they chose CIM—driving strong engagement and visibility across Instagram and LinkedIn.
  • Video Storytelling: Produced testimonial-style videos featuring students, alumni, and faculty to communicate the real-world impact of the CIM experience.
  • Recruitment Events: On-campus visits, industry presentations, and personalized outreach at key decision-making moments.
  • Print and Digital Collateral: Designed flyers, thank-you cards, and recruiting materials to align with Chico State’s brand standards and reinforce campaign messaging.
  • Automated Follow-Up Sequences: A consistent multi-touch system—email, text, and social—for every prospective student to maintain momentum from inquiry to enrollment.

The Results

  • 64% increase in enrollment between the 2024 and 2025 semesters—the largest single-year growth in program history.
  • 31,000+ total touchpoints across email, text, and social media in one campaign cycle.
  • Significant increase in awareness and engagement, with the “I Am CIM” campaign driving higher social media reach and retention among accepted students.
  • Clearer articulation of CIM’s differentiators—hands-on learning, business minor integration, and immediate career pathways—leading to improved perception and conversion among both students and parents.

Why It Matters

The Chico State CIM program is one of only five in the nation and plays a vital role in preparing the next generation of concrete industry leaders. By modernizing recruitment communications and meeting students where they are—through mobile, social, and story-driven content—Blue Flamingo helped translate CIM’s proven academic and career success into measurable enrollment growth.

This collaboration demonstrates how strategic marketing can elevate a specialized degree into a nationally recognized opportunity for business-minded students who want hands-on impact and management-level careers.