The Challenge
Portland State University offers more than 100 graduate programs, each with its own academic focus, content, and prospective student audience. However, the Graduate School’s existing Slate applicant portal consisted primarily of the platform’s default status page.
Although applicants could view basic application information, the portal did not provide the personalized, engaging experience Portland State wanted to deliver after an application was submitted. The Graduate School needed a way to maintain applicants’ interest throughout the decision process while connecting them with information specific to the program to which they had applied.
The team also wanted to improve its yield communications and streamline several administrative processes that were occurring outside Slate, including the collection and delivery of documents required for international students’ I-20s.
Why Portland State Chose SIG
Portland State had seen the results of applicant portal work SIG had completed for another department at the university. Based on that experience and the positive feedback surrounding SIG’s Slate expertise, the Graduate School selected SIG to help design and implement its new portal.
From the beginning, SIG established a project timeline, identified deliverables, and clarified the actions and content required from Portland State’s team. The process was highly collaborative, with ongoing conversations about the portal design, functionality, and the needs of its many stakeholders.
The Solution
SIG worked with Portland State to transform its basic Slate status page into a comprehensive graduate applicant experience.
A Personalized, Program-Specific Portal
Because graduate applicants are primarily interested in the individual programs to which they have applied, Portland State wanted the portal to feature relevant, program-specific content. SIG designed the portal to display information tailored to applicants across more than 100 graduate programs. This allowed the Graduate School to continue engaging students after application submission and throughout the period leading to enrollment.
The new portal was designed to feel more like an interactive application than a traditional status page. Clearly defined sections help applicants navigate information, complete next steps, and remain connected with Portland State.
The design also adheres closely to the university’s established visual brand, providing applicants with a consistent and recognizable Portland State experience.
“There was no experience before,” said Mary Breaden, Director for Graduate Admissions, Marketing and Communications at Portland State. “It was just the default status page in Slate. We made it a whole experience.”
A More Strategic Yield Campaign
In addition to redesigning the applicant portal, SIG helped Portland State develop a yield campaign based on applicant checklist activity and key enrollment milestones.
SIG created seven new email templates featuring different layouts and calls to action. The templates gave the Graduate School more visually engaging and thoughtful ways to communicate with applicants.
The work also inspired Portland State to reconsider how design could be used across additional drip campaigns for prospective students and applicants.
“I’m thrilled with the results of those email templates,” Breaden said. “They look so good. We’ve been inspired to take those templates and rethink our drip campaigns and how we engage inquiries and applicants.”
Better Visibility into Applicant Intent
The new portal and checklist experience provide Portland State with greater insight into where applicants are in the enrollment process.
When an admitted student has not accepted an offer, the team can review the student’s portal and checklist activity. Rather than continuing to send automated reminders, Portland State can identify when personal outreach from an academic program may be more effective.
This gives the Graduate School a clearer signal that an applicant may have an unresolved question or concern requiring individual attention.
A Streamlined I-20 Process
SIG also helped Portland State move its international student I-20 process into Slate.
Previously managed outside the portal, the process now uses a checklist and material items to inform international students of required documents, including passports and financial statements.
Once the university approves the request, the completed I-20 document is delivered directly through the applicant portal, and the student receives an automated Slate notification.
This centralized workflow creates a more convenient experience for international students while reducing manual work for Portland State’s staff.
“That was a huge efficiency that we built into the project,” Breaden noted.
A Collaborative Approach
Portland State’s core project team included Breaden and the Graduate School’s Slate captain. Breaden provided strategic, communication, and user-experience direction, while the Slate captain helped translate between technical Slate terminology and the team’s broader operational needs.
Representatives from individual graduate programs also contributed content and feedback to ensure the portal reflected the needs of applicants across the university.
Throughout the engagement, SIG provided consistent communication, project documentation, and opportunities for review and testing. When elements did not fully meet Portland State’s expectations, SIG worked with the team to refine them.
“I really appreciated that the people I worked with took the time,” Breaden said. “There was good communication when things weren’t quite as I wanted or needed them to be.”
The Results
Through its work with SIG, Portland State University replaced a basic application status page with an engaging, branded, and program-specific graduate applicant experience.
The Graduate School can now:
• Deliver personalized content across more than 100 graduate programs.
• Keep applicants engaged from application submission through enrollment.
• Use portal and checklist activity to guide more strategic yield outreach.
• Provide applicants with clearer next steps and calls to action.
• Deliver more visually engaging email communications.
• Manage international student I-20 documentation within Slate.
• Reduce reliance on disconnected, manual processes.
• Identify when personal outreach may be more effective than another automated email.
The project has also given the Graduate School a strong foundation for future enhancements to its Slate environment and broader applicant communication strategy.
The SIG Experience
For Breaden, the quality of the working relationship was just as important as the finished portal. “Everyone I worked with was extremely professional, responsive and clear. The documentation was really helpful, and the entire process was very smooth.”
By combining Slate technical expertise, thoughtful design, and a collaborative implementation approach, SIG helped Portland State create a more meaningful applicant experience while giving its Graduate School new tools to support engagement, yield, and enrollment.
