Blue Water Middle College
The Blue Water Middle College (BWMC) offers students the opportunity to take college courses at St. Clair County Community College and earn college credit while still in high school.
To raise enrollment, we decided to take a student-first approach, emphasizing the independence and control the BWMC offers students. The Middle College saw an influx of students in the 2025 Fall semester, raising their enrollment numbers by 15% from the year prior. 2025 was the first year the BWMC saw a rise in enrollment numbers since 2023
Student Perspectives
Within the community, there is a popular misconception that the BWMC is better suited to students who don’t plan to continue to pursue higher education after graduation, but that’s not what the numbers say. More than half of BWMC students continue on to four-year universities after graduating.
To dispel this notion, I interviewed three students—each with their own unique educational backgrounds and goals—to give real testimonies of their experience with the Middle College. Then, I edited together the video above to be shared on YouTube, FaceBook, and Instagram.
Alongside this video, I created a series of social posts—the content pulled from student surveys—to be shared on the BWMC’s socials. These posts highlighted students’ positive experiences with the Middle College and addressed come of the concerns incoming students might have about college-level coursework and time management.
Social Media Overhaul
The BWMC had a social media presence, but their posting was sparse and their visual style was inconsistent and outdated. The first step in generating more recognition for the program was creating a visual style that reflected the people they were speaking to, and bringing that visual style to their socials.
To connect with a younger audience, I opted for vibrant gradients and bold sans-serif text to convey dates effectively and catch the eyes of students—both those already enrolled in the program and those outside of it. I’ve included some sample posts below for reference.
I also created a vertical animated video to be posted on reels. This animation adhered more closely to the established BWMC branding, while pulling elements from the style developed for their social media to create something that would reinforce brand identity while still being eye-catching enough to pull in younger viewers and adhering to the newer style.
BWMC Student Mailing
The mailing above was sent to students who had filled out an interest survey, opting for a bolder, more youthful, illustrative style that would appeal to teens while providing information about cost savings and transfer credits that would catch the eyes of their parents.