Fall Back in Session: How Universities Are Using Mobile Passes to Spark Student Engagement This August

Why August Is a Critical Moment for Student Belonging

For enrollment and student affairs teams, the first few weeks of the fall semester aren’t just about logistics — they’re about make-or-break moments to create connections that last a lifetime. According to Inside Higher Ed, nearly 1 in 4 first-year students don’t return after their first year — and lack of engagement is one of the biggest drivers of attrition.

The opportunity? Use the back-to-campus window to foster immediate belonging through intentional, interactive programming.

That’s where tools like Bandwango are helping. Our mobile passes give institutions a fast, flexible way to engage incoming new students, drive campus exploration, and gamify engagement — all while collecting opt-ins and behavior data that can inform future outreach. Students today crave personalization and interactive mobile experiences, and Bandwango’s solution directly speaks to that need.

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Live Now: University of Montana’s Orientation Pass

At the University of Montana, the student affairs and enrollment management team rolled out an innovative Bandwango-powered Big Sky Experience (BSE) pass, an orientation pass, this August. The genius of their rollout is that it excites and engages students before they even set foot on campus for their in-person orientation week, the Big Sky Experience, and then once the students are on campus, it guides them to key campus locations and orientation events, where the students check in for prizes and perks — while helping the student affairs and enrollment management team track participation and gather feedback in real-time. 

Another smart move from the University of Montana team is keeping the orientation momentum alive by immediately launching a First-Year Experience Pass to the same students. This pass encourages them to join events throughout their first year — building engagement that carries all the way to graduation.

“The Big Sky Experience Pass has transformed how we connect with students before they even arrive,” said Hailey Roduner, Assistant Director for New Student Success at the University of Montana. “It gives them a fun, interactive way to start exploring campus life early, and we’ve already seen incredible participation and excitement from our incoming students. Partnering with Bandwango has allowed us to seamlessly extend that momentum into the First-Year Experience Pass — keeping students engaged, connected, and part of the Griz community from day one through graduation — and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this partnership.”

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Why it works:

• Builds excitement even before students set foot on campus 
• Encourages participation in orientation events and the exploration of the surrounding campus area
• Creates a fun, low-pressure entry point into student life
• The University captures all the check-in data and then uses it to target specialized messaging based on behavior

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Other Smart Ways Universities Are Using Bandwango This Fall‍

From campus life to community engagement, our higher ed partners are finding new ways to keep students, alumni, and fans connected all season long:

• Visit & Explore Passes – Self-guided campus tours, virtual tours, and curated “day in the life” experiences that blend campus highlights with local attractions.
• Alumni & Homecoming Passes – Reunion events, nostalgia-themed quizzes, and special access to games or gatherings to reconnect grads with their alma mater.
• Athletics Check-In Rewards – Track game-day attendance, promote NIL initiatives, and reward fans for supporting teams and players.
• Event QR Code Check-Ins – From lectures to concerts, collect digital check-ins for raffles, badges, or points toward prizes.
• Local Perks & Discount Passes – Partner with nearby businesses to give students exclusive deals and encourage off-campus exploration.

Every pass can be updated in real time, themed to your event, and tracked with built-in analytics — making it easy to measure engagement and keep your audience coming back.

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The Fall Engagement Playbook for Student Affairs & Admissions

1. Audit Your Engagement Lineup
   Review Welcome Week, first-year traditions, and milestone events. Identify where mobile passes can add interactivity and extend engagement from pre-arrival through graduation.
   
2. Map Campus & Community Connections
   Include landmarks, buildings, events and merchants that tie students to both campus life and the surrounding community.
   
3. Build & Launch in Days (Not Months)
   Our Experience Builder helps design and deploy your pass fast — no IT tickets, long timelines, or complex integrations required.
   
4. Keep the Momentum Going
   Introduce sophomore, junior, and senior-year tradition passes to sustain excitement and reinforce connection at every stage.
   
5. Track in Real Time
   See what’s working with instant check-in data, heat maps, and participation reports.
   
6. Re-Market to Engaged Users
   Follow up with text messages, event invites, loyalty rewards, or special offers to deepen relationships year after year.
   

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Planning Fall 2025 or Spring Admitted Student Days?
Let’s build something that meets your goals and gives students a reason to explore, engage, and stay. Book a demo or check out our upcoming appearances at NACAC and AMA.

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