From Complexity to Clarity: Strengthening Market Position at CSB+SJU

THE CHALLENGE:

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB+SJU)—two Catholic Benedictine institutions an hour north of Minneapolis—have long offered a distinctive model: a women’s college and a men’s college, located 6 miles apart, where students take classes across both campuses. While this structure fostered a rich, interconnected learning experience, it also complicated market understanding and contributed to enrollment challenges amid regional demographic decline.

In 2022, CSB+SJU came under a single leadership structure for the first time in their history. A new president and chief operating officer joined a long-serving provost to form a unified team. Having recently undertaken an academic prioritization process, leadership was prepared to move the institution toward a sustainable strategy for growth and clarity of mission. At the same time, the colleges faced a discerning board that expected rigorous evidence to guide decisions, and a faculty community seeking renewed direction after a difficult period of contraction. Leadership recognized the need for a strategy that could unite the campuses, energize stakeholders, invest in the student experience, and be grounded in credible, data-driven insight.

OUR SOLUTION:

Art & Science Group partnered with CSB+SJU’s leadership to understand how prospective students perceived the colleges’ dual-campus model, Catholic, Benedictine identity, and academic experience. Through proprietary research methodology, we explored potential strategic approaches designed to clarify the colleges’ shared value proposition and strengthen their position in the market.

Our analysis revealed that while individual initiatives—such as expanded experiential learning, inclusive excellence, and enhanced advising—had modest impact alone, their combined impact was significant. When integrated into a cohesive, purpose-driven framework, these elements produced substantial modeled gains in student interest and matriculation. Pairing Benedictine values of reflection and community with universal access to experiential and career learning opportunities proved particularly resonant. 

These findings informed the creation of True North Journey, a four-year signature experience that connects every student’s academic, co-curricular, and professional development through intentional advising, reflection, and real-world application. Rooted in the colleges’ liberal arts tradition, the program helps students explore questions of purpose while integrating career preparation with reflection on vocation and the pursuit of the “Good Life for the Common Good.”

Throughout the engagement, campus leadership worked purposefully to engage faculty and other campus stakeholders—in an inclusive approach that helped reenergize the academic community and build shared ownership of the strategy. Meanwhile, the research process itself provided the data and clarity needed to earn the confidence of a discerning board—transforming initial skepticism into strong support for a unified path.

As CSB+SJU prepare to launch True North Journey in Fall 2026, they are advancing with renewed cohesion and purpose—grounded in mission, guided by evidence, and united under a shared vision for the future.