Babson College Kerry Murphy Healey Center Digital Strategy

Digital Marketing – Campaign Promotion

Highlights

  • 80% YoY growth in completed applications for the 2025 SUD Sprint
  • 240% attendance increase for 2025 virtual Open House compared to prior cycle
  • First SUD Networking Event united alumni, investors, clinicians, and Babson partners on campus
  • Launched the SUD Health Entrepreneur Network for year-round mentorship
  • Created Kerry Murphy Healey Center LinkedIn Page, grew folllowing from 0 to 2,000+
  • LinkedIn community increased 47% (Aug ’24 – Aug ’25) while SUD Sprint pageviews more than 180%
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Background

The Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation & Entrepreneurship is Babson College’s hub for healthcare entrepreneurship, giving students and faculty hands-on experience turning research into viable ventures. To help commercialize breakthroughs that tackle the opioid crisis, KMH partnered with the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to create the Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Sprint—an intensive, week-long boot camp that guides scientists and early-stage founders from lab insight to market plan.

The Kerry Murphy Healey Center turned to StitchDX to launch the inaugural Sprint and provide ongoing marketing, applicant-pipeline growth, and community-engagement support. Our shared mission: attract top SUD innovators, deliver real-world entrepreneurial lessons, and build a lasting network that nurtures alumni long after the program ends.

Approach

Targeted Database Growth
We researched and expanded KMH’s network of SUD-focused contacts from universities, innovation hubs, recovery institutes, and NIH grantees — beginning before the program launch and continuing throughout the campaign.

Multi-Touch Email Nurture
A sequenced email strategy kept prospective applicants engaged at every milestone — opening, early-decision, and final deadline. After the cohort was selected, we shifted the focus to promoting the inaugural SUD Networking Event, driving registrations and on-campus attendance.

Content & Channel Mix
We kept the conversation active across multiple channels with recap blogs, founder spotlights, and short video clips shared on LinkedIn and partner platforms. “Live from the Open House” posts boosted real-time visibility and energy.

Community Layer
The on-campus Networking Event officially launched the SUD Health Entrepeneur Network, turning one-off event connections into a continuous circle of support for alumni, investors, and mentors.

Results

Stronger Application Funnel
Completed submissions rose 80% year-over-year, with nearly as many in-progress drafts ready for next cycle consideration.

Engaged Pre-Applicant Audience
Open-House attendance surged 240%, and SUD-Sprint pageviews climbed 180% during the campaign window.

Growing Digital Community
LinkedIn followers increased 47% despite platform algorithm changes, with engagement trending upward throughout the cycle.

First-Ever SUD Networking Event
Brought together alumni, investors, clinicians, and Babson partners — seeding mentor matches, investor conversations, and next year’s applicant pool.

Sustained Momentum
A repeatable, data-driven playbook — combining database expansion, phased email outreach, and partner amplification — now turns awareness into applications and alumni into long-term champions.