The mission of Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) is to provide a world-class, culturally-competent, health sciences education to the population they serve, through innovative adaptive learning environments focused on the success of its students to become ethical practitioners and scientists. The PHSU vision is to build on its reputation as a prestigious academic and research leader educating underrepresented, diverse populations while focusing research efforts on solving global health disparities.
A Healthy Partnership in St. Louis
The Challenge
As a newer option in the academic arena, PHSU needed a partner to help drive awareness and engagement for the brand. Given its commitment to helping provide a top tier education to underserved communities, the brand wanted to hit the ground running; getting in front of potential students early in their decision making process. Awareness was a big concern for the brand, but it wasn’t the only challenge. In addition to driving traffic, we need to help guide these users through to conversion; generating student inquiries for the admissions team. We also needed to differentiate the brand and educate the students on some of the more novel curriculum options.
Additionally, we needed to help create user paths for students at various points of the educational journey. Some students may look to PHSU as an alternative educational opportunity while they work toward a more traditional medical degree. All of the messaging and advertising took the various student needs into account.


The Approach & Solution
Seafoam approached this challenge by first developing a deep understanding of the unique demographic involved. Our team toured the facility, met with students and faculty, and immersed ourselves in the environment to better understand both the audience and the brand’s goals. From there, we evaluated existing campaigns and worked closely with the brand to optimize budgets—ultimately saving an average of six figures per year while achieving a stronger return on investment.
We also led a comprehensive reorganization of the website, creating clearer user paths and reworking the site’s content to be more concise, accurate, and easy to understand. In collaboration with outside partners, we developed new graphics and brand assets that could be used consistently across all channels. To further elevate the brand’s presence, we produced original photography for the website, internal resources, and social media platforms.
On the analytics and performance side, we resolved source and medium attribution issues, enabling more accurate and comprehensive reporting. We established monthly working meetings dedicated to reviewing performance data, refining ad messaging, and adjusting budgets to ensure every dollar was spent effectively. In parallel, we worked with the team to build a clear, cohesive brand style across social media.
Finally, our partnership extended beyond digital efforts. We joined PHSU at several major university events, engaging directly with students and capturing photography that helped humanize the brand and strengthen its connection with the campus community.
