About us

Campus Sonar partners with higher education focused leadership teams to guide research-led transformation. We empower leaders with social intelligence insights to develop and align their strategies with the goals of the institutions they serve. 

We use our expertise and deep industry knowledge to build connection and trust within the higher ed community, and align and elevate data-informed strategies in brand and reputation management, revenue generation, and strategic planning and organizational strategy for the clients we support.

Let's talk!

Sonarian sitting around a table with three higher ed professionals

We're not just your partner, we're your strategic expert.

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As part of your team, we work to deeply understand your priorities and questions, collaborating to define our shared vision and action plan. Along the way we increase your capacity by identifying obstacles and opportunities, and build your capabilities to empower your team and extend their expertise. 

Your partnership team includes a Principal Strategist and Analyst who are the best in their field—confident in their expertise, credible and dependable partners, connectors of ideas and people, and courageous and inquisitive in supporting your progress toward your goals.

They use our proprietary, one-of-a-kind datasets to provide context to your social listening data and insights. We have sole access to this data, including benchmarks and trend analysis that add comparisons and context to your research in a way software programs or other industry consultants aren’t capable of. This context is critical for executive decision making, strategy development and execution, and cabinet or board understanding. 

With exclusive data and an expert team, you'll move forward with guidance and support to determine direction, identify obstacles and opportunities, and share expertise and coaching to achieve continued progress.

Explore our partners

Liz and Mike

Liz Gross and Mike Moss, President of the Society for College and University Planning, presenting at the 2024 Midwest Roundtable on Talent.

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Agassy Rodriguez presenting a workshop at the University of Albany.

Liz Gross

"Our vision is for higher education to rebuild the public's trust and build authentic relationships. We'll do this by transforming universities into audience-centric organizations and preparing the next generation of higher ed leaders."

Liz Gross, Founder and CEO

Liz conference speaking

Our history.

Campus Sonar launched as a small start-up in 2017. We’re a division of Northstar Education Services™, an affiliate of Ascendium Education Group, an education solutions company that has been a trusted campus partner for 50 years. Beyond our extensive history and expertise in higher education, Ascendium Education Group has been at the forefront of social listening and market research and analysis. Dr. Liz Gross designed a social media program that emphasized the importance of online conversations as a critical source of intelligence for institutions. The program evolved into the proprietary insights and strategy we use today to transform campuses into inclusive and community-driven organizations.

The inspiration for Campus Sonar came after years of speaking and writing about the strategic impact social listening can have on colleges and universities. It became clear that social intelligence was difficult for campuses to implement on their own. After a lot of research and planning, Ascendium Education Group realized they could help campuses leverage social intelligence insights and strategy to guide research-led transformation. 

About Ascendium, our parent company.

Ascendium Education Group is committed to making education and training after high school a reality for learners from low-income backgrounds. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we fund initiatives across the U.S. that help learners from low-income backgrounds achieve upward mobility; provide student and employee success solutions to colleges and businesses; invest in education-focused innovations to improve learner outcomes; and provide information, tools, and counseling to help millions of borrowers successfully repay their federal student loans. While we have many roles, we have one goal—elevating opportunity by creating a world where everyone can rise to their highest potential. To learn more, visit ascendiumeducation.org.

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Meet our team of experts.

See how we support you

Two Sonarians standing, a man and a woman, the woman is holding a notebook with the Campus Sonar logo