Each year, Arizona State University relies on Tassel, their 42Chat GradBot, to provide high-quality support for tens of thousands of grads and their guests as part of its largest annual event: spring commencement.
Since the 2022 Spring commencement at ASU, Tassel has steadily gained adoption across all types of attendees. In 2022, just under 5,000 graduates and guests opted in to send and receive SMS messages to and from ASU for their Spring commencement. That number has skyrocketed to 27,000+ graduates and guests for the 2025 event, with 79% of the graduating class opting to use the chatbot for support—instead of burdening support teams.
In Spring 2025, Tassel exchanged more than 594,000 messages with grads and their guests, helping everyone navigate the commencement experience with ease. As a 24/7 team member trained in 72+ topics, Tassel achieved a 99% Correct Response Rate while providing 1,968 hours of instant support.
How High-Quality SMS Support Created an Engaged Community for ASU
Tassel did more than answer questions. The chatbot also increased reach and Successful Engagements for the Alumni Association and ASU’s third-party vendors.
During the Spring 2025 commencement, Tassel:- Drove over 2,400 click-throughs on a text inviting new grads to the Young Alumni Summer Mixer, doubling event attendance over the previous year.
- Sent a notification for GradImages photo packages, which earned 6,000+ clicks, increasing the vendor’s web ordering sessions from 5,000 to 19,000+.
Tassel can understand and respond to millions of variations of attendee questions, maintaining a 99% Correct Response Rate throughout Spring 2025. Timely, relevant support made ASU's audience want to read & act on their SMS messages. By delivering accurate, timely information on commencement logistics such as schedules, attire, and parking, ASU demonstrated the value of staying connected after graduation. This support helped ASU gain and retain SMS opt-ins, giving ASU a highly effective way to build community and drive ongoing revenue through targeted, high-engagement messages.
Tassel also delivered critical reminders and real-time updates, ensuring attendees had the information they needed, when they needed it:
Or even:
Using Tassel year after year, ASU has unlocked SMS as a high-ROI channel that creates a more engaged school community and drives revenue back to the university. By introducing a GradBot before graduation, ASU is laying the foundation for lifelong alumni connections through SMS, starting before the caps even hit the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to test out a GradBot for yourself? Scan the QR code to chat with Jennifer, our demo GradBot!
