Goshen College Partners with Akademos to Optimize Bookstore Affordability and Convenience

Goshen College, the private liberal arts college in Northern Indiana, named one of the Best Value Schools in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, today announced the launch of a new initiative designed to dramatically reduce the cost and increase the accessibility of course content for its 1,000 students. Through a partnership with Norwalk, Conn.-based digital course content platform Akademos, the college will now offer all required texts and course materials through an online bookstore, and faculty will benefit from the launch of student engagement analytics tools.

“With 99% of our students receiving financial aid, any additional financial demands can create  barriers to success and completion. Making required academic materials more affordable will  reduce the overall cost of attendance and support academic excellence,” said Tom Stuckey,  interim vice president for finance at Goshen College. “Providing our students with a full-service  online bookstore also propels a strong tradition of creating a community and cultivating joy,  growth, and purpose into the 21st century.” 

Rising textbook costs continue to be a major cost driver for the overall cost of a college  education. Nationally, textbook prices have continued to outstrip the cost of most other  consumer goods, adjusted for inflation. According to research compiled by the College Board,  the average student spends approximately $1,240. A survey of more than 22,000 college  students also found that the cost of required textbooks had a negative impact on student  success, such as earning a poor grade, failing a course, and not registering for a course.  

To reduce their overall out-of-pocket costs from purchasing textbooks, the college’s new school branded online bookstore platform will offer students greater access to low-cost course  materials and a competitive marketplace for course content purchasing. It will also offer a wide  selection of on-demand Goshen College merchandise and apparel specially cultivated by the school.

With the integration of Akademos’ course content platform, faculty and administrators at Goshen will benefit from a suite of analytics and tools designed to better track student engagement with  course-level content and use data to support student success.

Through a new integration with the university’s student accounts and financial aid system,  students will now be able to charge a set amount on their account each semester to ensure  preparedness on the first day of class. 

“Creating a course materials strategy remains one of the most powerful – and underappreciated – levers available to institutions to improve student outcomes,” said Raj Kaji, CEO of Akademos. “The online bookstore will open new pathways of access and achievement for all students and  effectively support their rapidly changing needs.”

About Goshen College

Goshen College is a nationally-ranked college in Indiana, renowned for its purposeful and integrated curriculum, its distinctive hands-on, real-world educational opportunities, and its commitment to creating positive change in the world. Located in the city of Goshen, the college’s 135-acre tree-filled campus is home to 950 students, including more than 40% that identify as students of color or from countries outside of the United States. It offers over 65 undergraduate areas of study, as well as best-in-class graduate programs in nursing, business administration, and environmental education. Named the #1 Bachelor’s College in Indiana by Washington Monthly and listed among Princeton Review’s Greenest Colleges, Goshen prides itself on providing an integrated and multifaceted education that connects arts with sciences, and foundation with practice — exposing students to multiple perspectives and encouraging them to think deeply and live purposefully. With 98 percent of graduates entering their careers or pursuing further education within a year of completion, Goshen students graduate prepared to thrive in their lives and careers, and to make meaningful and measurable impacts on their communities and their relationships with others.

About Akademos

More than just an online bookstore, an Akademos technology-driven solution is a customizable bookstore experience every unique institution can benefit from. Whether the bookstore is a service for students or a revenue generator, the platform supports prioritizing readiness, textbook affordability, and retention with all models including Equitable Access, Inclusive Access, Student Choice, or a combination. All aspects of textbook and course material purchasing and delivery are taken care of so you can focus on what matters – student success. A true partnership – Akademos provides unmatched customer support along with access to tools and analytics needed to take each student’s college experience to the next level. Learn more at akademos.com.