Executive Summary

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) used Higher Logic Thrive Community, Marketing, Event Manager, and Component Manager to improve their chapters and components. This included:

• Unifying component/chapter groups to provide better support for local volunteer leaders
• Creating a consistent look and feel for member communications from local leaders
• Saving money by eliminating redundant third-party tools like Constant Contact and Eventbrite
• Gaining insight into local engagement
• Improving data management and analysis with integrated systems

From here, they plan to:

• Integrate local event listings directly on ASCE.org
• Build data insight tools with Acumen AI to give local groups deeper access to engagement metrics
• Use Higher Logic Thrive Component Manager to build brand-consistent microsites for their chapters/components

Empowering Local Leaders, Unifying the Member Experience

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a global association with 160,000 members in 177 countries, knew its strength lay not only in its central organization but also in its robust network of component groups. They have 76 sections, 160 branches, 302 student chapters, and 130 younger member groups. Despite this scale, ASCE’s local leaders were operating in isolation—running events on external platforms, sending emails through disconnected systems, and managing lists manually, without shared data or standardized branding.

Tirza Austin, ASCE’s Senior Manager of Online Community, championed a unified digital ecosystem to solve the problem and improve component engagement. She and a cross-departmental team used Higher Logic Thrive to give ASCE’s local leaders the tools, training, and support they needed to run events, communicate effectively, and deepen member engagement, all while strengthening brand consistency and improving data governance across the organization.

Giving Local Leaders the Tools They Need

Before adopting Higher Logic Thrive, ASCE’s local components managed their own email lists, websites, and event platforms, often paying extra to do so. Tirza described how disconnected and inefficient it was. “We noticed that a lot of our local groups didn’t have the tools that they needed to succeed. They were coming up with their own email marketing platforms, websites, and payment providers. Nothing was streamlined – meaning our member experience wasn’t consistent.”

Tirza said, “The one thing we were doing to support them at a local level was providing a Constant Contact account they could use. But they were managing their own email lists, so none of that data was going back into our systems.”

That fragmentation led to brand inconsistencies and security risks. Leaders would email outdated lists, even reaching out to people who hadn’t been members in years. “They were still contacting folks from eight years ago,” Tirza noted. “We needed better data practices, better compliance, and ultimately, a better experience for our members.”

Tirza and a cross-departmental team at ASCE organized to improve the situation. They wanted to:

• Improve data governance for better security and member analytics
• Provide a better support system for volunteers
• Create a consistent look and feel for member communications from local leaders

They rolled out Higher Logic Thrive Community’s Event Manager and Higher Logic Thrive Marketing across the ASCE network, which gave sections and branches access to:

• Integrated event management with member status-aware pricing (member, student, non-member)
• Automated event emails and listings in a centralized calendar
• Branded email templates consistent with ASCE standards
• Unlimited admin accounts to support volunteer flexibility
• Access to ASCE-approved graphics and messaging

“They don’t have to find a graphic or build a list anymore. We give them content and tools they can use right away,” said Tirza.

Centralized Systems, Decentralized Ownership

By giving local volunteers access to Higher Logic Thrive, which integrates with Personify, ASCE’s AMS, Tirza and the team regained data visibility and control while empowering local admins to operate independently.

ASCE has significantly improved its data management policies by bringing local leaders into the Higher Logic technology fold. Tirza said, “It’s our data. We need to own and control the data and how it’s used. We don’t want them going over here and managing other lists. Now, permissions are more secure, and we’re doing a better job of managing our data.”

Rather than being an inconvenience for volunteers, streamlining the use of data with Higher Logic has actually made their jobs easier. Tirza said, “One of the biggest benefits of Higher Logic Event Manager is it’s integrated with our database. It recognizes if someone’s a member, student, or non-member and adjusts pricing automatically. That’s something our local leaders really like.”

Another benefit of Higher Logic Event Manager is that local chapters can collect event revenue through their own PayPal or Stripe accounts, giving them financial autonomy without compromising organizational oversight. Groups realized they could save significantly on fees they’d been paying to outside platforms to manage events. “Once the board realizes how much they’re paying just to host events, they ask, ‘Wait, there’s a free option?’” said Tirza.

A 360-Degree View of Member Engagement

Unifying communication and events for volunteers in Higher Logic Thrive also gave ASCE something they’d never had before: a clear view into local engagement. “There’s no way to have a 360-degree member view if everyone’s using their own systems,” Tirza said.

With everything flowing through Higher Logic, ASCE can:

• Track email performance at the local level
• See who was registering and attending events
• Identify which types of content and programming resonated most

Now, ASCE hasn’t just streamlined local communications, they’ve also gained a way to learn at the local level and use that data to inform broader strategies.

Support That Scales

Managing hundreds of local volunteers could have become overwhelming. Instead, Tirza built a support model rooted in empathy and accessibility:

• Weekly open office hours via Zoom for questions, troubleshooting, and idea sharing
• A dedicated Higher Logic community housing recordings and resources
• Curated training videos (under 5 minutes) and best practice guides
• One-on-one meetings with volunteer officers and trainings with officer boards
• Responsive direct support—sometimes even by texting Tirza directly

Tirza said, “They’re volunteers. They don’t get paid. I want to be as supportive as possible to make their jobs easier because they’re supporting our members, who pay my paycheck.”

ASCE also benefited from the relationship with Higher Logic as a partner. “Higher Logic definitely has a better support system,” Tirza said. “Unlike some other companies where you can’t get a hold of anyone, we know we have someone to go to.”

The Next Phase of Empowering Local Leaders

The rollout of Higher Logic Thrive for local leaders was just the beginning. Tirza is now leading ASCE’s work to:

• Launch microsites, using Higher Logic Thrive’s Component Management add-on, to replace outdated Drupal sites
• Integrate local event listings directly on ASCE.org
• Build data insight tools with Acumen AI to give local groups deeper access to engagement metrics

Local leaders are already excited. “When I talk about what’s coming, they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that would be great.’”

About the American Society of Civil Engineers

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. With over 160,000 members across 177 countries, ASCE represents civil engineers worldwide and advances the practice through advocacy, education, and professional development. Through its global network of sections, branches, student chapters, and younger member groups, ASCE promotes leadership, community engagement, and lifelong learning in the civil engineering profession.