MTEC SmartZone is proud to celebrate its’ former client, SightLine, and their recent success in being inquired by MeetYourClass. Their growth and acquisition mark a major milestone not only for the company, but for Michigan’s innovative network in the UP and beyond.
Founded by Ashley Kern back in 2018, SightLine was built to address a longstanding gap in the market. While was in graduate school at Michigan Tech, Kern found that colleges and universities need more than just generic consulting services or off-the-shelf analytics tools. They need real, human partners that cared about their organizations and goals. Her first project in higher ed was in collaboration with Dr. John Lehman, Vice President for University Relations and Enrollment at Michigan Tech. He wanted to use data to address complex problems around financial aid forecasting, that out-of-the box solutions didn’t address.
Sightline was built around fulfilling that gap, by delivering tailored, data-driven solutions from a team of experts who understand the complex realities of higher education. Even from its earliest days, SightLine set out to rethink how institutions approach enrollment, financial aid, pricing, and student retention.
SightLine quickly distinguished itself through its highly collaborative and personalized approach. It partnered senior data scientists and higher education practitioners to deliver customized models, forecasts, and strategic recommendations. Rather than starting with assumptions or pre-made models, SightLine started with each institution’s unique data, goals, and student populations. This ensured that every solution the company developed reflected each institution as accurately as possible.
The commitment to a transparent, collaborative partnership quickly translated into real, visible results. Since the company’s inception, SightLine has worked with a wide range of public and private institutions that range from fewer than 500 students to more than 22,000, all across the country. Through this work, SightLine’s team has gained an incredible amount of insight into the enrollment field and helped establish the company as a trusted leader in higher educationanalytics and consulting.
A Strategic Acquisition
In January 2025, SightLine reached a major milestone with its strategic acquisition by MeetYourClass; a growing, Gen Z–styled social platform transforming how universities engage and enroll prospective students. This acquisition reflects the strength of SightLine’s vision, team, and proven impact. It also positions the company to scale even further.
MeetYourClass has seen rapid growth in recent years, partnering with nearly 30 universities in under 18 months, and engaging more than 780,000 prospective students in just three years. By bringing SightLine into the organization, MeetYourClass significantly strengthens its capabilities in predictive analytics, enrollment, lifecycle consulting, and strategic decision-making.
Ashley Kern will join the MeetYourClass leadership team as Chief Strategy Officer.
“This role represents the natural next step in the mission we started at SightLine. We have spent years partnering closely with campuses to understand their needs and design solutions that truly work. Now, with MeetYourClass, we can extend that impact far beyond what traditional consulting can reach. I am excited to combine our analytics expertise with a platform that is already reshaping how students and institutions connect.”
As Kern shared in a recent LinkedIn post announcing the acquisition, the move felt “entirely right”. The two companies have had more than a year of close collaboration, blurring the line between partnership and true colleague.
A Proud MTEC SmartZone Success Story
SightLine’s journey from early-stage company in Michigan’s U.P. to a successful exit and downstate expansion is an amazing example of what’s possible when founders, partners, and a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem come together. MTEC SmartZone is honored to have supported SightLine during its growth and development. We are more than proud to count the company among our former clients.
We would like to congratulate Ashley Kern and the entire SightLine team on this exciting next chapter and look forward to watching their continued success helping colleges and universities make smarter, more sustainable, and more student-centered decisions.
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For more information on the aquisition, please read SlightLine’s article here.