Higher Education
Marketing & Creative
How Mississippi State Centralized 5 Teams with Workzone
About Mississippi State University
MSU Extension’s communications department supports educational outreach across Mississippi, managing a high volume of content across five specialized teams—graphic design, video, print, publications, social media, marketing, and media relations. They coordinate complex projects that align with the university’s statewide mission.
Primary Use Case
MSU Extension turned to Workzone to centralize project intake, task management, file sharing, and collaboration—replacing fragmented workflows with one unified platform. With customized workspaces and forms, clear task ownership, and transparent reporting, the team gained control over a high-stakes, high-volume operation while staying agile through leadership changes and department growth.
Previous Solutions
Basecamp
Chose Workzone Over
Basecamp and manual processes that couldn’t scale. MSU Extension needed more than task checklists—they needed a solution built for customization, cross-team clarity, and institutional reporting. Workzone delivered all that and more—at the right price, with unmatched support.
A Centralized Solution for a Complex Operation
The Mississippi State University Extension Service supports educational outreach across the state, with a communications department responsible for managing high volumes of content across five specialized teams—graphic design, video, print shop, publications, social media, marketing, and media relations. With about 30 team members and dozens of stakeholders, coordination was a persistent challenge.
Before implementing Workzone, the team used Basecamp—but the platform didn’t meet their evolving needs. Requests often went to individuals rather than teams, communication was fragmented, and accessing files remotely required a VPN. That model simply wasn’t scalable.
“We needed something that could handle communication and task management, where all requests, assets, and updates lived in one place,” said Mikayla Prisock, Project Coordinator at MSU Extension. “Workzone checked all those boxes—and it was the right price.”
Tangible Results: Efficiency, Transparency, and Customization
“Workzone truly encapsulated everything we needed,” said Mikayla Prisock, Project Coordinator. “From request intake to final delivery, everything is now in one central location.”
For Mikayla’s team, that centralization has been transformational. Tasks are clearly assigned, files are accessible from anywhere, and everyone—from video producers to graphic designers to social media staff—can see where their work fits into the bigger picture.
“It’s made it easier for our team to communicate and collaborate on projects, especially with remote team members,” she said. “Now, if someone is out or transitions into a new role, nothing gets lost. The project history, files, and timelines are all right there.”
Accountability has also improved. Each team member receives personalized notifications and can rely on their to-do list to prioritize daily work. “The majority of the team uses their to-do list in Workzone to plan their week,” Mikayla said. “It keeps us all on track.”
These operational improvements have had a ripple effect across the organization—boosting team morale, increasing transparency, and making it easier to show the value of their work. Mikayla noted that Workzone helps her generate monthly and quarterly reports that show exactly how much time goes into each project. “It’s helped our leadership team better understand the volume and complexity of what we’re doing,” she explained. “And it’s made our time feel more valued.”
Perhaps most important, Workzone has enabled the team to stay agile in the face of change. Through leadership transitions, departmental restructuring, and even personal leave, the system has kept work moving forward.
“We’re all on board with the platform,” Mikayla said. “It gives us everything we need to do our jobs well. We’ve customized it to our workflow, and it’s helped us serve our stakeholders more effectively.”
Favorite Features That Drive Real Impact
For Mikayla and her team, Workzone isn’t just a tool—it’s a daily essential. Over time, certain features have become critical to how they manage projects, communicate across teams, and demonstrate value to leadership.
At the top of the list? Customized workspaces and request forms.
“One of my favorite things is the workspaces and the request forms,” Mikayla said. “We’re able to tailor them to the specific needs of each team and each project.” Whether it’s a new marketing campaign or a publication for university leadership, every request starts with the right structure—ensuring the team collects the details they need from the beginning.
The markup and file-sharing tools have also transformed how her team collaborates. “Our graphics, publications, and social media teams really like the markup feature,” she explained. “It keeps everything in one place—everyone can see what’s approved, what needs revision, and what’s final. That kind of clarity has been huge for us.”
Mikayla also pointed to time tracking as an indispensable tool—especially when it comes to reporting. “Tracking time has helped us stay accurate with reporting and gives us another way to show the scope of our work,” she said. “It’s a way to reinforce that our time has value, even if we’re not billing for it.”
Finally, Workzone’s flexibility has been a consistent asset. “We don’t operate like a lot of other users might,” she said. “But being able to fully customize the platform to fit our needs—that’s been incredibly helpful. It supports how we work, instead of forcing us to change how we work.”
Each of these features contributes to a broader goal: enabling the MSU Extension communications team to run a high-volume, high-stakes operation with clarity, confidence, and control.
A True Partnership in Support
One of the most consistent themes in Mikayla’s experience with Workzone has been the strength of the customer support—not just technical responsiveness, but a true sense of partnership.
“I’ve spoken with three customer success managers since I started, and every single one has been helpful, patient, and responsive,” Mikayla said. “Whether it was a quick question or a more complex issue, they never made us feel like we were on our own.”
Workzone’s quarterly check-ins give Mikayla and her team the opportunity to refine how the platform serves them. It’s not just about troubleshooting—it’s about proactively evolving alongside the department’s needs. “There’s never been an issue I’ve taken to Workzone that they haven’t really tried hard to fix or to adapt to what we needed at the time,” she said.
Beyond the technical, Mikayla values the shared sense of mission. “We all have a job here, and without the effectiveness of each of us, there’s no end goal or mission we’re reaching,” she said. “So having someone truly passionate about what they do really helps.”
For a high-performing team navigating constant change, that kind of partnership isn’t just appreciated—it’s essential.
Built for Higher Ed: Project Management Software for Universities
Mississippi State University Extension’s experience is a testament to how well Workzone fits the demands of higher education environments—where teams are overextended, timelines are tight, and accountability matters. With customizable workflows, intuitive interfaces, and standout support, Workzone is purpose-built for universities managing complex projects across departments and campuses.
If your institution is navigating similar challenges, see how Workzone’s project management software for universities can help you regain control, boost efficiency, and showcase your team’s impact. Sign up for a complimentary demo and explore how Workzone can work for you.