Running a student organization means juggling a lot: committee meetings, partnerships, events, and the constant challenge of keeping members informed and engaged. For the Decentralized Student Association (DSLA) at the University of Groningen, organizing events used to mean spreading information across Google Forms, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Linktree, hoping the right people saw the right message at the right time.

That all changed when they started using Orbi.

The challenge: events spread across too many platforms

Before Orbi, DSLA's committee relied on a patchwork of tools to manage event sign-ups. Google Forms were the go-to solution, but getting members to actually find and complete them was its own challenge.

"The forms needed to go on our Linktree, our Instagram, WhatsApp as well. It was just difficult to find out who was attending and who wasn't."

— Tayna Andreeva, Chair, DSLA

Finding Orbi: all the features they needed, for free

When DSLA went looking for a better solution, they had a clear wishlist. They needed a platform that could handle event creation, attendee management, ticketing (with support for member discounts), and communications. Ideally in one place.

Orbi checked every box.

We came across Orbi, which had all the necessary features that we really wanted to have."

— Tayna Andreeva, Chair, DSLA

There was no need to request custom development or negotiate a contract. DSLA simply started using Orbi and immediately had everything they needed.

Building a more official presence

One unexpected benefit has been the sense of professionalism Orbi brings. Having a dedicated app that members can download makes DSLA feel more established, both to current members and to prospective ones.

"It's a little more official from an association standpoint — but also easier to use from a student's and member's perspective."

— Tayna Andreeva, Chair, DSLA

The results: more visibility, less admin

Since adopting Orbi, DSLA has seen tangible improvements across their operations. The administrative overhead of managing multiple platforms has been eliminated. Attendee tracking is straightforward. And the student organization now has a single, reliable channel to reach its members.

Being part of Orbi's global network of student associations has also opened new doors, giving DSLA exposure beyond their immediate faculty and connecting them with other student organizations around the world.

What's next for DSLA

DSLA's ambitions extend beyond their home faculty. With Orbi in their toolkit, they're focused on growing their reach across the broader University of Groningen campus and even into the wider city of Groningen.

"We hope to continue using it for increasing our visibility, not only within our faculty, but within other faculties within the university and within the city of Groningen."

— Tayna Andreeva, Chair, DSLA

More about DSLA

• DSLA Page

• DSLA Website