A convergence of internal and external factors has challenged the institutional identity of Indiana State University and presented an opportunity for strategic evolution toward a campus better able to address student learning and serve the needs of the community and region. External drivers, such as fiscal shortfalls, declining population, and a re-envisioning of the roles of state institutions by the legislature, have compelled ISU to examine the academic and demographic composition of its enrollment base and to refocus its mission. Results from the National Survey of Student Engagement suggested that, despite long-standing perceptions of student academic preparation held by faculty and administrators, and supported by entrance data, ISU undergraduates were not adequately challenged within the existing system. In this article, we discuss how ISU decided to address student needs and constraints imposed by the state through a concerted program of experiential learning and community engagement.