ASCEND Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby
Are you ready to ASCEND to new possibilities? In this podcast, Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby outline why a focus on retention and completion is so important, why previous retention efforts have not always worked, and discuss how we can successfully "ASCEND" to these great expectations. In each episode, we will share innovative ideas, creative initiatives, and best practices and strategies that campuses have used to achieve amazing results. This podcast has intentionally been produced in a quick-tip, bite-sized format where the listener can quickly find ideas, initiatives, and solutions that can be tried on campus today.
What if data could help you see every student who needs help, and help you act sooner? In this episode, I sat down with Kimberly Williams and Dr. Sarah Wray Marshall to explore the University of South Florida’s innovative academic advocacy model and SMART data platforms, showing how proactive, holistic support and real-time analytics can move student success from reactive to intentional. Tune in to hear how USF transformed data into action, empowered advocates and advisors, and helped drive meaningful gains in retention and graduation.
College isn't just about tuition; It's about experiences. In this episode, we explore how the University of Wisconsin–Madison's innovative No Fees Project is removing hidden financial barriers that keep students from fully participating in campus life. Learn how eliminating the "cost of experience" is increasing belonging, boosting engagement, and helping more students thrive from orientation to graduation. Discover why affordability isn't just about paying for college, it's about making the college experience accessible to everyone.
How can institutions turn data into timely, meaningful student support? The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Academic Navigator Team uses actionable data such as academic performance, LMS engagement, and student experience surveys to identify students who may need support and connect them with resources before challenges become barriers to success. This episode highlights how proactive, data-informed outreach can strengthen collaboration across campus, close equity gaps, and improve student retention and outcomes.
In this episode, we explore how Connecticut State Community College is using a Holistic Student Support (HSS) Survey to identify student needs, remove barriers to success, and strengthen engagement across its campuses. The conversation examines how timely data on issues such as basic needs, technology access, transportation, and sense of belonging enables staff to provide proactive, personalized support before challenges become obstacles to persistence. This episode highlights how a holistic, data-informed approach can foster stronger connections, increase student engagement, and create a more supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed.
In this episode, we explore how the University of Montana is reimagining student wellbeing by embedding graduate-level Wellbeing Support Coaches throughout academic colleges and culturally specific student support offices. Rather than waiting for students to reach a crisis point, this proactive model emphasizes early intervention, resilience, and culturally responsive care that promotes both wellbeing and academic success. The conversation examines how integrating mental health support into the daily student experience is fostering a more connected, inclusive campus culture while strengthening retention, engagement, and student success.
In this episode, we explore how the University of Indianapolis is transforming the academic trajectory of students facing academic dismissal through an innovative success course grounded in Process Education. Rather than focusing solely on study skills, the course helps students develop essential learning strategies, build resilience, embrace a growth mindset, and take ownership of their academic journey. The conversation highlights how intensive reflection, teamwork, and intentional skill development have led to significant improvements in retention and graduation, offering a powerful model for helping students overcome setbacks and achieve long-term success.
In this episode, we explore how Franklin College is removing financial barriers that often prevent students from fully engaging in campus life. From textbook assistance and study away funding to professional attire for internships and emergency support for Greek Life participation, the institution has developed creative, targeted initiatives that make high-impact experiences more accessible for students with financial need. The conversation highlights how relatively small investments can strengthen belonging, increase engagement, and contribute to improved student persistence, demonstrating that financial support can be a powerful strategy for student success.
In this episode, we explore how Kent State University developed the Retention Tools Workshop Series to build campus-wide capacity for data-informed student success work. Through a collaborative partnership among enrollment management, information technology, institutional research, and academic colleges, the program equips faculty and staff with practical skills in retention analytics, reporting, Excel, and strategy development. The conversation highlights how professional development, cross-campus collaboration, and a culture of assessment can empower institutions to make better use of student data, create more effective retention initiatives, and strengthen collective accountability for student success. This episode offers valuable insights for leaders seeking to turn data into action and build a shared commitment to improving outcomes for all students.
In this episode, we explore how Indiana Tech is leveraging behavioral analytics and personalized nudging to support student success. By analyzing students’ digital engagement patterns and identifying behavioral profiles, the institution is delivering targeted messages that address challenges related to motivation, belonging, confidence, time management, and help-seeking. The conversation examines how data-informed outreach, delivered through AI-powered communication tools, can provide timely support that meets students where they are. This episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of behavioral science, technology, and retention strategy, highlighting how personalized nudges can help students stay connected, engaged, and on track toward their educational goals.
In this episode, we explore how the University of Central Arkansas is leveraging podcasting as a tool for graduate student success, connection, and professional development. Through Grad Chats at UCA, students, faculty, and administrators engage in meaningful conversations about mentoring, networking, wellness, belonging, and the unique challenges of graduate education. The discussion highlights how institutions can use accessible digital platforms to build community, share resources, and support graduate students as they navigate the academic, personal, and professional dimensions of their educational journey.
To learn more and listen in, access Grad Chats at UCA episodes using the following links:
- Spotify: tinyurl.com/gradchatsatuca-spotify
- Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/gradchatsatuca-applepodcast
In this episode, we explore how building a strong campus culture can strengthen both student success and faculty and staff retention. Drawing on insights from Education Affiliates, the conversation examines how institutions can create more supportive, inclusive environments through meaningful feedback, culturally responsive programming, and intentional recognition of community contributions. From student belonging and engagement to employee satisfaction and institutional reputation, this episode highlights practical strategies for fostering a culture where students, faculty, and staff all feel valued, connected, and empowered to thrive.
In this episode, we explore how Eastern Kentucky University uses pulse surveys and early progress reports to identify students whose perceptions of their academic performance do not match reality. The conversation examines how timely data, strategic nudges, and personalized advising can help students who either underestimate their struggles or lose confidence too quickly. By connecting student self-assessments with classroom performance, advisors are able to deliver targeted support that encourages help-seeking, resilience, and realistic self-awareness. This episode highlights how simple, proactive interventions can play a powerful role in student retention and success.
In this episode, we explore how Concordia University Irvine is advancing equity in graduate education through its Future Faculty Fellows Program. Designed to support low-income and Hispanic students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, the program combines scholarships, mentoring, academic coaching, and career preparation to help students overcome barriers and succeed in higher education. The conversation highlights how intentional support systems can improve retention, diversify the pipeline of future educators and leaders, and create meaningful pathways into academic careers for underrepresented populations.
In this episode, we explore how the University of Indianapolis is using predictive analytics and case management to improve student retention and success. Through its Success Slate platform, the university combines machine learning, real-time student data, and personalized outreach to identify students who may be at risk of stopping out before challenges escalate. The conversation highlights how technology and human connection work together, allowing advisors, coaches, and student affairs staff to deliver timely, relationship-centered support that helps students stay enrolled and thrive. This episode offers a compelling look at how data-informed strategies can strengthen both student outcomes and institutional sustainability.
In this episode, we explore how Southern Utah University is using early-term data and peer mentor insights to deliver strategic nudges that improve student retention. Focusing on the critical weeks between two and six, the conversation highlights a simple yet powerful framework that categorizes students by likelihood to persist and prioritizes outreach where it matters most. By combining data with human connection, peer mentors are able to identify at-risk students, personalize support, and intervene early. This episode offers a practical look at how institutions can use timely insights and targeted engagement to help more students stay on track and succeed.
In this episode, we explore how institutions are rethinking student engagement by prioritizing experiences over traditional events. The conversation highlights how intentional design, inclusive programming, and thoughtful marketing can transform routine activities into meaningful moments that foster connection, belonging, and well-being. From supporting commuter students to creating immersive campus environments, this episode offers practical strategies for building engagement that lasts, showing how memorable experiences can drive student satisfaction, persistence, and success.
In this episode, we visited with Nii Kpakpo Abrahams to explore how Butler University is strengthening student success by investing in one of its most powerful assets, faculty. The conversation challenges common misconceptions and highlights how institutions can encourage, empower, and equip faculty to play a central role in retention, especially for first-year students. Through initiatives like faculty development workshops, first-year summits, and fellowship programs, Butler has built a culture that prioritizes academic belonging and classroom engagement. This episode offers practical ideas for fostering collaboration, deepening faculty involvement, and transforming the classroom into a cornerstone of student success.
In this episode, we explore how proactive academic advising can play a critical role in retaining students who struggle in their first semester. Drawing on the work at Idaho State University, the conversation highlights how early identification, personalized advising, and intentional follow-up can help students on Academic Warning regain confidence and momentum. We discuss the importance of meeting students where they are, creating space for reflection, and empowering informed choices as they navigate academic challenges. With data showing meaningful gains in retention, this episode offers practical insights into how targeted, student-centered advising strategies can turn early setbacks into opportunities for long-term success.
In episode 20, we had a fun conversation with Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Rick Clark from Georgia Institute of Technology where we explored how Georgia Tech is building a networked approach to student success by aligning access, retention, and academic support for high-priority student populations. The conversation examines how cross-campus collaboration, data-informed strategy, and new leadership roles are helping the institution close achievement gaps for limited-income students while expanding opportunity. From targeted mentoring and early interventions to the new Atlanta Bridge Program, this episode highlights how strategic partnerships can connect enrollment and student success efforts across the full student journey, from admission through degree completion.
In this episode, we examine how clearer curricular pathways can improve transfer student success and reduce one of higher education’s most persistent barriers, credit loss. Featuring insights from experts at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, the conversation explores how faculty and staff can work together to analyze curriculum design, identify unnecessary complexity, and create more transparent routes to degree completion. Through examples from the Curricular Analytics Community, this episode highlights how examining prerequisite structures and transfer pathways can strengthen retention, reduce excess credits, and create more equitable outcomes for transfer students and the broader student population.
In this episode, we explore the art and science of helping students use the support services available to them. Drawing on the work of Joe Cuseo, the conversation focuses on how faculty and staff can make referrals more effective by listening carefully, explaining resources clearly, personalizing connections, and reducing the barriers that often keep students from seeking help. Rather than simply directing students to an office, this episode highlights practical strategies for building trust, increasing follow-through, and reinforcing help-seeking as a strength, showing how thoughtful and human-centered referrals can play a critical role in student success.
In this episode, we explore the New Vol Experience at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, an innovative approach to supporting first-year student transition and success. This program guides new students through a multi-phase onboarding journey, from online orientation and academic advising to the six-week Big Orange Welcome experience and a first-year success course. The conversation highlights how extending welcome programming beyond a traditional orientation week helps students build connections, discover campus resources, and develop a strong sense of belonging. With more than 600 events coordinated across campus and impressive student outcomes, the New Vol Experience demonstrates how intentional, sustained engagement can transform the first-year transition and set students up for long-term success.
In this episode, we explore Purdue Global’s Best in Class Basic Needs Support Badging Program, an innovative approach to building a campus-wide culture of care for students facing non-academic challenges. Designed for a large population of working adult learners, the program empowers faculty and staff to identify students struggling with issues such as food insecurity, housing instability, and other basic needs, and connect them with trained Student Success Coaches. Through a four-tier badging system (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum), participants progressively deepen their engagement, from learning how to recognize and refer students in need to actively championing support initiatives across the institution. The conversation highlights how a relatively low-cost, scalable program can mobilize an entire campus community to support student well-being and success, while fostering a culture where basic needs support truly becomes everyone’s responsibility.
What do you do when you know a First-Year Experience course improves student success, but you don’t have the funding or institutional support to build one? In this episode, we explore an innovative workaround born from a simple idea: Thor’s Hammer of Knowledge.
This conversation covers how Susan Merrill and colleagues from Southern Utah University highlights created a low-cost workshop series designed to connect students with campus resources before they realize they need them. We discuss the power of proactive outreach, building belonging outside the classroom, and how small incentives (food, fun, and community) can drive meaningful engagement.
Join us as we unpack the results, lessons learned, and how this model might inspire new approaches to student success on your own campus.
What happens when financial literacy moves beyond theory and into honest, student-centered conversations? In this episode, we visit with Dr. Alexei M. Marquez and Fred Huang from the University of Arizona about how their “Practical? Possible? Sustainable?” model is transforming financial wellness for first-generation and underrepresented students. By demystifying financial aid, surfacing the real cost of attendance, and helping students ask “Does the math, math?”, this conversation highlights a transparent, scalable approach to financial decision-making that strengthens persistence, confidence, and student success.
How can career centers use data to design programming that students actually need and attend? In this episode, Jon Ambrose from the University of Oregon Career Center walks through a data-informed approach to evaluating past programs, tracking student engagement, and leveraging platforms like Handshake and labor market insights to shape future initiatives. From boosting survey response rates to launching a successful Graduate School Fair, this conversation highlights how thoughtful use of data can close equity gaps, guide smarter planning, and ensure career services meet the diverse goals of today’s students.
Transfer students often face unique academic challenges that can go unnoticed in traditional retention efforts. In this episode, Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Dr. Brian Garsh from Georgia Tech share how a redesigned midterm early-alert initiative uses timely data, targeted outreach, and transfer-specific support to identify academic risk and promote student success. Learn how Midterm Progress Reports, advisor- and student-level interventions, and an anti-deficit framework are helping transfer students navigate “transfer shock” and build momentum toward persistence and completion.
In this episode, we discuss the “Long Night Against Procrastination" event, a practical and student-centered approach to tackling one of the most common academic challenges. Drawing on experience from a small liberal arts college, the conversation explores how a single, well-timed evening in the library evolved into a campus-wide tradition supporting hundreds of students at a critical point in the semester.
We unpack how centralized academic support, easy access to campus resources, peer connection, and a fun, low-pressure environment combined to help students make meaningful progress on coursework. This episode offers ideas for creating high-impact, scalable events that foster motivation, community, and academic momentum, even when outcomes are hard to measure.
A valuable listen for learning commons, academic support, and student success professionals looking for practical ways to meet students where they are.
Building a culture of student success doesn’t happen by chance, it requires focus, discipline, and shared accountability. In this episode, we explore how National University uses Quarterly Operating Reviews (QORs) as a powerful, and often overlooked, culture-building practice.
Based on the their write-up in ASCEND To Higher Retention Rates (Vol. 3), “The Unlikely Culture Builder: Using Operating Reviews to Drive Student Success,” this conversation highlights how structured, data-informed reviews align leaders around strategy, create a shared language for student success, and foster collaboration without blame. Listeners will hear how the simple rhythm of “get grounded, get real, get going” keeps student outcomes front and center while turning insight into action.
A practical listen for higher education leaders looking to build a strong culture of alignment, accountability, and a sustained focus on student success.
In this episode, we explore how Moore College of Art & Design is improving student retention through a deeply intentional, holistic support model. Dr. Joshua Wilkin, Dean of Students, shares how Moore’s multipronged approach (spanning academic early alerts, mental health services, and financial wellness initiatives) has strengthened student success and belonging at a small, mission-driven institution. The conversation highlights cross-campus collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and the real impact of meeting students where they are, resulting in the college’s highest first-year retention rate in nine years.
College affordability doesn’t end with tuition, and for many students, hidden financial barriers can be the difference between stopping out and graduating. In this episode, we explore how financial gaps, aid complexity, and basic needs insecurity impact student retention, particularly for Pell-eligible and first-generation students. Leaders from the University of South Carolina share a suite of innovative, cross-campus initiatives designed to remove these barriers; from micro-grants and debt relief to food security, fee transparency, and first-gen support. This conversation highlights how intentional, collaborative approaches to affordability can improve completion, advance equity, and ensure more students cross the finish line.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kris Bliss from Indiana Tech University to explore what it truly means to take a holistic view of students, and why breaking down data silos is essential to student success. Drawing on her experience, the conversation highlights how centralized student information, collaborative data practices, and both qualitative and quantitative insights can enable earlier, more effective interventions. From creative stopgap solutions like shared spreadsheets to the long-term vision of a comprehensive data warehouse, this chapter shows that institutions don’t need perfect systems to start doing better work for students.
In this episode we visit with Dr. Solomon Tention, Assistant Professor of Advanced Studies, Research, & Leadership at Morgan State University. We talk about how intentional outreach and proactive advising can bring stopped-out students back to the finish line. Through Project Graduate, a targeted “nudge” campaign at a large Texas community college, leaders re-engaged former students who were close to completion and provided the advising, degree planning, and financial guidance needed to help them return and persist. The conversation highlights the power of data-informed outreach, cross-campus collaboration, and intrusive student success strategies; resulting in meaningful gains in re-enrollment and completion.
In this episode, Eric Kirby visits with Dr. Brian Garsh to explore how institutions can strengthen student belonging and retention through intentional, cross-functional design. Using Kennesaw State University’s FLIGHT: Class-Year Connections Program as a case study, the conversation unpacks why the first year matters so deeply, how academic and social integration shape persistence, and what it looks like to support students holistically across their entire journey. From class identity and signature experiences to coordinated academic support and advising, this conversation offers practical insights for breaking down silos and helping students feel connected, supported, and positioned to succeed.
In this episode, we explore the transformative journey of the College of Western Idaho’s Enrollment & Student Services division as it embraced a unifying mantra: One Student at a Time. When rapid growth left staff searching for clarity, direction, and a deeper connection to their work, new leadership introduced a philosophy that centered on individualized student care, equity, and the belief that every student’s identity and life experience shapes their educational path. We unpack how this mindset reshaped professional development, strengthened staff morale, elevated collaboration, and drove measurable improvements. Through strengths-based training, identity-centered workshops, redesigned service experiences, and a culture that celebrated everyday wins, CWI created a division where staff felt valued and students felt seen. This episode offers a compelling look at why culture and clarity matter, and how an institution can transform itself by focusing on one student, one interaction, one moment at a time.
This episode features Dr. Amber Williams, Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who shares how the university’s Vol Success Teams have transformed support for first-year and transfer scholars. Launched in 2020, this holistic model unites advisors, One Stop counselors, Academic Coaches, peer mentors, and faculty to provide personalized, wraparound guidance. The impact has been remarkable: coaching connections have increased 277%, advising appointments are up 53%, and the percentage of students in good academic standing has climbed to 96.9%. Dr. Williams highlights how this collaborative approach reduces student stress, strengthens belonging, boosts confidence, and drives stronger academic outcomes, all positioning UT as a national leader in student success.
For episode 2, Jared talks with Joel Spiess of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee about his powerful contribution to Volume 3, “Scholarships as Strategy.” Joel shares how UWM transformed scholarships from scattered, last-minute awards into a unified, institution-wide strategy that boosts recruitment, retention, and student success. From reshaping timelines and centralizing processes to driving huge jumps in applications and early commitments, this conversation reveals how scholarships, if done right, can become one of the most strategic tools in enrollment management.
In this episode, we talk about the remaining ideas and strategies in the DATA chapter of the book. Tune in to learn about a number of strategies for capturing data and using it to help students on your campus and increase retention rates!
In this episode, we talk about the remaining ideas and strategies in the NUDGES chapter of the book. Tune in to learn about a number of strategies for nudging students on your campus and increasing retention rates!
In this episode, we talk about the remaining ideas and strategies in the ENGAGEMENT chapter of the book. Tune in to learn about a number of strategies for engaging students on your campus and increasing retention rates!
In this episode, we talk about the remaining ideas and strategies in the Culture chapter of the book. Tune in to learn about a number of strategies for impacting the culture on your campus and increasing retention rates of your students!
In this episode, we talk about the remaining ideas and strategies in the Support chapter of the book. Tune in to learn about a number of strategies for supporting your students and increasing retention rates on campus!
In this episode, we explore how a simple dance became a powerful tradition that unites first-year students and fosters a sense of belonging from the moment they step on campus. Inspired by Purdue University’s Boiler Gold Rush, our First-Year Experience Office introduced the Common Bond Dance—a fun, easy-to-learn routine set to a popular song that students practice before arriving for Fall Orientation.
Through video tutorials sent over the summer and spontaneous dance moments throughout Welcome Week, the Common Bond Dance creates shared experiences, breaks down social barriers, and helps new students connect in an inclusive and engaging way. Whether it’s performed while waiting for an event to start or as part of orientation activities, this dance reinforces a culture of camaraderie, excitement, and school spirit.
Tune in to learn how this simple yet meaningful tradition has strengthened student connections and built a welcoming campus community!
In this episode, we dive into the shifting priorities of Gen Z when it comes to higher education—focusing on value, relevance, and career outcomes. With a strong preference for practical majors and a desire for tangible returns on their investment, today's students are looking for guidance that connects their education to real-world success.
To support this need, we secured funding to offer free career assessments through our Career Center. While a $15 fee may seem minor, we found it to be a significant barrier for many students. By eliminating this cost, we’ve empowered more students to explore career paths, align their academic choices, and gain clarity on their future goals. The results? Reduced major switching, increased motivation, and higher retention rates.
Tune in to learn why investing in career assessments isn’t just about saving students money—it’s about giving them the confidence and direction they need to make the most of their education and future careers.
Midterm Grades: A Policy That Drives Student Success"
In this episode, we discuss how a student-led initiative transformed our campus by introducing a mandatory midterm grade reporting policy. Prior to this policy, many students were unaware of their academic standing until final grades were posted—when it was too late to make meaningful changes. Thanks to the advocacy of our student-body officers, faculty now submit midterm grades for every student, creating a proactive system for student success.
We explore the wide-reaching benefits of this policy, from giving students clarity about their performance to providing the institution with valuable data to support retention efforts. Learn how academic advisors, faculty, and peer mentors use midterm grade data to offer personalized guidance, connect students with resources like tutoring and study workshops, and create action plans for improvement.
This episode highlights how midterm grades are more than just a progress check—they’re a cornerstone of proactive engagement that empowers students to take charge of their success and fosters a supportive campus culture.
Co-hosts Jared Tippets & Eric Kirby sit down with Dr. Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson from the University of South Carolina to talk about a retention strategy on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
- The mention or listing of a specific commercial product or service in this episode does not imply endorsement by the editors, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.
In this episode, we dive into how a simple, homegrown texting system became a powerful tool for supporting students. While third-party solutions offer robust options for texting and analysis, their high costs prompted us to create an affordable alternative to check in with students and address key issues in real-time.
We explain how this system works, including the periodic texts sent to students throughout the semester to gauge how they are doing with a number of risk-factors. Students responded by selecting one of three options that best describe their current state, triggering automated replies tailored to their needs. For students facing significant challenges, we ensured personalized follow-up by the appropriate office on campus
We also discuss how the system stored responses in a Google spreadsheet for easy tracking, allowing us to provide targeted outreach to those who needed it most. By proactively reaching out to students through via text, we eliminated barriers to help-seeking and provided timely support that made a real difference.
Tune in to learn how this practical and cost-effective approach can help institutions support student well-being and create a culture of care.
In this episode co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sit down with Dr. Sharon Rea and Dr. Mike Freel from Bellevue University to talk about retention strategies on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
In this episode, we explore an engagement initiative that we've implemented on our campus to ensure that college students who can’t travel home for Thanksgiving have a meaningful holiday experience. Whether they’re international students, out-of-state students, or those with work commitments, many find themselves far from family during this time of year. To address this, we partnered with local community members to host students for Thanksgiving dinner, fostering engagement and belonging.
Tune in to discover how this simple yet impactful idea can create unforgettable holiday memories and bring students and community members closer together.
In this episode co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sit down with Leslie Tod from the University of South Florida to talk about retention strategies on her campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
Registration can be a stressful time for students, but a well-timed and personalized outreach campaign can make all the difference. In this episode, we explore how proactive outreach efforts after registration opens can boost enrollment, remove barriers, and build stronger relationships between students and institutions.
We dive into:
-Strategic Timing: Why staggered registration calendars create opportunities for targeted outreach.
-Personalized Engagement: The power of one-on-one interactions in addressing specific concerns, from registration holds to course guidance.
-Building Trust: How friendly, individualized conversations foster connections, especially with Gen Z students.
-Improved Processes: How student feedback from these calls has led to better institutional programs and initiatives.
We also share actionable steps for creating a successful calling campaign, including:
-Setting clear goals and segmenting outreach lists.
-Crafting effective scripts and training callers.
-Leveraging tools like pre-call texts to improve answer rates.
-Maintaining detailed records to track outcomes and improve future campaigns.
Whether you’re looking to boost registration numbers or deepen student engagement, this episode will give you the tools to make meaningful connections and improve the student experience.
Tune in to learn how outreach can turn routine registration into a transformative moment for your institution!
In this episode co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sit down with Dr. Anne Van Der Karr from Rutgers University - Newark to talk about retention strategies on her campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
First-generation college students make up about one-third of all college enrollments in the U.S., yet they often face unique challenges that can impact their success. From financial struggles to navigating unfamiliar academic environments, these trailblazers often find themselves underserved and overlooked.
In this episode, we delve into the realities of being a first-generation student, including the academic, social, and cultural hurdles they encounter. We'll explore how institutions can better support these students through tailored programs, intentional outreach, and meaningful mentorship.
You’ll hear about our own “First to Fly” initiative, where we focus on increasing retention and persistence for first-gen students through:
-Peer and faculty mentoring tailored to first-gen needs.
-Academic workshops and study groups to build critical skills.
-Financial literacy and scholarship guidance.
-Building a sense of community through events and outreach.
-Career and internship support for long-term success.
Join us as we share strategies, stories, and actionable ideas to foster a campus culture where first-generation students feel valued, supported, and empowered to soar.
In this episode, Eric Kirby sits down with Rusty Pettus from the University of Alabama to talk about retention strategies on his campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic created immense financial challenges for college students, from job loss and housing instability to increased expenses for food and technology. In this episode, we explore how SUU launched the T-Bird Strong campaign to support students facing these hardships.
Discover how this grassroots initiative rallied alumni, donors, and community members to contribute small, meaningful donations that helped students overcome emergencies like food insecurity, homelessness, and medical needs. Learn how this ongoing fund provides a safety net for students in crisis, ensuring they can persist in their studies and achieve their academic goals.
This inspiring story of collective impact shows how even $5 can make a world of difference for students in need. Tune in to find out how your institution can create a similar campaign to support its community!
In this episode co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sit down with Stephanie Merritt and Susan Goldsmith from Tulsa Community College to talk about retention strategies on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
In this episode, we tackle a growing challenge in higher education: student "ghosting." Just as the term applies to dating, it’s showing up in the admissions process, where students indicate plans to enroll but silently disappear. We explore how tracking "Signs of Life"—key behaviors like submitting deposits, securing housing, or communicating with advisors—can help institutions predict which students are truly coming.
Learn how this data-driven approach aids admissions teams in adjusting recruitment strategies, improves budget forecasting, and reduces melt. Plus, discover how proactive outreach keeps students engaged and on track for matriculation. Don’t miss this insightful look into bridging the communication gap and improving enrollment success!
Co-hosts Jared Tippets & Eric Kirby sit down with Monika Rohde and Mohammed Moizuddin from New York Institute of Technology to talk about retention strategies on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
Transitioning to college can be overwhelming, but well-crafted new student checklists can make all the difference. In this episode, we discuss how institutions can create tailored checklists for incoming freshmen, transfer students, and returning sophomores to guide them through essential tasks like registering for classes, securing housing, and planning their finances.
We’ll share tips for balancing critical information with usability, leveraging peer mentors to provide personalized support, and ensuring every student feels prepared for their college journey. Whether you’re an educator, administrator, or a new student yourself, this episode is packed with practical advice to start the semester off right!
Co-hosts Jared Tippets & Eric Kirby sit down with Dr. Danae Romrell from Brigham Young University-Idaho to talk about retention strategies on her campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
In this episode, we explore how virtual groups and clubs are reshaping student connections in the digital age. From Discord to Facebook, we’ve created spaces where students bond over shared passions—whether it’s board games, sports, or even Taylor Swift! These online communities foster inclusivity, peer support, and meaningful interactions that often blossom into in-person friendships.
Tune in to learn how virtual platforms can enhance campus life, promote belonging, and bridge the gap between digital and real-world connections. Discover strategies for launching and managing successful virtual groups that make every student feel at home.
Co-hosts Jared Tippets & Eric Kirby sit down with Sarah Jurden and Kim Brooks from Bowling Green State University to talk about retention strategies on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
In this episode, we explore the transformative power of recognizing and appreciating faculty. From our ‘Campus Influencer’ awards to the Faculty Wall of Fame, we dive into how celebrating faculty engagement enhances student retention, enriches academic life, and boosts institutional success. We’ll share creative ways our campus shows appreciation, why it matters, and how these initiatives inspire faculty to go above and beyond for students. Join us to learn how fostering a culture of appreciation can uplift an entire campus!
Co-hosts Jared Tippets & Eric Kirby sit down with Shelley Dempsey and Lara Lomika Anderson from University of South Carolina to talk about retention strategies on their campus. This episode was recorded at the National Symposium on Student Retention in early November 2024.
In this episode, we dive into the powerful impact of informal student-faculty interactions on student success. We explore how these connections boost satisfaction, foster friendships, and help students thrive.
Our institution put this research to the test by providing faculty with drink vouchers, encouraging them to connect personally with students. Over a quick soda or coffee, professors and students talk life goals, academic planning, and career aspirations—offering the guidance and mentorship that can make all the difference during the "sophomore slump."
Join us as we discuss the heartwarming feedback from students and the lasting benefits of mentorship on their academic, personal, and professional growth.
Dr. Joe Cuseo joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Joe Cuseo is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Marymount California University. He was a 14-time recipient of the “faculty member of the year award” on his home campus—a student-driven award based on effective teaching and academic advising, a recipient of the “Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award” from the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, and a recipient of the “Diamond Honoree Award” from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) for contributions made to the field of student development and Student Affairs profession.
Joe has delivered hundreds of campus workshops, conference presentations and keynote addresses across North America, as well as Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles and books on student learning, student success, and faculty/staff development.
Financial challenges are a primary cause of student attrition on college campuses. As Stancampiano (2022) notes, Gen Z is not opposed to earning four-year degrees; rather, they’re mindful of the high costs and want ways to advance without excessive debt. To help students overcome these barriers, institutions should engage in consistent outreach on scholarship deadlines, financial aid procedures, and funding resources.
In volume one of ASCEND to Higher Retention Rates, we discussed the value and power of having all new students complete a pre-arrival questionnaire (Tippets & Kirby, 2022). This allows us to capture lots of important insights about a student’s background, motivations, and commitment to higher education. Using the data from this survey, and combining it with other data collected from the application process, our peer mentors create “scorecards” for each student to help us prioritize our outreach and support.
Many institutions have purchased sophisticated data analytic software that ingests data to predict the likelihood of a student persisting and graduating. These are fabulous tools, but they are expensive and sometimes complicated to use. And, sometimes the predictions from these tools don’t match the outcomes or what feels right when working with the students.
As an alternate approach to predicting the likelihood of a student retaining, we have our peer mentors use the available data we have to create scorecards for each student that results in an individual score for each student. We have found the following data points to be powerful predictors of persistence and use these scores to help guide our outreach and support to students in the early weeks of their first semester:
- high school GPAs
- first-generation status
- ACT/SAT scores
- intent to transfer
- race/ethnicity
- residency status
- living on campus or off campus
In the end, the method doesn’t have to be exact or overly complex. The key is to look at student data and use that data to identify students who will need some additional support and care. Then, go to work.
Another simple way to nudge students to take care of the most important things first is to create an automated email that gets sent to the student immediately after they pay their enrollment deposit or accept their admission to the institution. Generally speaking, when a student pays their deposit or accepts their admission, they are motivated and thinking about college. As such, nudging them immediately can increase the likelihood of them completing certain tasks you need them to do. On our campus, the following email was sent to the students as soon as their enrollment deposit was paid. Perhaps more importantly, this automated email came from a real person’s account (not a ‘no-reply’ account). This allowed for immediate questions or the ability to get the student to the department that can best serve them.
Offering parent and family orientations in both Spanish and English is a practical and inclusive approach that benefits students, families, and the institution as a whole. It ensures that language barriers do not hinder access to vital information and support, fostering a more welcoming and diverse campus community.
We have found in many instances, especially among Generation Z, that we have to find ways to ‘go to them’ instead of waiting for them to come to us. To better meet students on their turf, we found many ways to ‘go to’ the students. Meeting college students on their turf, rather than waiting for them to come to your office, can offer many benefits.
Even though they are second-year students and in theory know their way around campus, sophomores and transfer students often still find themselves getting the runaround, being bounced from office to office and center to center until they find what they need. To stop this runaround, we created a one-stop shop on campus to better serve our second-year students. Similar to The Nest (a one-stop shop for first-year students) that we described in our first book (Tippets & Kirby, 2022), we created The Perch to serve as a one-stop shop for our second-year students.
Dr. Bryce Bunting from Brigham Young University joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Bryce D. Bunting is an associate clinical professor, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Director of the Office of First-Year Experience at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He began his work in education as a public school teacher and coach. He then earned graduate degrees in instructional design and educational psychology.
He has worked in a variety of roles in student affairs including as an academic advisor for students in academic recovery, a faculty member in BYU’s department of Counseling and Psychological Services, and now as the Director of the First Year Experience at BYU.
Dr. Bunting’s research is focused on using instructional design to develop transformative learning experiences in the first year; peer leadership as a transformative experience; and the development of new theory for understanding and supporting college transitions.
Bryce is a member of the editorial review board for the Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and an affiliate scholar with the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition. He co-authored with Dr. Dallin George Young the recently released book Rethinking Student Transitions: How community, participation, and becoming can help higher education deliver on its promise.
To help students who need professional clothes, our Career Center created a ‘Professional Closet’ to ensure they have access to professional clothing and a knowledge of how to dress for important occasions (i.e. interviews, jobs, internships, etc.). To help get this project off the ground, a request was sent out across campus and throughout the community asking for donations of lightly used professional clothing. This clothing was then gathered, laundered, and stored on racks in a giant walk-in closet area on our campus. Then, students who did not have professional clothing for a job interview, would visit our Career Center, get access to the clothing, and learn about professional attire. Through financial donations, these clothes were then washed/dry cleaned after use and returned to the rack for another student to use down the road.
Transfer students can face a variety of challenges when transitioning to a new institution or college. These challenges can impact their academic and social experiences and can involve things like credit transfer issues, navigating a new environment, academic adjustments, building a new social network, understanding a new campus culture, lacking advising and support services, limited housing options, financial constraints, and more. To combat these issues, institutions across the nation will attempt to offer dedicated orientation programs, provide clear and accessible credit transfer policies, offer academic advising and support tailored to their needs, create opportunities for social integration, and facilitate a smooth transition to the new academic and social environment. To improve our ability to attract and retain more transfer students, we had to first collect the data by better understanding why transfer students transferred to our institution, what keeps them here, and what they wish we as an institution did better.
As we all know, many students start school to get a bachelor’s degree. However, as life happens, that dream can get interrupted for many students. We found that by using information gathered by our withdrawal coordinator and academic advisors, we could identify students who might be considering leaving our institution, but who are close to getting an associate's degree. Nudging them to finish their associate's degree, even though getting a bachelor's degree was their original goal, helps ensure they do not walk away from our institution empty-handed. To do this nudge, we first identified our target students. We then provided personalized outreach to these students to let them know how close they are and what needs to occur to finish up their associate's degree. During this process, academic plans should be created that are tailored to each student's unique situation, focusing on the specific courses they need to complete. Also, discovering what their current barriers are (and what can be done to remove these barriers) is critical. For example, advisors can assess the financial situation of each student and provide information about available financial aid or scholarship opportunities to ease any financial burdens that might be preventing them from graduating. Another important part is ensuring that the students have access to the necessary courses to complete their degree. The advisors need to be knowledgeable of various resources so they can connect students with relevant support services, such as tutoring, counseling, or career services, as needed.
In many regards, parents are often considered the front line of defense for the retention of college students due to their significant influence and role in a student's life, especially during the critical transition to college and as issues along the journey arise. Given this, we have found that providing information and support to parents via social media can play a significant role in increasing the retention of our college students.
‘Sophomore slump’ is a term often used to describe a decrease in excitement, engagement, and overall drive that can occur after the initial excitement of the first year has passed. We know from the literature and from many years of experience that sophomore students often face a period of academic, personal, or motivational decline during their second year of college. It is important to normalize the emotions, experiences, and realities students may face in their second year. Anecdotally, we have seen that many of our students struggle with the sophomore slump, but most don’t know what to call it or fully understand what is going on.
We created a variety of unique initiatives and programming specific to our second-year students. By specifically addressing the sophomore slump and its challenges, we try to demonstrate that we understand and care about the difficulties students may encounter during their second year. This validation can create a sense of belonging and support, reducing the likelihood of students feeling overwhelmed or isolated.
Students are always looking for discounts and deals to save money. Additionally, community businesses are always looking for ways to attract more customers. Given these two realities, creating a community coupons, deals, and discount packet (or website) and giving it to all incoming and returning students can be a great way to help students save money and drive more customers to local businesses. This initiative is also a great way to build partnerships with the community and foster a greater sense of community among students.
Most institutions explore why students have left the institution, which is indeed extremely important data to have. But how often do we explore why students return to the institution? What is it that makes them come back semester after semester? We found that this data can be just as valuable as why students leave.
Aaron Basko from the University of Lynchburg joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Aaron Basko is currently the Vice President of Enrollment and University Outreach at the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, VA. He has more than 25 years of experience serving as an enrollment growth specialist and student success strategist. He is the author of seven books, including Find Your Purpose, Manage Your Career and How to Impress U.S. Universities, and has written for The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, University Business, The Times Higher Education, and The Journal of College Admissions. He is also a 2015 Fulbright grant winner.
Another nudge we have utilized, primarily to help get students registered for the next semester, is to have the university president send an email to all students who haven’t registered past a certain date to see what can be done to get the student back. An email from the university president can be a powerful tool for encouraging students to register for classes. The university president holds a position of authority and influence, and their communication can carry significant weight. In drafting this nudge, make sure you find a way to address students by their names or use a personal salutation to make the email feel more individualized. Next, craft an engaging and relevant subject line that piques students' interest and communicates the importance of the email. For example, “Important: Register for Classes Now to Secure Your Spot.” Throughout the text of the email, make sure it has a warm and welcoming tone to establish a connection with students. Expressing the president's excitement for the upcoming semester and their commitment to students' success is also important. With these types of nudges, it is vital to create a sense of urgency by mentioning registration deadlines or the limited availability of certain classes. Address common concerns students might have, such as financial issues or course availability, offer potential solutions or resources, and mention the availability of academic advisors or registration assistance if students have questions or need guidance.
As you might imagine, this nudge can generate a significant number of responses back to the president. We work closely with her team to alleviate the work that this nudge creates. We help write all the responses back to students so she doesn’t have to. And, the most common response we send is something along the lines of, “Thanks for your good questions (or comments). I’m going to connect you to my friends/colleagues in Academic Advising who will be able to directly assist you. I will make sure they reach out to you very soon. And, if you still have other questions (or comments) please don’t hesitate to reach back out to me directly and I’ll continue to help out however I can.”
We find that we get a bump in course registrations every semester after the nudge email goes out from our president. For whatever reason, these students that we have not been able to reach through our traditional outreach efforts from academic advisors, faculty, peer mentors, and others will be responsive to an email from the university president.
We have found in many instances that many students often struggle to go to an event, activity, or program on their own. If they have to go on their own, they often will choose not to go at all. Struggling with attending big events or going somewhere on one's own can be attributed to a variety of factors, including social anxiety, fear of the unknown, lack of confidence, introversion, or previous negative experiences. It's important to recognize that each person is unique, and their struggles may stem from a combination of these factors. To increase the chances of students attending (or feeling more comfortable attending) events and activities, thereby hopefully increasing their sense of belonging and connection to place, we created smaller niche events that were held a few times a week that would allow smaller gatherings based around a particular hobby (i.e. Dungeons and Dragons; painting night, telling ghost stories, etc.)
We have discovered that small group events at college can provide valuable opportunities for introverts and shy students to connect and engage with others in a more comfortable and manageable setting. Here are some ways we have found in which small group events can be designed to cater to the needs of introverts and shy students.
Dr. Glenn Davis from Bowling Green State University joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Glenn Davis is Vice President for Student Engagement and Success at Bowling Green State University. In this role, Glenn collaborates with staff and faculty from across the university to ensure that all students graduate with the knowledge, skills, experience, and confidence they need to be successful on their chosen path. With Jillian Kinzie, Glenn co-edited Radical Reimagining for Student Success in Higher Education (Routledge, 2023), which seeks to answer one key question: What would college look like if students really mattered?
Glenn has a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from Harvard College, a master’s degree in Medieval Studies from the University of York, and a PhD in English from the University of Texas at Austin.
There are often two competing realities we face when dealing with Generation Z and their view of the workforce. First, they often complain about not having enough money; and second, there are many jobs on our campus that we can’t fill, often in the custodial or food service fields. As we further investigated this issue, we found that some students felt these jobs were beneath them or wondered why they weren’t working at an accounting firm when they were accounting majors or working in the operating room since they wanted to be doctors. We quickly realized how important it is to help students understand that every job counts and that every job can teach them important transferable skills that will prepare them for their future careers.
While peer mentoring programs have become all the rage in higher education, not many peer mentoring programs focus on second-year students. At our institution, the second-year peer mentors (Leads) serve as personal friends, guides, and coaches to each second-year student. Each returning student (or incoming transfer student) is assigned a Lead the summer before they return or start at SUU (usually in April or May). These peer mentors reach out to each student regularly throughout the summer to ensure all questions are answered, the students are registered for classes, and they have completed their second-year checklist.
Nii Abrahams from Butler University joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Since Fall 2022, Nii Abrahams has served as the inaugural Director of the First Year Experience at Butler University in Indianapolis, where he partners across the 4 campus divisions to ensure all areas work cohesively to create a culture of well-being with intentional systems that cultivate belonging and connectedness for all first-year students on campus. He is extremely passionate about helping college students and young professionals discover, develop, and deploy their gifts and passions to make an impact in their chosen communities. He is frequently invited speaker on leadership, belonging, and ministry.
Before his start at Butler University, Nii was the inaugural Director of Orientation and First Year Experience at Anderson University in Indiana and has held other roles in higher education including Assistant Director of Admissions, and Communication adjunct faculty at Ivy Tech Community College, Southern New Hampshire University online, and Missouri State University. In his life prior to his work in higher education, he has developed a breadth of experience in the marketing world as a communication and content strategist for a national nonprofit and as a digital marketing manager for an east coast branding agency. In addition to his job at Butler, Nii also serves as a volunteer staff pastor at a local church in north Indianapolis, which he helped start in 2016. He holds a Bachelors in Communication with an emphasis in Ethical Leadership and a Master’s in Communication, both from Missouri State University. In his downtime, you can find him spending time with his wife and daughter, playing Monopoly Deal, and searching for the best donut shops in Indianapolis.
Completing a FAFSA has many financial benefits. So, our Financial Wellness Office created regular and ongoing ‘FAFSA Nights’. During our FAFSA Nights, our Financial Wellness Office reserves a computer lab on campus for the evening to help students apply for FAFSA and answer all questions regarding what FAFSA is and why they should apply. The student turnout to these events is not huge, but every student helped is another student who hopefully doesn’t leave our campus due to financial reasons.
At our institution we began to see higher levels of withdrawals after certain messages from the institution went out to students. While it is true that Institutions of higher education typically aim to retain students rather than encourage them to withdraw, we found that there may be instances where a message or communication from the institution inadvertently triggers a student to consider withdrawal. To better understand what it was about some of our particular messages that triggered a higher number of withdrawals (and to see if we could change the messaging to minimize withdrawals), we contacted the students who withdrew after each particular message. By using the data we gleaned from these conversations, we were able to better understand what was it about the messaging that triggered the withdrawal and then explored ways to better craft the messaging to minimize its negative impacts. We found that these situations were usually the result of poor communication practices or insensitivity.
Dr. Gill Hunter from Eastern Kentucky University joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Gill Hunter is Assistant Vice President of Retention and Graduation at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. Located just east of the Bluegrass of central Kentucky and in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, EKU is a regional university serving almost 15,000 students, nearly half of them the first in their families to attend college. Dr. Hunter is an English faculty member with 18 years at EKU. His commitment is to EKU’s “school of opportunity” mission and the social mobility that higher education provides. In addition to helping lead EKU’s first generation student initiatives, Gill supports programs focused on first-year students, student parents, student athletes, students with college-readiness needs, and tutoring and advising. His wife is a recently-retired public school administrator and he has two girls, one a middle school English teacher and the other a pediatric oncology nurse. Gill also has two grandchildren and, as passionate as he is about education, his favorite job in the world is being Papi.
One way to help nudge students is to have a banner (or several banners) hung across campus that has interchangeable signs for particular events (i.e. course registration days, career fairs, etc.) and removable numbers that can create a countdown (days left until the event).
We have found that some Gen Z students may lack essential life skills such as cooking, cleaning, basic home maintenance, and financial literacy due to growing up in a digital age where such skills are less emphasized or learned from traditional sources like parents or home economics classes.
With this as a backdrop, we have found that institutions of higher education can play a crucial role in helping students develop life skills and prepare for adulthood by offering a range of programs, resources, and experiences that focus on practical life skills, personal development, and career readiness. On our campus, we refer to such programming as ‘Adulting 101.’
In season one of the ASCEN D Podcast we outlined strategies for how leaders, managers, and supervisors might go about shifting the organizational culture on a campus. Because this effort is at the core of improving student success we spent more time on this topic in volume 2 of our book and wanted to reshare these strategies in season 2 of our podcast. Enjoy!
The first few weeks of each semester can be hard for many students. During these first few weeks, new students may feel homesick after they leave their family and home for the first time. Given these realities, and to show our students we are here to support them every step of the way, during the third week of each semester we do apartment walks where we visit the apartments (both on and off campus) of our students.
At our institution, our Financial Wellness Office hosts a wide array of events and initiatives throughout the year, but during February, there is a concerted effort to get students financially ready for the next school year. Tune in to learn more about Financial February!
In this episode we discuss the different aspects of the ASCEND Model -- Affordability, Support, Culture, Engagement, Nudges, and Data. As a result of the implementation of this new model, we saw immediate improvements in retention and completion rates. Tune in to learn more!
In this episode we discuss the following 8 reasons why colleges and universities should focus on retention and student success:
- a declining national pool of high school graduates;
- increased pressures to grow revenues;
- a growing call from the public for increased accountability;
- the need to close the equity and achievement gaps;
- the ever-changing generational landscape;
- an increased desire for flexibility through online learning;
- Gen Z’s declining interest in traditional higher education; and
- it is simply the right thing to do.
In this episode, ASCEND Podcast co-hosts Eric Kirby and Jared Tippets wrap up Season 1 and talk about themes and takeaways from the first season.
For years we have lost students after a semester or two because they said that our campus, or living in our community, was not what they expected. It was either too large for them and they felt overwhelmed, or it was too small and they would rather live in a bigger city. We found this issue to be particularly prevalent among our international and out-of-state students who may not have been able to visit campus as part of their application process.
To combat this issue, we created a bunch of short videos to introduce students to life on our campus and in our community; these work to dispel myths and establish appropriate expectations about the community that students are moving to. We have found that these videos have helped calibrate appropriate expectations about living in our community among our incoming students. The reality is that a few students have self-selected out of enrolling as a result of these videos, but for the rest, they now understand the culture on campus and what it is really like to be part of our community.
In addition to helping shift the culture on campus in the eyes of our staff and faculty, we also found it important to shift the campus culture in the eyes of the students. Students need to know we care about them and their success. Students need to feel needed, appreciated, and wanted. Students need to feel at home on our campuses.
One of the things we have done on our campus to improve student perceptions of our campus was to do a complete facelift and rebranding within our student center. We moved student-facing and student services offices (e.g. Multicultural Center, International Student Services Office, Outdoors Office, Health & Wellness Office, Financial Aid, etc.) into more prominent locations so students would be more likely to interact and engage in their services. We also created more places for students to relax, hang out, and study. Finally, we changed the paint color throughout the student center, added fun student-centered branding elements, changed out the flooring tile and carpet, and added more lighting to areas of the building that needed to be brightened up. The result of this effort has been fantastic. The amount of student (and staff and faculty) traffic on a daily basis has increased exponentially and students often tell us that the student center is their favorite place on campus to hang out. They also tell us how much they love to show the building to their family and friends who come to campus for a visit.
In this episode, Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby talk about the importance of creating a culture of accountability.
Happy holidays from Jared and Eric. Thanks for your support of the ASCEND Podcast. We're going to take a break for a few weeks and then we'll be back with another episode on January 14.
Students often get the runaround, being bounced from office to office and center to center until they find what they actually need. To stop this nightmare, we created a one-stop shop on campus to better serve our students. This center (The Nest) does not have representatives from all the offices housed within. Instead, it is staffed by peer mentors who know campus inside and out. These peer mentors know where to take students to get the help they need and which offices provide specific information and assistance. Now students know they just have to visit one office to get the information and help they need. Additionally, staff and faculty also know they can visit The Nest or bring a student to The Nest and our peer mentors will take care of them. The creation of The Nest has been one of the most important and effective things we have done to better serve our students.
Dr. Steven Girardot from Georgia Institute of Technology joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Steven P. Girardot is the vice provost for undergraduate education at Georgia Tech and has over twenty years of higher education experience and is a proud Tech alumnus, having earned both a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Chemistry from Georgia Tech. He completed his doctorate in Chemistry at Emory University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology from Emory University. His research was at the interface of chemistry and environmental health. As vice provost, Girardot is responsible for overseeing and executing programs that support and advance the quality and relevance of undergraduate education and the academic success of undergraduate students.
A key to creating a campus culture around student success, retention, and completion is making sure that everyone knows these are priorities for campus. From experience we have learned that organizations fund those things they value most. Therefore, it is important that we also measure those things we want to fund.
Within higher education, faculty know why they exist. However, student affairs units do not always know why they exist or in many cases have forgotten why they exist on campus. Far too many student affairs units believe their purpose on campus is to house students, plan fun events, and keep students safe. These are all important, but are often seen as “fluff” by administrators and our academic affairs colleagues.
In order for student affairs units to become more relevant on campus, they must be able to show how they connect to the core components (teaching and learning) and bottom line (budget) of the institution.
To do this, we have every unit within the division of student affairs create a Unit Effectiveness Plan (UEP). UEPs guide units through the process of mapping their purpose to the institution’s mission and help them think through how they complement the academic mission of the institution as well as contribute to the overall budget on campus.
In the end, these UEPs become 5-10 page living documents that are updated each summer before the beginning of the academic year. Once written, the updates become much easier and less time-consuming. But, most importantly, this process helps each unit pause for an afternoon as a team and all get on the same page before embarking on a new school year.
Dr. Jim Spain from the University of Missouri-Columbia joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Jim Spain earned a BS in Animal Sciences from North Carolina State University and completed his Master of Science and Doctorate in Dairy Science with an emphasis in dairy cattle nutrition at Virginia Tech. He joined the University of Missouri as an Extension Dairy Specialist in 1990. He has given 300+ invited talks on dairy cattle nutrition/management (MO, 35 states, 12 countries). He has been Principal or Co-investigator on grants of 6.5 million dollars. He has co-authored 26 peer reviewed articles, two book chapters and numerous abstracts, trade and extension publications. Spain co-edited a book on teaching, The Pursuit of Teaching Excellence. He was honored for teaching/advising with MU’s top honors: Kemper Fellowship; Missouri Governor’s Award for Teaching Excellence; MU’s Excellence in Advising Award. In August 2007, he began serving as the MU’s Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies – a position he describes as MU’s “advocate for undergraduate teaching and learning”. In December 2010, he was named Vice Provost for eLearning and led MU’s distance education program (Mizzou Online) through September 2019, including a reorganization that was launched in 2010. In February 2020, Spain was named a 2020 Ingram’s Icon of Education by Ingram’s Magazine.
There are two broad groups of individuals that can often serve as the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ when it comes to a student’s well-being: faculty and community members (parents, alumni, religious leaders, etc.). In this episode we talk about how it is important to involve these two groups in the retention efforts. Two simple ways to have them help are through early alerts and a Report a Student Concern website.
For this expert session co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sat down with leaders from National University to capture their knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
In this episode you'll hear from Dr. Mark Milliron (President & CEO), Dr. Angela Baldasare (Deputy Chief of Staff and VP for Strategic Institutional Research & Planning), and Sarah Ball (AVP, Learner Experience).
Students often struggle getting along with their roommates, which sometimes leads to a desire to return back home. To increase the likelihood of roommates getting along and ultimately retaining, try pairing them with students who have similar interests, live similar schedules, and enjoy similar living arrangements.
Many campuses already do this via expensive 3rd party software programs. But, it can also be done cheaply with a simple paper roommate matching profile form. If you are not doing this, give it a try.
A fun way to include faculty in creating a culture of care and concern is to involve them in our retention efforts from the very beginning of the semester. Each year, during our Fall Welcome Week, we split up all our new incoming students into small groups based on similar interests and hobbies. We then carve out some time during our welcome week for these groups of students to enjoy their interest or hobby together. For example, if their shared interest is Harry Potter, they may watch a Harry Potter movie as a group. Or, if their shared hobby is mountain biking, they may go for a ride all together.
When we first started this interest-based group model, we had faculty who share the same hobby tell us they would love to join these students during these times set aside on the Welcome Week schedule. From there we invited all interested faculty to participate and have had a tremendous level of involvement. Most importantly, the students love having the faculty tag along and enjoy getting to know them on this level before classes begin for the semester. We have found that this partnership breaks down some of the anxiety and fear about the faculty role and helps students know that faculty are normal people just like them.
Dr. Ed Cabellon from Curry College joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
With over 26 years in Higher Education, Dr. Ed Cabellon (pronounced "kah-bell-en") currently serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Curry College in Milton, MA. Known for his creative and collaborative leadership, Ed specializes in data-driven recruitment, retention, and graduation strategies. An authority on digital technology in higher education, Ed has conducted pivotal research, published extensively, and taught courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels. A sought-after speaker, he has delivered over 75 keynotes across the U.S. and Canada. Outside academia, he co-founded Brockton Beer Company, Brockton Massachusetts' first brewpub, and is an active community member serving on multiple Boards. As a first-generation Filipino-American, Dr. Cabellon's work is deeply informed by his own transformative educational journey.
We eliminated our old mandatory on-campus orientation and shifted to online modules and a voluntary system where any student who wants can come to campus to perform a Personalized Visit. Here is how it works. The student visits our Personalized Visit homepage and chooses from numerous options to hand pick exactly what he or she would like to accomplish while on campus (i.e. campus tour, visiting your classrooms, meeting with academic advisor, financial aid counselor, etc. Once submitted, this request goes directly to the student’s peer mentor who immediately goes to work on arranging everything the student wanted to accomplish. The peer mentor then prepares an itinerary and sends it back to the student. On the date of the Personalized Visit, the peer mentor meets the student and provides him or her with a unique, customized visit to campus. Nearly three-quarters of our incoming students select to do this optional Personalized Visit with their peer mentor.
Dr. Kal Srinivas from Syracuse University joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
As part of Syracuse University’s larger commitment to creating an inclusive student body, Dr. Kal Srinivas works with all schools, colleges and divisions to further the ideals of supporting all students with the underpinning concept being that all students receive the individualized services and support necessary for their success through graduation.
As the director of student retention and success she assists campus stakeholders in thinking critically, analytically and creatively to meet the needs of our diverse student population, through programs, services and efforts. She supports the success of all students by working collaboratively to identify areas of needed change that would increase student success and retention, discovering what causes attrition, developing recommendations, in addition to alternating systems and procedures to increase retention.
She provides leadership and strategic direction for designated co-curricular and functional units, as well as across all schools and colleges to expand the University’s visibility and reach, which support student retention and success.
Many students face unforeseen financial challenges such as a car repair, medical procedure, job loss, family issues, etc. Such surprises can prevent a student from having enough money to cover their rent, buy books, purchase food for a few weeks, pay for utilities, and so on. These expenses can lead to students withdrawing from the university. To combat this, we set some funds aside for these emergencies that unexpectedly arise. Key staff members from across campus have access to this fund, and after meeting with the student, are able to award a small emergency one-time retention grant up to $2,000 (although the amount is typically closer to $200-$300) to help retain a student. Before deciding to distribute such funds to the student, the staff member will find out if the student is employed (if not, why), how many hours a week the student is working, loan status, whether or not the student applied for scholarships and Pell grants, if the student has family who can help, and how the student is spending their money each week.
In this special episode, we sat down with conference attendees at the National Symposium for Student Retention (NSSR) which is hosted by the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange at the University of Oklahoma.
In this episode you'll hear from:
- University of Wyoming - Nycole Courtney & Abby Markley
- Berklee College of Music - Kristina Sharra
- Shenandoah University - Marshell Edney
- Grinnell College - Georgeanna Robinson & Ben Newhouse
- University of Kentucky - Adam Smith
- Indiana University Northwest - Tanice Foltz
- Seminole State College of Florida - Carlee Walkover & Debbie Lynch
We have found over the years that it is important for staff to know exactly which students they are responsible for retaining. Otherwise, if they feel responsible for ALL students, they struggle finding a way to focus their time and energy in a productive manner.
We highly recommend that campuses create a series of dashboards for each individual on campus that has a responsibility to retain a particular population of students. This dashboard or list of students they are in charge of will focus their work efforts. For instance, it is important for those that work in a Veterans Center, Multicultural Center, Non-Traditional Center, Greek Life, etc. to know exactly which students they are responsible for. Each semester we create a cohort list for each of these offices so they can track, monitor progress, and take personal notes on their students. Then, at the conclusion of the semester we calculate the persistence and retention rates of their caseloads and report this data back to the appropriate staff members.
Dr. Michelle Ashcraft from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Michelle Ashcraft is the inaugural Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Program Officer at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Michelle leads the K-12 Outreach, Career and Technical Education, Postsecondary Transitions and Success, and State Financial Aid teams to increase Indiana’s college-going rate, college completion rate, and in-state retention rate of college graduates. The teams align policies, programs and partnerships to assist Hoosier high school students in earning credentials before graduation, filing FAFSA, taking advantage of direct admissions to Indiana's higher education institutions and maximizing usage of over $400M in state financial aid to complete college on time and enter the workforce in Indiana. Prior to joining the Commission, Michelle served as Director of Purdue Promise at Purdue University for ten years, and previously worked for the University of Kentucky in New Student & Parent Programs. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Organizational Leadership & Supervision before pursuing a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina in Higher Education & Student Affairs. Michelle recently earned her doctoral degree in Higher Education from Purdue University in May 2023.
When dealing with today’s generation of students, we cannot expect them to approach us when they have questions. Instead, we believe that we need to get in the habit of going to them. During the first few weeks of each semester, our peer mentors and key staff members will be seen carrying signs around campus. At any given time during these weeks, we will have a dozen or more student leaders wandering campus, making themselves available to help students. We go to the students. We engage with them in their space and on their turf. We let the students know we are here to help. The results have been amazing.
We also do similar things throughout the semester to learn about the things that are going right and wrong with our students’ education. As Bill Gates said, “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” (Anderson, 2013). Give it a try. Grab a sign. Start wandering. Discover all the meaningful conversations that are waiting to happen.
Dr. KayDee Perry from The University of Olivet joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. KayDee Perry currently serves as the Associate Provost for Student Development at The University of Olivet. Olivet is a small, private, primarily residential institution located in south central Michigan, serving one of the most diverse student populations in the State of Michigan. Over her 11 years at Olivet, KayDee has served in a variety of roles including Chair of the Health and Human Performance Department, Associate Professor, founding Director of the Teacher Pathway, and President of the Faculty Senate. Regardless of her designated title, KayDee has always focused on student success. In 2021, KayDee earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University with her research exploring the relationship between student engagement as predictors of retention among Gen Z, Undergraduate Students. Most recently, The University of Olivet was selected for funding for a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program Grant from the U.S. Department of Education and a King-Chavez-Parks 4S grant from the State of Michigan’s LEO Department, and KayDee will be serving as the Project Director. Both of these grants support the launch of research-based programs to improve student success measures at The University of Olivet.
Every campus handles the course registration of new students very differently. The most common practices are either that campuses allow students to register themselves without much guidance or require students to attend a summer orientation and meet with an academic advisor. We have tried both, and from these experiences, we know that this generation of students needs significantly more support as they go through the process of registering for their first term of classes.
In this episode, Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby sit down with the Southern Utah University Student Success Team to talk about the ASCEND model.
Featured in this episode are:
- Kelly Lid Stephens - Executive Director of Completion and Student Success
- Ashleigh Zimmerman - Executive Director of Belonging and Engagement
- Heather Garcia - Director of Student Involvement & Leadership
- Brandon Street - Director of Career & Professional Development
- Katie Murray - Parent and Family Services Coordinator
- Anu Tufuga - College Transition Specialist at Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, HI
- Ryan Bailey - Director of First-Year Experience and Student Retention, now at Utah Valley University
Too often we wish students would reach out to us for help. However, we know that this is rarely the case, especially during their first year. So we have two options: wait in vain for them to come to us or take key and timely information to them. More importantly, when dealing with Generation Z students, it is crucial to understand that we need to “go to them [and] don’t beg them to come to you” (Hundrieser, 2015). Gen Z’ers prefer interactive communication (Hundrieser, 2015) and the majority of Gen Z say they prefer in-person communications (51%) as opposed to emailing (16%) (Schawbel, 2014). By simply running an institutional report to find out which classes have the highest number of first-year students or which classes have the highest DFW rates, you know which classes you can visit to provide information on key resources (i.e. tutoring, etc.) and/or key deadlines (i.e. registration, FAFSA, scholarship deadlines, etc.).
To implement this initiative, we simply contacted the faculty who taught these courses and asked if we might take the first two minutes of class to share some important information with their students. The faculty all readily agreed and welcomed our visit. Our peer mentors then began working their way through the list of classes, stopping by, and making quick announcements. We found that going to the students is a great way to provide the support they need to be successful and retain.
Dr. Bridget Burns joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her deep knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Named one of the “Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly magazine, Dr. Bridget Burns is the founding CEO of the award winning University Innovation Alliance (UIA), an national multi-campus national laboratory for student success innovation working to increase the number and diversity of college graduates across the country. Dr. Burns is a frequent keynote speaker, and her work has been highlighted in national outlets like The New York Times, Fast Company, 60 Minutes, and she was featured in the documentary “Unlikely”.
In recent years there seems to be an increase in food insecurity among college students. And even if students do have access to an adequate amount of food, on the whole they still seem to always be hungry. To address this need, your institution might consider creating a ‘Free Food’ app.
In many instances, campus activity boards, clubs, and organizations are always looking for increased attendance at their events. So why not merge a student’s need for food and an organization's desire for more attendance? It is as simple as collecting and sharing one piece of data -- will there be free food?
On your campus calendar, add the ability for those submitting their event to check a box if there will be free food. Then, display these events on the Free Food app or website in a filtered manner so that students can easily find events each day on campus where they can go get free feed. In doing so, attendance at events will increase, sense of belonging and connection among the student deepens, and students save money, which helps with the financial concerns. It is a win-win situation all the way around.
Another variation of this concept is to partner with your campus food service department. On average, catering offices are providing multiple lunches and dinners each day for a variety of meetings and banquets on campus. Rarely is all the food at these events eaten, and therefore goes to waste. Rather than letting all this food be disposed of, a campus might consider creating a service whereby they send out a text alert or app notification to interested students to let them know that there is leftover food in a particular location on campus. Students who are able, can swing by the function and fill up reusable containers with the leftover food. Another win-win situation; hungry students get access to food and less food goes to waste.
Dr. James Winfield joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. James K. Winfield serves as the associate dean for first-year experience, general education, and retention strategies at Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Campus. Winfield is a proud first-gen graduate with extensive experience in first-year programs, specifically facilitating first-year seminars, teaching, designing curriculum, and leading faculty development. His dissertation and research interests are focused on the career self-efficacy and academic major decisions of low-income, first-generation college students in a TRIO SSS program.
James enjoys examining pop culture to unpack narratives on first-gen characters and college themes in film and television. He is a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fan and enjoys spending time with his family.
It is important for college campuses to study their students, collect data on them so they better understand their unique qualities, and then determine how to best serve them. A common challenge that many campuses face is making sure that campus practices, policies, approach, and culture match the students that they serve. The students on our campuses change over time and it is important that we adjust along with them.
Gen Z’ers began showing up on college campuses around 2015. These students are very different from those students who came before them. And, from our experience and consulting, it is clear that most colleges and universities have not adjusted to appropriately serve this new population. Campus practices and culture are still best suited to serve a group of students who are millennials or Generation X’ers. There are many unique characteristics with Generation Z and it is important that we understand these nuances in order to appropriately serve them.
In order for campuses to successfully retain students from Generation Z, it will be important for them to understand this population and adjust their practices accordingly.
Dr. Christine Salvesen joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Christine Salvesen serves as the Chief Retention Officer and Associate Vice Provost for Student Success & Retention Innovation at the University of Arizona. She leads several retention leadership groups, coordinates many campus-wide persistence and retention initiatives, and oversees a unit that supports the success of all undergraduates at the University of Arizona through strengths-based programming, evidence-based practices, and robust assessment. Dr. Salvesen has worked at the University of Arizona for over 32 years in several capacities, primarily within Student Affairs. She has her B.S. in Psychology, M.A. in Educational Psychology, and a PhD in Higher Education, all from the University of Arizona.
FACULTY OFFICE HOURS - WHO ARE THEY FOR?
One of the things that has always surprised us was the unwillingness of first-year students to visit faculty during office hours. After talking to many students, we realized the unwillingness was not intentional and that they thought that professor office hours were times faculty were NOT to be disturbed. They thought these hours were similar to the listed hours of their high school teachers, a time set aside to do projects and work.
To combat this, we launched a campaign to help students understand that office hours are the posted times professors will be available in their offices to meet with students. We inform students that they paid for these hours; therefore, they need to feel free to use them. However, we also remind students that this is not a social open house. Most professors expect that students who show up for office hours have specific questions or concerns related to the class. The purpose of office hours is to give busy students access to busy professors.
Dr. Amber Williams joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Amber Williams is the Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she provides oversight to various departments, encompassing Academic Advising, Career Development, First-Year Programs, and Undergraduate Research, among others. Under her astute leadership, UT has observed notable improvements in retention rates, persistence, graduation outcomes, and subsequent career trajectories. Leveraging her extensive experience in the field of higher education, Williams has implemented innovative, data-informed strategies and personalized programs and services, tailored to accommodate the distinctive narratives of individual student scholars. Driven by an unwavering commitment to the well-being and triumph of students, Williams is resolutely dedicated to cultivating a transformative and meaningful educational experience for all members of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and surrounding communities.
Campuses that have great success in increasing their retention and completion rates have faculty who are actively engaged in this student success effort. In fact, there is substantial evidence in the literature that faculty may be the strongest influencers in helping students persist and graduate. And, it is easy to see why, because they spend significantly more time with the students than anyone else on campus. In any given semester, a faculty member may see a student three times a week for an hour for 15 weeks, which is 45 hours in a semester. During that same semester, an academic advisor may meet with that student for one hour or a peer mentor may check in with that student a couple of times.
The challenge, however, is that it is nearly impossible to get ALL faculty involved in retaining students. For many, they simply (and maybe rightfully so) do not see it as part of their core job duties. So, rather than getting frustrated or spending an exorbitant amount of time trying to get all faculty involved, we recommend simply working with those faculty who do have a natural interest in the work of retention and completion. Finding this “coalition of the willing” is as simple as asking students who their favorite faculty are or talking with deans and department chairs. Once we have our list of faculty allies, we can work closely with them throughout the school year to help us reach out to students in their majors.
A favorite way that we have identified our faculty allies is through an initiative we call “Campus Influencers.” Each spring, just after commencement, we ask all graduating students to complete a survey about their experience at our institution. One of the questions we ask is, “Please tell us the one person on campus who had the greatest influence on you during your time here.” From this exercise we create a Campus Influencer certificate and present it to every individual on campus who was identified by a graduating student. These awards have become coveted on our campus and have been a great way for us to identify faculty (and staff) who are actively engaged in the success of our individual students.
Dr. Amelia Parnell joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Amelia Parnell is vice president for research and policy at NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, where she leads many of the Association’s scholarly and advocacy-focused activities. Amelia writes and speaks frequently about topics related to student affairs, college affordability, student learning outcomes, and institutions’ use of data and analytics. Amelia’s policy and practitioner experiences include prior roles in association management, legislative policy analysis, internal audit, and TRIO programs. Her research portfolio includes studies of leadership in higher education, with a focus on college presidents and vice presidents. She is the author of the book, You Are a Data Person: Strategies for Using Analytics on Campus, and host of the podcast, Speaking of College. Amelia currently serves on the board of directors for EDUCAUSE and is an advisor to several other higher education organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University and masters and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from Florida A & M University.
We recognize that it is critical for incoming students to feel supported. Therefore, from the time a student commits to our institution (through the paying of their enrollment deposit) to the start of fall semester, we have 38 points of contact with each incoming student. These forms of communication include a welcome letter; outreach through phone, text, postcards, handwritten letters, and social media; placing them in interest-based Facebook groups; an online orientation process; mailing them a welcome packet and other handwritten notes; providing Personalized Visits; and through Facebook live chats. These points of outreach ensure students start school on the right foot and allow each student to develop relationships with key personnel on campus.
Dr. Beth Lingren-Clark joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Beth Lingren Clark is the Associate Vice Provost for Retention and Transition Programs in the Office for Undergraduate Education at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She is responsible for leading the U’s retention strategy including many retention outreach efforts, co-leading APLUS governance and influencing its priorities and functions both locally and for system campuses, as well as co-leading international fee grant process to support international student success. She also oversees and supports those who manage the processes for Orientation, Welcome Week, Transfer initiatives and other transition and first-year programs. Her legacy is around creating a common campus culture for assessment. Over the years, Beth has taught the College of Science and Engineering First-Year Experience course for 7 years and in the Leadership Minor program for 3 years.
She received her bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University, her master's degree from Western Illinois University, and her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.
She has served in various capacities with NODA. She served on the NODA board of directors, a conference co-host, Vice President, NODA President and is currently the co-lead faculty for the Retention Symposium and serves as an Orientation Professionals Institute faculty. She is a past recipient of the Outstanding Research award and President’s award winner, has also co-authored chapters for the NODA Monograph, the NODA Orientation Planning Manuals and has presented countless times at annual and regional conferences including webinars. She has also assisted both NODA and the University of Minnesota in the home office transition in 2007, currently serving as the campus liaison between the University and the NODA Presidents supporting human resource, finance, technology support and other areas outlined in the memorandum of understanding with the University.
She enjoys her nearly 30 years of work in higher education and supporting student success efforts. She is a proud mom to a ninth grader and her partner of over 16 years also works in higher education.
Generation Z students are highly self-directed, demonstrated by a strong desire to work for themselves, study entrepreneurship, and design their own programs of study in college (Northeastern, 2014). This sense of independence and flexibility also translates into academic and curricular expectations for autonomy and exploration. Additionally, Gen Z’ers largely prefer a traditional undergraduate experience augmented by innovations that offer hands-on experiences and practical skills.
Based on this information, it comes as no surprise when we are talking to employers that they often tell us that recent college graduates from across the nation are “too big for their britches.” In other words, college graduates want big paychecks, managerial experience, and to run the office. Gen Z’ers often struggle with understanding that there are entry- and mid-level positions that they often need to fulfill first. In many instances, students need to understand that they must first pay their dues. And, while in college, we find that many students who are looking for employment are unwilling to work in entry-level jobs (e.g. fast food, catering, grounds crew, custodial, etc.). Some students feel that because they want to be a doctor ten years from now, they need to work as a doctor now, during their freshman year. So how do we help Gen Z’ers adjust their expectations, be more agreeable to accepting entry-level jobs, and be more willing to understand the need to earn their stripes?
Join us for this episode where we discuss this topic in more detail.
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Andrew (Drew) Koch is a husband and father of 6, hiker (when both body and time permit), aging lacrosse player, educator, son of immigrants, and Chief Executive Officer at the Gardner Institute. His 30+ year career in higher education has been dedicated to expanding access and success in both public and private colleges and universities. He has been a PI or co-PI on more than four dozen grants focused on postsecondary education learning and success. His scholarship explores the role colleges and universities play in shaping culture and democracy in the United States with a particular emphasis on students of color, low-income, and first-generation students. His most recent book, co-written and compiled with John N. Gardner and Michael Rosenberg and published by Stylus in 2021, is The Transfer Experience: A Handbook for Creating a More Equitable and Successful Postsecondary System. He also co-authored Talking about Leaving Revisited: Persistence, Relocation, and Loss in Undergraduate STEM Education published by Springer in 2019. Dr. Koch is currently working on a single-author book that exposes and calls for transforming the gateway course experience. That book is scheduled to be published in 2024 by Routledge.
Does your institution have a publicized, stated retention goal? Is the goal realistic? Do you have data that supports your ability to achieve or exceed your retention goals?
We often find campuses, just like ours, who have set lofty retention goals without guiding their aspirations with good data. When we arrived on our campus we inherited a noble, lofty, and catchy retention goal for our campus, “Strive for 85.” This goal of achieving a retention rate or 85% was set by a group of well-intentioned staff who cared deeply for our students and hoped for their success. The catch? The goal was not realistic; at least that is what the data told us.
It is important for campuses to set a realistic retention goal; one that stretches their campus but is also achievable with lots of hard work. To arrive at a realistic retention goal, campuses should analyze institutions from around the state, region, and country that are similar to their institution. As we completed this exercise, we looked at schools with similar enrollments, community size, student profile, degree offerings, reputation, etc. and then compared retention rates. What we typically find is that these types of institutions all have similar retention rates. This data gives us a sense of a reasonable retention goal for our school.
As your campus sets goals for the retention rate you would like to achieve, make sure you take the time to guide your goal setting with good data. This will make sure that members of your campus can believe in your goal and will not get discouraged along the way.
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is Professor of Education and Psychology at Virginia Union University (VUU), where he also serves as Director of the Center for the Study of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Principal Investigator of grant-funded The Belonging Lab. Since 2016, he owns and serves as president of a successful consulting firm that works with hundreds of corporations, colleges, schools, and leaders each year.
Many students are figuratively drowning from the weight of their personal lives or scholastic endeavors. They feel lost. They feel alone. They feel hopeless. They are frustrated, confused, and lacking confidence. Many are just crying to be noticed and for someone to simply recognize that they are alive, that they have a purpose, and that someone sees them for who they are. Most faculty and staff are not licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, or any other doctor specializing in these issues. But one thing we have found is that so often there is nothing more powerful than someone who cares. We might not be able to heal everyone, but a loving word, gesture, smile, or embrace can go a long way.
With this in mind, there are a few times a year that we invite our student leaders and each staff member across Student Affairs to carve out 15-30 minutes each day for a couple of weeks (typically during midterms and heading into finals) to “Focus on 5.” The task is to wander the campus and find five students each day to chat with, say hello to, eat lunch with, check on, or simply shake their hand and look them in the eye so they know that at least one person saw them and recognized their existence. We have found that amazing things happen when we get out of our offices and focus on five students each day. Focusing on five is a great way to nudge your team to make connections with students.
Dr. Monica Brockmeyer, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Urban Studies and Associate Professor, Department Computer Science, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Monica Brockmeyer, Ph.D., an experienced and pioneering higher education leader and Founder of Change By Degrees consulting. Until the end of 2022, she was senior associate provost for student success at Wayne State University in Detroit, where she led the university to impressive gains in graduation rates. Under her leadership, the university increased its six-year graduation rate from 26% to 60% in just eleven years, making WSU the fastest improving large public university in America. This accomplishment was recognized by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) prestigious Degree Completion Award from the in 2018.
As a first-generation college student, Dr. Brockmeyer was the first on both sides of her family to earn post-high school degrees. She understands and appreciates the fear and anxiety that can accompany students on uncharted educational journeys and in her leadership and consulting roles, she seeks to simplify the process while increasing success not only for students, but for universities seeking to endure.
Dr. Brockmeyer has been named a Crain’s Notable Woman in Higher Education and the MIACADA Pacesetter Award. Her contributions to academic advising, curriculum development, student success, strategic planning, enrollment management, technology and predictive analytics, accreditation, and shared governance have made a lasting impact on the higher education community.
A healthy campus culture will have a strong partnership between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. This is something that most campuses struggle with as sometimes there is a natural tension between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. While Student Affairs professionals sometimes push too hard and too fast with initiatives, it is important for them to remember that Student Affairs exists to support the academic mission of the institution, not the other way around. The most effective institutions we have seen in creating a shared campus culture between these two divisions comes when Student Affairs includes their Academic Affairs colleagues from the very beginning of an initiative and invites feedback, brainstorming, thinking, and significant solution-seeking. When ideas around a retention initiative are co-created, there is much stronger participation by faculty and a willingness to be part of the solution.
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President for Amarillo College, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President for Amarillo College since 2014. Amarillo College was named the 2023 Aspen Prize Co-Winner for Community College Excellence.
Russell’s leadership is focused on improving student success through systemic and cultural change centered on one word: LOVE. Under Russell’s leadership, Amarillo College developed the systemic Culture of Caring targeting removal of poverty barriers that was featured in The Atlantic (June 2018) and in the documentary on AmazonPrime, The Antidote.
Dr. Lowery-Hart previously served as Vice-President of Academic Affairs for Amarillo College and named the National Council of Instructional Administrators Academic Leader of the Year for 2014. He received his Ph.D. from Ohio University; M.A. Texas Tech University; and, B.S. from West Texas State University.
A great way to provide support for staff, faculty, and students is to make them aware of the campus and community resources and services that are available to them. Hoping that students remember everything from their orientation or that faculty and staff have the time necessary to research and memorize where to send students for help is not a very efficient strategy. We recommend that campuses produce and distribute a single document of campus resources.
Dr. Karnell “Dr.K” McConnell-Black (he/him) is the vice president for student life at Reed College in Portland, OR. He has over 15+ years of experience in higher education. Karnell has a bachelor’s degree in communication, a master’s in education, and a doctorate in education. He has served in a variety of professional roles, including coordinator of orientation and first-year programs at Loyola University Chicago; director of student involvement, leadership, and orientation; and vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Westminster College. He also served as the president of the Association of Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (NODA). Karnell is the current chair of the NASPA 2023 Western Regional Conference and is also a senior impact fellow with the Aspen Institute.
Karnell’s professional philosophy is guided by an inclusive excellence praxis that centers the student experience as fundamental in defining the success of the institution (Kuh et al., 2005). As a result, he brings a focus to how senior-level administrators balance the market needs of institutional sustainability and the impact of student-centric measures that enhance a student’s ability to navigate the world post-college. Additionally, he illuminates the meaning-making processes that underserved students engage in when navigating non-academic elements of college (i.e. outside of class college experiences).
Data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) suggests that there is a large gap between the percentage of employers that rate recent students as proficient in particular skills and the percentage of students who consider themselves proficient in the same skills. We must do better as educators to help our current students and recent graduates be better prepared to succeed in the workforce.
Dan Carpenter, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success Innovation at Purdue University, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dan Carpenter serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success Innovation at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. In this role he leads the Student Success Programs department whose various interconnected programs assist students in progressive stages of development; and have as their ultimate goals an increased rate of student degree completion, future employment or study, dedicated citizenship, and responsible leadership in the state, nation, and world. In addition to this role, he will soon provide leadership to the team that will serve Purdue students at Indianapolis in a similar manner after the dissolution of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in the fall of 2024.
Dan has been a member of Purdue University staff since 2008, was named Executive Director of Student Success Programs since 2015 and was recently named Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success Innovation. Prior to joining Purdue, he served as a commissioned officer in the US Army for 22 years culminating in final assignment as Army ROTC Department Head at Purdue University and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
We all have a pretty good idea of the data points that signal a student may be less likely to persist or retain. RIGHT?
Yet, many campuses have purchased expensive software solutions that promise sophisticated data analysis to predict student retention. And, while we know that these programs work well, we have found that many of these third-party models are not significantly more accurate than homegrown predictions we can produce with easily accessible data.
Each year, our campus reviews a handful of key data points for all our incoming students and creates an internal score that guides our outreach and support efforts. While this activity lacks complicated statistical analysis, we have found that our process predicts retention at a surprisingly high level.
Don’t over complicate things. Get a group of smart people around a table and come up with the 10 data points that you think will help predict whether or not a student will retain. Create a score for each student and then go after those who need your support!
Dr. Stephanie Foote, Vice President for Teaching, Learning, and Evidence-Based Practices at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Stephanie M. Foote is the Vice President for Teaching, Learning, and Evidence-Based Practices at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. Stephanie is also a lecturer at Stony Brook University Before joining the Institute staff, Stephanie was a Professor and founding director of the Master of Science in First-Year Studies, and faculty fellow for High-Impact Practices at Kennesaw State University.
Stephanie has dedicated her career to supporting students as they transition to and through higher education, and most recently her research and practice have focused on centering humanity in course design/redesign and creating inclusive and responsive learning environments.
Getting students to do the right thing at the right time can often be a challenge. Therefore, it is vital that we focus our limited time, energy, and money on those students who need us most, when they need us most. We must discover which students to nudge along, and then find a way to reach those students who do not want to be reached. The right nudges at the right time are a key to success in retention and completion.
Dr. Jim Hintz, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Inclusion, and Belonging at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Hintz serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Inclusion, and Belonging at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a part of the Student Affairs senior leadership team and is responsible for developing strategies to enhance student success, inclusion and belonging by leveraging and aligning curricular and co-curricular student experiences.
Prior to Illinois, Dr. Hintz served in various positions at Purdue University, University of Connecticut and Ohio University. A native of Norwalk, Ohio, Dr. Hintz earned his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Indiana State University and both a Master's degree in College Student Personnel and a Bachelor's degree in Social and Managerial Science from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
In this episode we share our formula for breaking down silos on campus.
One of the key aspects of changing a culture on campus is breaking down the existing silos and getting people to work together rather than working independently. Campuses must become more concerned about the success and persistence of every student than their own departments.
Silos and territorialism on campus are created by individuals and departments being more concerned about their own welfare, workload, and receiving credit than they are about the welfare of the individual students. We have found that the following mantra serves as a constant reminder to all our staff and breaks down the silos of working independently.
WE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON:
First, what is best for students,
Second, what is best for the university,
Third, what is best for our department/unit, and
Fourth, what is best for me individually.
Unfortunately, we find that many in higher education MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON:
First, what is best for me (and my resume, my career, my workload, etc.),
Second, what is best for my department (what is easiest, etc.),
Third, what is best for the university, and
Fourth, if it happens to work out, what is best for students.
When individuals and departments make decisions based on what is in their best interest or what is easiest for their department, it immediately builds up walls and silos. When we become territorial, the students lose. If campuses want to be successful at retaining more students, they must move to a culture that puts students and their success first, above our own self-interest.
Dr. Dhanfu Elston, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff at Complete College America, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dhanfu E. Elston, Ph.D. (pronounced: dah-NEE-foo) serves as Complete College America’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff. He utilizes his national policy and campus expertise for practical application, implementation, scaling, and branding of student success and workforce aligned strategies across CCA’s Alliance of states, systems, and consortia. Previously, Elston led institutional completion, retention, and student affairs efforts at minority-serving institutions that garnered national attention, including Georgia State University, Purdue University Northwest, and Clark Atlanta University.
It is important to remember that Generation Z students are much closer with their families and rely heavily on their parents or guardians in their decision-making process (Hundrieser, 2015). As a result, it is very important for colleges and universities to partner with parents in their students success.
In this episode we talk about creating a Parent and Family Services office to serve as the single point of contact for parents, families, and supporters. This office will also play an important role in keeping families informed and connected to campus throughout the school year.
Dr. Paul Dosal, Senior Vice President for Student Success at the University of Central Florida, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Paul Dosal joined the University of Central Florida as the inaugural Senior Vice President for Student Success in July 2022. In this position, he is responsible for Enrollment Management, Student Success and Advising, Career Readiness and Experiential Learning, Student Life, and Health and Well-Being. He serves as the university’s champion for creating and sustaining an integrated, comprehensive, and intentional student experience that ensures all students who start at UCF can finish at UCF.
Prior to his appointment, Dr. Dosal served in a similar role at the University of South Florida from 2010 to 2022. During that time, he led a collaborative movement that generated remarkable gains in undergraduate student success, most notably the four- and six-year graduation rates, and narrowed or eliminated achievement gaps by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. His first administrative experience at USF came as the founding Executive Director of ENLACE Florida (now the Florida College Access Network, or FCAN) which promoted college readiness, access, and success for under-represented students across the state.
Dosal is also a Professor of Latin American History, specializing in the modern history of Cuba and the Caribbean region. He is the author of four books, including Comandante Che, a study of the military career of the legendary Latin American revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, and Doing Business with the Dictators, a history of the infamous United Fruit Company in Guatemala in the early 20th century.
Born and raised in Tampa, he is a fourth-generation descendant of Cuban immigrants who settled in Ybor City in 1889. He earned his B.A. in International Politics at St. Andrews College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. He received his M.A. in Latin American Studies and Ph.D. in History at Tulane University in New Orleans. He earned promotion to Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and promotion to Full Professor at the University of South Florida.
As we have consulted with institutions across the nation, we have found that regardless of the academic reputation or extracurricular experience an institution might have, if students are unable to afford to attend, these students will leave. In this episode, we talk about a number of considerations for increasing the number of student jobs on campus.
Dr. Dale Whittaker, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success and Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia State University, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Dale Whittaker has worked for over three decades on the frontlines of public higher education in roles ranging from professor to president at some of the nation’s largest, fast-growing public research universities (Texas A&M, Purdue University, University of Central Florida). Now as Senior Advisor at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dale supports the transformation of higher education to produce more degrees for more people with more equity. His portfolio focuses on supporting national serving, rapidly growing universities as they use scale, reach and digital capacity to reduce income and racial gaps in the attainment of high quality degrees at the national level.
Each semester, during the 2nd week of classes, we work with faculty to report on the attendance status of each student. From this exercise we are able to: (1) clean up enrollment records; and (2) collect the names of students who have not been attending classes. We know from research that class attendance is an extremely powerful predictor of student persistence. Students who regularly attend all classes are much more likely to do well academically and are therefore much more likely to retain. Once we get the data back from our enrollment census, we have our academic advisors and peer mentors reach out to the students who have not been attending class to make sure they are doing okay and to encourage them to attend.
Dr. Tim Renick, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success and Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia State University, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Timothy Renick is the founding Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success and Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia State University. Between 2008-2020, he directed the student success efforts of the university, overseeing a 62% improvement in graduation rates and the elimination of all equity gaps based on students’ race, ethnicity, or income level. For six consecutive years, Georgia State has graduated more African American students with bachelor’s degrees than any other not-for-profit college or university in the nation. Dr. Renick has testified on strategies for helping university students succeed before the U.S. Senate and has twice been invited to speak at the White House. His work has been covered by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, and CNN and cited by former President Barack Obama. It was also the subject of the book, Won’t Lose this Dream (New Press, 2020) by Andrew Gumbel. Dr. Renick was named one of the Most Innovative People in Higher Education by Washington Monthly and one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine. He was the recipient of the Award for National Leadership in Student Success Innovation and was awarded the McGraw Prize in Higher Education. He has been principal investigator for more than $50 million in research grants focused on promoting better and more equitable outcomes for college students. At Georgia State, he has served as Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Director of the Honors Program and Senior Vice President. A summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Renick holds his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University.
In our quest to increase persistence and retention, we often spend all our efforts on the “murky middle” (Venit, 2015) or those that we know have a higher propensity to leave. Consequently, we neglect our “high fliers.” This can bite us if we are not careful. Make sure that with everything you do, you take time to praise the positive and recognize those students who do not require a lot of attention or consume many of your resources. Simple messages from Student Success Advisors or administrators recognizing increases in GPA, making the dean’s list, or getting a 4.0 GPA can go a long way. Moreover, by holistically getting to know your students, you can praise the other positive things that are occurring in their lives, like making the ballroom dance team, giving their first oral presentation, passing a difficult math test, or finally having the courage to ask that certain someone on a date. Praising the positive can serve as powerful nudges to help retain the high fliers.
Dr. Melinda Karp, Founder of Phase Two Advisory, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Melinda Karp is the founder of Phase Two Advisory, a small consultancy that works with broad access colleges and universities to apply the research on what works for student success to their individual contexts. Prior to founding Phase Two, she was the Assistant Director of the Community College Research Center, at Teachers College, Columbia University. There, she studied a variety of student success efforts, including advising redesign and holistic student support, developmental education reform, dual enrollment, and first year experience courses.
The proud granddaughter of refugees, Melinda’s work emphasizes scaling what works while keeping equitable outcomes at the center of reform. She’s been thinking, studying, and writing about equity-forward success strategies for 25 years and in that time, has visited colleges in at least 25 states (honestly, she’s lost count)--learning from practitioners and students.
Melinda holds a Phd in the Sociology of Education from Columbia University, and an MA in the same field from Teachers College, Columbia University. She’s currently an Aspen institute Rising Presidential Fellow, as well as a member of the inaugural editorial board of the Journal of Postsecondary Success.
Generally speaking, campus events cater to extroverted students. They are activities that often revolve around large crowds, high intensity activities, loud music, and/or require a lot of interaction. Knowing that it is important for our introverted students to also engage, we implemented smaller, more intimate and quiet events to make sure they also feel connected to campus and develop a sense of belonging.
Dr. Bernie Savarese, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success at the University of Tennessee System, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Bernie Savarese joined the University of Tennessee System in 2021 as the associate vice president for student success and currently serves as the acting vice president for academic affairs, research, and student success. In this role, he works closely with the university’s chief academic, research, and student affairs officers, various state agencies and department, and serves as the staff liaison to the Education, Research and Service Committee of the Board of Trustees.
From 2017 to 2021, Dr. Savarese served as the Assistant Vice President for Student Success and the Student Experience at New York University (NYU). There, he oversaw the creation of the Division of Student Success, led the university’s Student Success Steering Committee, and served as a subject matter expert to university leaders on the New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai campuses. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Savarese worked at the Ohio State University for almost two decades, most recently directing the campus’ nationally recognized First Year Experience (FYE) efforts and serving on the leadership team in the Division of Enrollment Management. Before his time in FYE, he held various leadership roles across the Division of Student Affairs.
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Dr. Savarese was raised in Belmont County, Ohio. He received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an MBA from The Ohio State University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University, and his Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from New York University. He currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with his wife, Krystyne, their two teenage sons, Anthony and Ben, and their spunky Boston Terrier, Rocky.
One of the cultural aspects we believe has had a large impact on increasing the retention and completion rates of our students is getting to know them individually, and ideally by name. We know that students are much more likely to persist and retain when they feel a sense of connection to campus, and one of the easiest ways to help them feel connected is getting to know them.
Dr. Karen McGregor, Executive Director of Student Success at Purdue Global, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Karen McGregor, Ph.D., serves as Purdue Global’s Executive Director of Student Success. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, McGregor has provided leadership in various areas of student support and the student experience, including academic advising, resident life, institutional effectiveness, and prior learning assessment. Throughout her career, McGregor has collaborated with faculty, academic leaders, and student support staff to design, implement and assess initiatives and programming to help students achieve success academically and professionally. McGregor earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Michigan State University’s Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) Program, where she studied the needs of adult learners. She earned a Master of Arts in student affairs from Eastern Michigan University. From Midland, Michigan, McGregor enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter and her family’s feisty Boston terrier puppy. She is an avid runner and loves any activity that allows her to be outside.
Many campuses allow students to withdraw from their institution by simply filling out an online form. Historically this has been our institutional practice as well. We never talked to the withdrawing student or attempted to see what, if anything, we could do to help them stay. We immediately saw that this needed to change.
The first thing we did to improve our process was to hire a staff member whose sole responsibility it is to meet with every student who expresses an interest in withdrawing from our institution. This individual, working hand-in-hand with our Registrar’s Office, completely overhauled the withdrawal process so as to prohibit any student from leaving our institution without first meeting with the withdrawal coordinator. This full-time staff member now meets (either in-person or virtually if needed) with each student who intends to withdraw from our institution to determine what might be done to help retain this student and/or ways we can improve our services in order to prevent similar students from withdrawing in the future.
This position also reaches out to all students who previously withdrew from our institution, but who indicated they intend to return at a future time, to see what might be done to help these students return. As a student withdraws, the withdrawal coordinator works with our Coordinator of Parent and Family Services to communicate with the parent(s) of the student to better understand why the student left and what could have been done to retain this student. This staff member also tracks and compiles data from every student who withdraws from our institution and then develops programming and initiatives based on the findings to support current and future students and prevent other students from withdrawing. The withdrawal coordinate also uses this data to help educate various offices and departments across campus on trends so we can react and pivot with key initiatives and outreach as needed.
Dr. Blake Nemelka, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Clinical Operations at HCA Healthcare's Mountain Division, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Blake has not been able to get enough education in his life- attending Utah State, Vanderbilt, and Purdue universities, focusing on business and education administration. Blake was recently hired as the first Vice President of Academic Affairs and Clinical Operations at HCA Healthcare's Mountain Division. Before HCA, Blake worked in strategic enrollment management roles at Western Governors University, Utah State University, UC Santa Barbara, Purdue University, and Utah Tech University, working his way from campus tour guide to executive director and now VP. Blake's mission is to help others open doors to success through educational opportunities. Blake loves to invest in mission-driven startups, play tennis, attempt golf, and compete in triathlons. Blake, his spouse (Katie), and their “woven family” of seven combined children live in Sandy, UT.
It is very common for colleges and universities to place holds on students’ accounts as a way to ensure that a student complies with a particular requirement or pays a fee or fine. On our own campus, as well as those that we consult with, we are always perplexed by the large number of holds (financial, registration, etc.) that numerous departments and offices across campus place on students’ accounts preventing them from progressing to the next semester. We commonly encounter holds for late or lost library books, unpaid parking tickets, failure to show for appointments in the counseling center, not turning in final high school transcripts, failure to meet with a professor, and the list goes on and on. In this episode we talk about the importance of reviewing all the holds on campus and seeking to remove as many as possible so that students can continue on toward their degree.
Dr. Jennifer Latino, Senior Director on EAB’s Strategic Advisory Services team, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Jennifer Latino is a senior director on EAB’s Strategic Advisory Services team. She spent the first 17 years of her career in higher education in a variety of student success roles across a diverse array of colleges and universities before moving to advisory and consulting work in 2016. In her current role, Jennifer enjoys engaging with EAB partners around topics such as strategy and planning, enrollment opportunities, mental health and well-being support and DEIJ.
Jennifer earned her doctorate in higher education administration from Florida State University where she focused her research on the experiences of low income, first generation students. Prior to her doctoral work, she earned a master's in higher education administration from North Carolina State University and an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
The 3rd week of each semester, we administer a survey to all new incoming students. The purpose of this survey is to check in with students to see how they are doing now that orientation is over, classes have begun, and the “honeymoon phase” has started to wear off.
In this episode you will find a list of topics that we seek answers to from our new students. The data we capture from our students via this survey has become incredibly helpful in guiding our outreach efforts. Each semester we spend weeks 4-6 aggressively reaching out to students who respond one way or another to particular questions on this survey. And, just like with the other data we collect, we are able to compare retention rates of students depending on the way they answer these questions. Ultimately, it helps us build our profiles of students that are at-risk and need attention from our support services on campus.
Carolina Recchi, the co-founder and co-CEO of EdSights, joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Carolina is the co-founder and co-CEO of EdSights, a company that utilizes artificial intelligence and behavioral science to help students persist. EdSights serves 100+ institutions and supports 1M students every week. Carolina started EdSights with her sister Claudia and their work was featured in multiple publications including the Chronicle of Higher Ed, Inside Higher Ed, and Forbes - who named the two sisters among the 30 most influential people in education under the age of 30.
Course registration seasons are the time of year where the rubber meets the road. This is when you find out if any of your initiatives to increase persistence and retention efforts have actually worked. Despite the importance of re-registering students, far too many campuses do not treat it with the seriousness that it deserves. Is registration on your campus a primary focus or an afterthought? Do campus activities give way to registration events or vice-a-versa? We found that by making registration a campus-wide three-week holiday, you dramatically increase the likelihood of having students register before they leave for the holidays or for the summer. Through this campus-wide holiday, which we call 'Comeback Kid,' we have significantly increased the number of students registering for the next semester by the time finals week rolls around.
In summary, the registration season needs to be a top priority on campus. If students do not register to come back, everything else we do to help students be successful will have been irrelevant. There are so many ways to nudge students to register if you simply think outside the box and make it a priority.
Dr. Neil Burton joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Neil Burton is the Executive Director of the Center for Career and Professional Development at Clemson University. His educational background includes a B.A. in Journalism from the University of South Carolina, a M.A. in English from Clemson University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Clemson University. Prior to assuming his current role in July 2011, Neil worked for the Cooperative Education Program at Clemson for 13 years, and in the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid for six years. Neil holds the rank of Lecturer at Clemson, and has taught everything from freshman composition to doctoral seminars at Clemson and two other universities in the local area.
Some of Neil’s accomplishments include:
- Creating an on-campus internship program that annually serves about 1,000 students
- Hosting the first national symposium on Career Competencies
- Creating a program to provide tailored academic services and internships to underserved, Pell-eligible first-generation students
- Initiating a campus-wide mentoring program to connect students to successful alumni and friends of the University who can provide professional guidance
- Initiating a program to promote career development and employment opportunities for students on the autism spectrum
- Conducting external reviews of university Career Centers across the country
- Leading the #1 ranked Career Services unit in the US (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 per Princeton Review)
A simple way to engage students is to create a homegrown bucket list of items each student should do before they graduate. This list provides students with activities to do with others or on their own, both of which help connect the student to your institution.
Dr. Leslie Webb joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share her knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Leslie Webb brings an equity mindset and a high level of cultural consciousness to her work. Leslie is a relational leader and a steward of place and the student and staff experience. She focuses on helping units evolve to meet contemporary needs and solve the complex challenges of today. Leslie joined the University of Montana campus in August 2022 and serves as Vice Provost focusing on student success and retention and supporting a vibrant campus life. She loves the outdoors, is an avid trail runner, and a mom to two college attending humans and one Boxer named Tater.
One of the more effective strategies for influencing the culture of an organization is for the leader to create a motto, approach, or concept that the team can rally around. This gives everyone something to think about, ponder on, and be a part of. In the end, it becomes a rallying cry that all desire to be associated with. A perfect example of this concept would be The Disney Way, where every cast member knows exactly how to act and what is expected of them and every guest knows how they will be treated. On our campus we created a campus motto (“The SUU Way”) that we all understand and live by. The actual word you choose is not as important; creating a motto that has meaning and significance is what matters. This strategy has allowed us to easily hold one another accountable, especially when a staff member does not live up to our agreed-upon standards of service to our students.
Peer mentoring programs have become all the rage in higher education. It seems like every campus has implemented a peer mentoring program as the research has shown that peer mentors are one of the best, most cost-efficient things campuses can do to move the needle on retention and completion. However, from our experience working with other campuses, we have found that not all peer mentoring programs are created equally. In this episode, the hosts talk about successful peer mentoring programs.
Dr. Rick Sluder joins co-hosts Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby to share his knowledge, wisdom, and insights on how campuses can increase their retention and student success efforts!
Dr. Sluder serves as Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College at Middle Tennessee State University. He leads MTSU’s Quest for Student Success 2025, which includes enhancing faculty development, closing achievement gaps, increasing online offerings, and building a culture of service that supports learning. As Dean, he oversees work with undecided students, adult degree completion, corporate outreach, online learning, summer sessions, and academic outreach to high school students. Having served at MTSU for 8 years, Rick has 22 years prior experience at the University of Central Missouri as Vice Provost, Dean, and faculty.
In most instances, colleges spend a significant amount of time, energy, and resources on recruiting a new student to campus. But how many colleges spend similar time, energy, and resources on recruiting students back each semester? By launching strategic, well-timed, broad recruit-back campaigns, you can remind your students why your university is best suited for them, why you need them, and also provide them with key facts and data points to respond to friends and family who ask questions such as, “Why don’t you move closer to home and attend a local college?” or “Why are you going to that school?” As a university, we need to continue to be in the ‘recruit-back’ mindset each and every semester and understand that at any moment, these “customers” might vote with their feet by silently leaving our institution for another school.
In addition to demographic data that institutions capture on students through the application process, we were interested in learning more about students before they arrived on campus each semester. So, we instituted a pre-arrival survey that all incoming students fill out as part of the orientation process. It is important to note that we only ask questions that provide us with actionable data which allows us to strategically target students and nudge them along to degree attainment. Tune in to learn more about the value of pre-arrival surveys.
Students are often not the best at placing things in their calendars. As a result, we implemented a text and email reminder system for all our student appointments. As a result, we experienced much better attendance and engagement. Additionally, these we learned it was important to pay attention to those students who do not show up for their appointments. This is often a red flag for other issues. We found at our institution that those who frequently fail to show up for their appointments are far less likely to persist. Tune in to learn more about the importance of appointment reminders as well as following up when students miss their meetings.
To further help students prepare for the transition between high school and college, and to be ready to fully engage with our campus culture, schools often prepare and distribute a new student handbook written by students for students. It often provides a welcome letter from the President, an explanation of history and traditions, and the essentials to make a smooth transition (i.e. campus map, move-in day, high school versus college, social media, proper eating, healthy relationships, campus lingo, tips for success, and our bucket list). New student handbooks also discuss campus life, academics, athletics, people to know, places to go, campus resources, and the ins and outs of the community where we are located.
We have received a number of emails from our listeners asking us why we end our podcast with the phrase, "Keep on raging!" Well, this podcast answers that question. And, keep on raging!
We have found that institutions that have the greatest success typically have a single person who spends the majority of their job thinking about, worrying about, and holding the campus accountable to the vision, goals, and metrics related to increasing retention and completion rates. Many campuses will add this title or responsibility to someone's existing job without giving them a release of current duties. This rarely works. If a campus is serious about improving retention rates, this must be a full-time (or a three-quarter time at a minimum) responsibility.
In recent years there has been a movement in higher education to shift the role and responsibilities of academic advisors. Gone are the days of a singular focus on serving as course schedulers. Advisors are now being asked to serve as academic advisors, life coaches, career counselors, and so much more. Shifting the roles of our “academic advisors” to “student success advisors” was one of the most impactful things we did to increase retention rates on our campus and increase the amount of support we give our students.
Because finances are a major barrier for so many students to stay enrolled in college, we recommend that institutions hire a full-time Financial Literacy Specialist whose entire job it is to help students better understand their finances and to help as many students as possible meet the financial demands of higher education.
Tune in to Jared and Eric talk about the benefit of starting a Financial Literacy Office or Financial Wellness Office.
Because campuses are limited in their resources (time, energy, human capital, etc.) it is important to focus on those students who need us most, when they need us most. An important strategy for increasing retention rates is to focus on subpopulations of students who historically do not retain at the same rates. In this episode we talk about which data points could be explored and how this simple exercise can go a long way in moving the needle on your campus.
How do you get students who do not want to meet with you, or who do not want to get involved, to actually meet with you or get involved? You make them feel needed! In fact, the Dalai Lama recently stated that he "believes man’s biggest need today is the 'need to be needed.' He says the biggest reason for so much misery in the world is a growing number of people feel they are no longer useful to anyone" (Frazier, 2016). Tune in to learn how to use "Need to be Needed" campaigns to reach students that are hard to connect with.
One of the obstacles we have found with students engaging on campus is that Generation Z students often do not know how to socially interact with their peers in person, break the ice, or even start conversations. After realizing that a significant majority of our incoming students struggle with networking and making friends, we decided to help our incoming students transition from an online world to a face-to-face environment. During our Fall Welcome Week, we break our students into small groups and teach them how to properly shake hands, make eye contact, break the ice, keep conversations going, and ask interesting questions. While this can be awkward for many students, we have heard from enough of them to know that this is helpful for them and greatly appreciated.
As we discussed in a previous episode, it is so important for a campus to all be on the same page when it comes to working toward a retention or completion goal. One of the key aspects of this task is helping everyone understand the “why” of what we are doing and setting proper expectations, for the campus collectively and each employee individually. These expectations (or goals) must be quantifiable, measurable, and achievable. More importantly, leaders must follow up regularly and hold staff accountable to these goals and expectations. If not, the organization will quickly return to its homeostatic state of just doing what it has always done.
Too often we overcomplicate retention efforts. In many instances, we feel that we need a large, expensive, and complicated program before we will ever see an increase in retention. Sometimes, the most effective retention efforts are a simple hello, a friendly smile, or perhaps a faculty member or administrator remembering a small thing about our lives (our hometown, name of our high school, etc.). So why not get back to the basics?
Many college students are concerned about finances, debt, and jobs. Notwithstanding this concern, college students often lack the knowledge, experience, and training needed to manage their finances, establish a budget, apply for scholarships or Pell grants, or understand the nuances of loans. Therefore, out of necessity, increasing financial literacy has become one of the most critical steps in helping students stay in college. To increase financial literacy on campus, we recommend that campuses begin teaching these skills to first-year students immediately upon matriculation.
We all have hunches as to why students withdraw based on our own experiences and conversations, but do we have actual data to back our beliefs?
We wanted to know exactly why students were leaving our institution and so we decided the best way to find out was simply to ask. We got on the phone and started calling every single student who left our campus over a two-year period of time. We were not sure what to expect from this exercise but quickly discovered that our former students were very open to talking about their experience on our campus.
In this episode we talk about how this research project changed everything for our campus. This exercise is what led us to a deep dive study of Generation Z and first-generation students and why these groups of students are not as willing to come to us for help. As a result we launched our peer mentoring program and committed to refocus our efforts on getting to know our students better. And, in the end, we believe this focus of getting to know our students better has been key to our success and increased retention rates.
New episodes release every Monday.
The research is very clear when it comes to the short window colleges and universities have to “seal the deal” with new students. Typically, students will decide whether or not they plan on continuing at your institution within the first six weeks. Our personal experience is that we have up until Thanksgiving break to help students get connected, feel at home, and decide they want to stay.
In this episode we talk about how to help students get off to a great start. Campuses need to have a strategic and coordinated plan to communicate and nudge students along toward success.
New episodes released every Monday!
In many situations students arrive on campus without knowing another student. This can be a real challenge for many, and if not given opportunities to engage and connect with other students, it will be difficult to retain these newcomers. Given the significant research conducted by Alexander Astin, Vincent Tinto, and others, helping students develop a sense of belonging, providing means for them to feel connected, and opening avenues for them to engage with other students should become a top priority for institutions of higher education. Unfortunately, too many colleges and universities wait until the student arrives on campus before they try to connect the student to the fabric of campus life. In many situations, this can be too late. We have found that providing opportunities for students to engage with each other in interest-based groups before the start of school can go a long way in providing a deeper sense of belonging, connection, and engagement before the first day of class.
New episodes will be released every Monday!
Changing the culture of a campus to be more student-centered can be a monumental task. But, it is absolutely essential if you are hoping to make significant progress toward your goals of increasing retention rates. The challenge is, shifting the culture can be very hard, will take a tremendous amount of effort, and will take a few years to fully accomplish.
In this episode, we talk about the change framework that we found to be most applicable and easily understood. The model comes from Harvard professor, John Kotter's book, Leading Change (1996). This easy to follow approach provides step-by-step suggestions that leaders can implement in any organization.
New episodes released every Monday!
A significant pressure for many new students comes from having to maintain a high-enough GPA in order to keep their scholarships. Most new students are not only wrestling with the increased academic demands of college, but many are also learning for the first time how to live on their own and be independent. In response, we adjusted our scholarship policy to ensure that each student on scholarship maintains their scholarship for both semesters of their first year, regardless of their first-semester GPA.
The second scholarship initiative to improve retention rates are to automatically “step down” students to the scholarship level just below the one they currently had rather than completely removing their scholarship.
New episodes will be released every Monday.
One of the first (and most important) things you must do to improve retention and completion on your campus is to assemble a Student Success Team. This team should discuss what student success looks like on your campus, establish expectations and uniform goals and metrics, and disseminate your student success vision across campus.
Who should be on this Student Success Team? In this podcast we discuss the offices, units, and areas on your campus that should be included in these important conversations.
And, who should lead the campus Student Success Team? The institution’s Chief Retention Officer, or as we like to call this position, “The Designated Worrier.” This person is typically a vice president or associate vice president level position that is given authority, resources, and autonomy to drive forward campus initiatives related to retention efforts from the president and other high-level campus leaders.
If a campus is serious about improving retention rates, it must create a Student Success Team that is led by a Chief Retention Officer and has the ability to share meaningful information about students with other members of the success team.
New episodes will be released every Monday.
After years of trying everything outlined in the literature and still experiencing many years of stagnant retention rates at our institution, it was clear that we had to try something different. We decided to go back to the drawing board, throw out everything we were doing and start over from scratch.
After countless hours brainstorming, strategizing, and rethinking our approach we developed our homegrown ASCEND model -- Affordability, Support, Culture, Engagement, Nudges, and Data. As a result of the implementation of this new model, we saw immediate improvements in retention and completion rates.
New episodes will be released every Monday.
**Many colleges and universities have spent countless time, energy, and resources trying to increase their retention and graduation rates. Unfortunately, in many instances, the outcomes and results have not matched the effort in their minds. In this episode, we talk about three reasons why the retention efforts being executed may not be working on many campuses.
New episodes will be released every Monday.**
There are a number of good reasons why colleges and universities must focus a significant amount of time, energy, effort, and resources on retention, completion, and overall student success efforts. In this episode, we discuss four main reasons: (1) a declining national pool of high school graduates from which to draw on to maintain enrollments; (2) increased pressures to grow (or at least maintain) revenues; (3) a growing call from the public for increased accountability; and (4) it is simply the right thing to do.
Introducing the ASCEND podcast, where Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby share practical and proven strategies for increasing student retention, completion, and student success.
New episodes will be released every Monday.
Introducing the ASCEND podcast, where Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby share practical strategies for increasing student retention, completion, and student success.