Waning student engagement can oftentimes fly underneath the radar when trying to understand what’s pulling students away from their studies. A smattering of initiatives across the country help illustrate some of the most effective ways we can help students toward the finish line—especially our first-generation learners.
“We haven’t designed the systems that make it conducive for [first-generation students] to feel seen, to feel part of the community and to be equipped with the tools that they need while they’re in school,” says Marcela Andrés, president and CEO of the classroom consulting firm designEDengagement.
Andrés believes that, regardless of an institution’s size, it’s imperative to curate a “small university feeling” to increase student engagement. Liberal arts colleges can market their smaller scale to attract students looking for more hands-on support. However, larger universities can leverage their human capital to build stronger networks and support pipelines.
“It’s all about systems. You just have to be thoughtful about how you are going to leverage faculty to connect with students.”
Universities can nudge faculty to share their lived experiences and professional journeys as a way of relating more deeply to their students. “Many professors come from humble beginnings,” Andrés says. “To be able to hear their stories is incredibly powerful for students.”
Faculty can also expand office hours to more than academic-related matters. One study found students feel more committed to courses when they have high-quality, supportive interactions with instructors.
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Student wellness begins with faculty wellness, Andrés adds. “If you can’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to see the nuanced signs of student distress.”
Community members, such as alumni, can also play a crucial role in strengthening student engagement by helping learners visualize their path to a degree and beyond. Programs like Assumption University’s ASPIRE and Grinnell College’s MentorGrinnell connect students with alumni mentors to guide them in career and life skills such as financial management and relationship building.
“We have more alumni than students, which I think is a wonderful problem to have,” Jessica Stewart, senior associate director of alumni and donor relations at Grinnell, said in a University Business interview. “That gives students options to find somebody that’s gonna work for them.”
Success coaches and mentors have also helped institutions forge strong connections with students. This fall, 80 institutions joined the FirstGen Forward Network committed to increasing first-generation student success rates. Two of the institutions, Bucknell University and Tulane University, are building mentorship programs.
Community colleges and HBCUs across North Carolina are boosting retention and persistence rates with mentorship programs, administrators say.
“Instruction in classrooms might not always be personal to the students,” Valerie Kinloch, president of Johnson C. Smith University, told WUNC. “I think that’s the beauty of having all of our students having access to success coaches—having access to adults who fundamentally care about their academic well-being.”
