Next Practices

What if AI could help student success teams act earlier, work smarter, and focus more on human connection—without requiring perfect data or adding more burden to already stretched staff? In this special bonus episode of Next Practices, we're sharing a recent conversation featuring Civitas Learning CEO Will Ballard on the Higher Ed Geek Podcast , hosted by Dustin Ramsdell . Will breaks down what in...

What if your advising system could see students not just as a collective, but as individuals with unique needs, goals, and challenges? At the University of North Dakota, that vision is becoming reality. In this conversation, we explore how a campus-wide transformation in student advising is already producing measurable success through rising retention rates, stronger relationships, and the power o...

Introducing new technology into an institution is only the first step. Ensuring that teams are fully prepared to use it in ways that align with strategic goals is where the real work begins. Strategic enablement is more than training users on where to click. It's equipping people to apply data and tools thoughtfully, effectively and consistently to support long term student success.  In this episo...

Across Purdue Global's virtual halls 38 000 students, nearly all of them working adults, log in after shifts and school runs, yet they are moving toward Purdue degrees faster because the university treats their lived experience as real academic currency. Dr. Frank Dooley, Chancellor Emeritus of Purdue Global, explained how his team built policies that convert military medic training, corporate lea...

Nothing beats seeing a student's confidence bloom when the right support team steps in. At Austin Community College, Dr. Giao Phan, Dean of the Public and Social Services Division; Kathy James, a nineteen-year advising veteran who now coordinates support across every campus; and Dr. Rania Salman, Assistant Department Chair and dedicated mentor in early childhood education, have turned collaboratio...

What if the programs designed to help students were actually making things worse or simply doing nothing at all? It's a question more institutions are asking as they confront the hard truth: not every initiative leads to better outcomes. This episode takes a closer look at the data behind student success and how colleges and universities can learn which efforts are truly making a difference. You'l...

When students need support, it often makes all the difference when help feels personal, not procedural. At Utah Valley University, Ryan Bailey, Director of the Student Success Center, and Jamie Muhlestein, Associate Director of Student Success and Support, have helped build an innovative program that brings recent graduates and upperclassmen into part-time professional roles, focused on reaching o...

When a simple check-in email leads to a 77 percent increase in student persistence, it's clear something powerful is happening. At Greenville Technical College, data is more than numbers on a dashboard. It's a way to connect, support, and transform student outcomes. What started as a pilot outreach project by a team of data analysts quickly became a catalyst for campus-wide change. In this episode...

Higher education stands at a crossroads. With growing public skepticism about the value of a college degree and mounting financial demands on both students and institutions, the need for bold, student-centered leadership has never been greater. Today, you'll hear from someone who has not only confronted these problems, but also turned them into possibilities for positive change. My guest, Dr. Nich...

Student success in higher education isn't just about reacting to problems — it's about building systems that anticipate them. And at the University of North Carolina Asheville, that proactive approach is making all the difference. Joining today's conversation are two incredible leaders who are doing this work every day: Regine Criser, Director of Student Success, and Lynne Horgan, University Regis...

Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on. Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of expe...

In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, it's crucial to recognize that students are not just statistics or numbers; they are individuals with unique challenges, needs, and aspirations. As educational leaders, it's imperative to adopt a holistic approach that considers the whole human behind the student. Joining us is Chris Campbell, the Chief Information Officer at Devry University. With a...

In this episode, I'm speaking with Dustin Ramsdell, host of The Higher Ed Geek Podcast. The Higher Ed Geek explores the impact of edtech on the student experience by speaking with diverse leaders from institutions, companies, and nonprofit organizations. We are extending that conversation to the Next Practices Podcast as we think about ways to use technology to streamline the student experience. I...

Today, we're exploring ways to expand appreciative inquiry, a framework designed to empower students by focusing on their unique strengths, passions, and aspirations, beyond advising to all facets of campus. Joining us is the esteemed Dr. Jenny Bloom, a trailblazer in the field of educational leadership and the visionary behind the Office of Appreciative Education at Florida Atlantic University. D...

Welcome to today's episode, where we dive into the insights from this year's Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Report. I'm thrilled to be joined by Sarah Demeo, a dedicated data analyst at Civitas Learning, who has extensive experience in higher education, having worked in academics and student affairs for over a decade. Together, Sarah and I develop this report annually to share the latest...

Today, I am delighted to be talking with Dr. Jeffrey Taylor, from the University of Texas at Arlington. Our focus is on how this institution is effectively serving students, both in-person and online, from various parts of the country. We'll delve into the strategies employed by UT Arlington to ensure these students not only enroll in the necessary courses but also successfully navigate their acad...

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ruth Reinhart, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Support Services at Austin Community College (ACC) in Austin, Texas. With over 35,000 students spread across 11 campuses, ACC serves as a beacon of opportunity in the community, but also faces unique challenges in supporting its diverse student body. Dr. Reinhart takes us on a journey through ACC's proactive...

Welcome back to another season of Next Practices Podcast! In this episode, we're talking about how coordinating student success efforts across campus boosts retention. Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Dr. Allison Hoffmann, the Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Student Success at Northwest Missouri State University. Together, we'll explore the remarkable journey of Northwest Missouri S...

Today, we are joined by Dr. Steve Wilkerson and Dr. Tammy Wyatt of the University of Texas San Antonio. Dr. Wilkerson is the Associate Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer, and Dr. Wyatt is Vice Provost for Student Success. You can catch an earlier conversation with Dr. Wyatt in Episode 5.    Today we're talking about how the UTSA Student Success Team works closely together with Institutiona...

Today on the show, I'm talking with Dr. Marissa Vernon White, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services at Lorain County Community College. We begin by discussing Lorain County Community College's use of data-informed collaboration and case management to understand the needs of its students and the broader community. We also talk about how they established data-informed practice...

In this episode, I'm talking with Allison Chase Padula, Assistant Provost for Student Success at Roger Williams University. Roger Williams University is a liberal arts college in Bristol, Rhode Island.  We discuss how this liberal arts institution navigates the enrollment cliff, mental health crisis, and enduring impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. We also talk about their transition from a faculty...

Today we have a panel of guests! Joining today is Landon Peterson, Director of Academic Advising at Snow College, Julia Carlo, Executive Director of Advising at Northeastern State University, and our own Rob Friedhoff, Vice President of Community Development at Civitas Learning. If you'd like to hear a previous episode with Rob Friedhoff, he spoke about boosting academic advising capacity in Seaso...

In this episode, Dr. John Rindy covers a lot of ground when discussing proactive academic support. Dr. Rindy is the Assistant Vice President for Career and Academic Progress at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and has changed their strategies to be data informed action. Dr. Rindy shares Slippery Rock's initiatives on how to help all students succeed with increasing student need and shrinki...

Rethinking strategies can be a challenge, but with the many changes we are seeing in higher education post-Covid, redesigning systems could be the key to student success. At SUNY Broome Community College, Dr. Penny Kelly explains that they've taken some new approaches to how they use data and technology. Dr. Kelly is the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Broome and with the collaboration...

Today's guest is Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, former University of Central Oklahoma President and CEO and Principal Consultant of Arc C-Suite Advisory. To kick off Season 2 of Next Practices, Patti digs deep into the strategies behind building a student success model that also supports the financial health of an institution. Patti shares what leaders should think about when building a financially heal...