ASCEND Podcast

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...

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 institution...

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 balanc...

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...

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...

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 stud...

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...

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, a...

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 appli...

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 imme...

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 f...

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,...

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 profes...

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 optio...

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...

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 incr...

‘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...

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 overwhelm...