I see the value in seeking out students and paying attention to them in a genuine way. This can help drive them to succeed.

So I now have a plan on how to intervene and support a student, but what if my superiors and coworkers don't? How do students react when they only feel supported or invested in by a small number of staff and faculty? Is there a way to remedy this inconsistency? 

I've done a lot of reading on grit, perseverance, and facing adversity on the individual level. But it is amazing to view school commitment as a remedy for academic erosion and academic stagnation. It really does take the whole team to support students throughout their programs. This module makes it even more clear that we all have a role and the way we interact with our students means so much to their persistence.  

This was a great intro! I was fascinated to learn that there isn't a universal definition of retention. And also, that means of measuring retention needs to be tailored by each institution. This empowers me to work with my campus leadership to develop a plan that works for our program and campus. 

Good customer service is good for the company. Having happy students will mean we will get many more students. Looking at the external touchpoints is a good idea. I like the idea of sharing success stories on the school website. The school should be aware of the external customers too- like the employers, alumni, and community events. 

Great customer services is so important in any business and even more now that technology is playing a big part in how to run a business. Before a good reputation depended on word of mouth, but now the internet has made it easier to spread a customer experience to followers in the social medias that can be anywhere from 100 to 1000. Our students are our customers and providing them with a good customer experience while they attend the school is important so they can come back or recommend other students to the school. 

Understanding what causes attrition among our students helps us intevene and assist them so they can continue in our schools and achieve their goals. 

I have learned that retention starts during the admissions process. I have also learned that if a student has more exposure to the school, staff, hands-on experience, and school catalog, they will have a better understanding of the school expectations. They will also have a self-assessment whether the school is the right choice for them to pursue. 

Learning what strategies to implement to reach and accomodate students is very important. 

I have learned that retention can be improved by not only putting focus on those attending events but reaching out to those who are not, this may help avoid drops due to loneliness/isolation. Also, my new favorite saying, "Don't think of retention as a goal. Think of retention as the by-product of doing the right things the right way, of having the right people int he right place at the right time." Often retention is a budget goal line rather than a way for a campus to improve both internally and consumer based.