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Dive Brief:
The University of Iowa has assembled a massive universitywide committee to explore new revenue opportunities and ways to boost efficiency, the public institution announced last week.
Dubbed “Resparc”—short for Revenue and Efficiencies Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee —the group includes nearly 100 faculty, staff and officials from 35 units across the institution.
Subcommittees will explore specific areas such as philanthropy, academic programs and financial operations.Those teams will develop proposals for increasing revenue and improving operations for Resparc’s leadership and ultimately for University of Iowa’s president and provost.
Dive Insight:
The university framed its new initiative as forward-looking, meant to ensure University of Iowa “maintains its strong financial trajectory for years to come,” rather than having to wrestle reactively with challenges as they happen.
“By launching this effort from a position of financial health, the university will be able to build upon its success at a time when higher education is navigating significant disruption, from the anticipated demographic enrollment cliff to a decline in public trust and growing financial constraints,” the university said in its announcement.
Iowa’s flagship university is growing. By fall 2024, its total faculty and staff had increased 5.1% year over year to 27,795 employees, while enrollment grew 2.4% to 32,199 students.
The university’s total assets andrevenues have also been steadily rising in recent years. In fiscal 2024, its operating income — which does not include state appropriations, certain grants and contacts, investment income or gifts — stood at $36.8 million. The positive operating income stands in contrast to that of the many public universities with operating losses before those sources of revenue are factored in.
In Iowa specifically, the number of high school graduates is projected to decline by 4% from 2023 to 2041, according to the latest estimates from Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
University of Iowahas also seen its expenses jump along with the rest of the higher ed world, adding new financial constraints. Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, its total operating expenses rose 15.7% to $5 billion.
The Trump administration’s aggressive moves to limit federal research funding could pose additional pressure. In 2024, University of Iowa brought in $315 million in federal research funding. The Trump administration has now terminated grants to the university worth roughly $14.3 million and having $9.7 million still left to be paid out, according to a Center for American Progress analysis of U.S. Department of the Treasury data.
Against that backdrop, many institutions — public and private — are cutting back spending and shrinking their employee base, both through layoffs and attrition. But University of Iowa officials say Resparc is different.
In a FAQ page, the university said the efficiency-seeking efforts are “a proactive planning effort, not a response to a budget crisis.” It states that the goal “is to find ways to work smarter, improve processes, reduce administrative burdens, and better leverage our collective resources and technology.”
Resparc is led by Emily Campbell, associate vice president for operations and decision support, and Sara Sanders, dean of the university’s liberal arts and sciences college.
Campbell and engineering dean Ann McKenna oversee the initiative’s revenue teams, while Sanders and Peter Matthes, vice president for external relations and senior advisor to University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson, oversee the efficiency group.
Some colleges have changed their standardized test policies in recent years.
The percentage of underrepresented minority students increased in some cases after universities stopped requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores, according to a study published Monday in the American Sociological Review.
The findings come in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted many colleges and universities to rethink their testing policies; some went test-optional or test-blind while others doubled down. But starting long before the pandemic, critics have argued that consideration of standardized test scores often advantages white and wealthier applicants.
The study examined admissions patterns at 1,528 colleges between 2003 and 2019. During the 16-year time frame, 217 of those colleges (14.2 percent) eliminated standardized testing requirements. But researchers found that simply eliminating testing requirements didn’t guarantee a more diverse student body.
The institutions that eliminated the requirements but still gave significant weight to test scores during the application process didn’t increase their enrollment of underrepresented students in the three years after the change. However, colleges that reduced the weight of test scores showed a 2 percent increase in underrepresented student enrollment.
Additionally, researchers found that increases in minority student representation were less likely at test-optional colleges that were also dealing with financial or enrollment-related pressures.
Greta Hsu, co-author of the paper and a professor at the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management, said in a news release that “although test-optional admissions policies are often adopted with the assumption that they will broaden access to underrepresented minority groups,” their effectiveness depends “on existing admissions values and institutional priorities at the university.”
Student retention remains one of the most pressing challenges in higher education. While institutions devote considerable resources to attracting new students, ensuring those students persist through to graduation is just as vital for institutional health and student success.
When students leave before completing their programs, colleges and universities lose tuition revenue and see diminished returns on their investments in recruitment and instruction. For students, the stakes are even higher: they often walk away without the credentials or skills they set out to earn, leaving personal and professional goals unfulfilled.
Retention, typically measured by the percentage of students who return to the same institution each year, is now a key performance indicator in higher education. It reflects how well a school supports and engages its students and can influence institutional rankings, funding, and public perception.
Recent data offers a mixed picture. In the United States, the national first-year retention rate for first-time students reached 69.5% in 2022, the highest level in nearly a decade and a slight increase over previous years. Still, that means nearly one in three students don’t return for a second year. In Canada, the pattern is comparable: 15–20% of university freshmen leave after their first year, with even higher attrition rates in colleges.
There is both urgency and opportunity here. This blog explores eight strategic, research-backed approaches that institutions can take to significantly improve student retention, strengthening institutional outcomes and ensuring more students reach the finish line.
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What Causes Students to Leave?
Why is student retention important in higher education? Student retention reflects institutional effectiveness and student success. High retention means students are achieving their goals and institutions are providing strong support. Low retention signals issues like academic or financial struggle. It’s both an ethical responsibility and a financial imperative, reducing dropout rates and maximizing investment in recruitment and instruction.
Student retention is a complex challenge influenced by a range of academic, social, and personal factors. While no two students leave college for exactly the same reason, research has consistently identified several common barriers to persistence. Understanding these roadblocks is essential for developing interventions that work.
Financial Barriers
For many students, the cost of education is a deciding factor. Difficulty paying tuition, fees, and living expenses remains one of the most significant drivers of attrition—particularly for those from lower-income backgrounds. Even small outstanding balances can prevent students from registering for the next semester, pushing them to stop out or drop out entirely.
Lack of Engagement and Belonging
Students who feel disconnected from campus life are far less likely to persist. A strong sense of community, whether through clubs, student organizations, residence life, or peer support networks, has been shown to significantly improve retention. When students feel isolated or out of place, their motivation to stay enrolled often wanes.
Insufficient Academic Support
Academic struggles can quickly lead to frustration and withdrawal if students don’t receive timely help. Without access to tutoring, mentoring, academic advising, or remedial coursework, those who fall behind may begin to doubt their ability to succeed.
Campus Culture and Climate
The broader institutional culture also plays a pivotal role. A welcoming, inclusive environment supported by compassionate faculty and staff can boost student morale and engagement. In contrast, campuses that feel unwelcoming or where students sense a lack of support often see higher rates of attrition.
Life Outside the Classroom
External pressures, including mental health concerns, family responsibilities, work conflicts, or physical health issues, can interfere with students’ ability to continue their studies. When schools lack the flexibility or resources to help students manage these challenges, even the most motivated learners may be forced to leave.
The First-Year Experience
The transition into higher education is a make-or-break period. Students who struggle during their first year, due to academic shock, poor orientation programs, or difficulty making friends, are at greater risk of not returning for a second year. Supporting students during this critical period can make a long-term difference.
What Is the Difference Between Persistence and Retention?
Retention refers to students returning to the same institution, while persistence tracks students continuing in higher education, even if they transfer. A student may not be retained by one college but still persist by enrolling elsewhere. Persistence offers a broader view of student progress beyond a single campus.
What Are the Factors Affecting Student Retention?
Student retention is influenced by academics, finances, social belonging, mental health, and institutional climate. Academic unpreparedness, isolation, financial strain, and life challenges are leading causes of dropout. The first-year experience is especially critical. Successful retention strategies address multiple areas, supporting students academically, socially, and personally to help them stay enrolled.
With these contributing factors in mind, it’s clear that improving student retention requires a holistic, proactive approach. Fortunately, institutions have a range of strategies at their disposal. In the next section, we’ll explore eight of the most effective ways colleges and universities are addressing these issues, complete with real-world examples from Canada, the U.S., and beyond.
1. Personalize Communication and Support for Students
Today’s students are used to receiving customized experiences in almost every aspect of their lives, from social media feeds to online shopping recommendations. They now expect the same level of personalized communication from their college or university. When schools meet students with timely, tailored support, they show that they care, and that can make all the difference in whether a student stays or leaves.
This kind of proactive outreach can take several forms. Some institutions segment their automated email campaigns by group, such as first-years, international students, or those on academic probation, to deliver more relevant content and reminders. Others implement 24/7 text messaging systems or AI-powered chatbots that answer routine questions, offer words of encouragement, and send reminders about key deadlines. More advanced platforms go a step further, using predictive analytics to monitor signs of disengagement or academic trouble, alerting advisors to intervene before it’s too late.
These tools offer a concierge-style model of support: always on, always responsive. Students can get help after hours or over the weekend, when live staff may not be available, which helps reduce frustration and drop-off.
Example: Forsyth Technical Community College in the U.S. revamped its approach to student communication by adopting a “customer service” mindset, ensuring that both staff and automated systems responded quickly, kindly, and proactively to student needs. This overhaul included faster response times, friendly messaging, and a systematic effort to check in on students rather than waiting for problems to surface. The result? A 9% increase in student retention after implementing this new communication model.
To replicate this approach, consider implementing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or student engagement platform that allows advisors to monitor student status and send targeted messages. This could be as simple as congratulating a student on a strong midterm, or as critical as reaching out after several missed classes.
Even small gestures like a personalized check-in from a faculty member can make students feel they belong. When institutions shift from one-size-fits-all messaging to individualized outreach, they build a sense of care and connection that reinforces students’ decisions to stay enrolled.
2. Foster a Strong Sense of Community and Belonging
A strong sense of belonging is one of the most powerful predictors of student retention. When students feel connected, through friendships, mentors, and shared campus culture, they’re more likely to persist despite academic or personal challenges. Conversely, loneliness and disconnection are key drivers of attrition.
To support student connection, institutions should create structured opportunities for involvement: orientation, residence life, clubs, intramurals, volunteer work, and student leadership. Participation in these activities increases engagement and reinforces a sense of purpose. Social media can amplify this by highlighting student life and celebrating individual voices.
Example: The University of Toronto supports student retention by building community and belonging for underrepresented students through mentorship. In particular, U of T offers programming for first-generation students that connects them with mentors and resources across campus. This First Generation Student Engagement program focuses on helping students navigate barriers to access and inclusion by linking them to academic support, career guidance, wellness services, and peer networks. The goal is to ensure first-gen and other marginalized students feel a strong sense of belonging and are supported throughout their journey.
Ultimately, when students feel they matter to peers, faculty, and the institution, they’re more likely to stay. Belonging isn’t a bonus; it’s foundational to retention.
3. Offer Robust Academic Support and Advising
Academic challenges are a leading cause of student attrition. When students feel lost, overwhelmed, or unsupported, they’re more likely to withdraw. That’s why proactive academic support is one of the most effective student retention strategies.
Effective strategies include offering accessible tutoring (in-person and 24/7 online), writing assistance, and supplemental instruction for high-failure courses. Just as crucial is structured academic advising. When advisors monitor progress and flag early signs of struggle, like low grades or unbalanced course loads, they can intervene with timely solutions.
Institutions must also normalize help-seeking by actively promoting support services. Social media, email campaigns, and website content can encourage students to use academic resources without stigma.
Example – UC Berkeley has built an ecosystem of academic support services combined with faculty mentorship to improve student success and retention. On the academic side, Berkeley provides extensive tutoring, peer advising, and dedicated study spaces in residence halls, free for students and readily accessible where they live.
Early alert systems are another retention tool. By analyzing attendance and coursework in the first weeks, schools can identify at-risk students and reach out before they disengage.
The message is simple: when students know help is available and feel encouraged to use it, they’re more likely to succeed.
4. Provide Career Development Opportunities From Day One
Career uncertainty is a major driver of student attrition. To counter this, institutions must integrate career development early, ideally from the first year.
Career workshops, alumni networking, LinkedIn training, and highlighting the career potential of different majors help students connect academics to future employment. Research confirms that uncertainty about career direction strongly correlates with dropout risk.
Example: DePaul University launched the Future Forward program, a year-long career incubator for first-year students, to bolster their sense of purpose and keep them enrolled. The idea is to help freshmen find their “why” for attending college by engaging them in self-discovery, skill-building, and career exploration starting in their first quarter. Future Forward combines online learning modules (on topics like growth mindset, design thinking, networking) with mentorship from older student peers and staff. By integrating career development into the first-year experience, DePaul addresses a major attrition risk: lack of direction. Many freshmen enter undecided about their field, which can sap motivation. Future Forward helps students clarify goals and see how their studies link to future careers, thereby increasing their commitment to persist.
Mentorship is another effective strategy. Toronto Metropolitan University’s Tri-Mentoring Program connects upper-year students with professionals to support the transition to work.
Example: Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) – formerly Ryerson University – pioneered the Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP) to support student retention through layered mentorship and inclusion. The educational priority of TMP is “to mentor each student using their individual experience to find their sense of belonging on campus.”
In practice, the “Tri” refers to three tiers of mentoring: Peer Mentoring (matching first-year students with trained upper-year mentors in the same program or with similar backgrounds), Group Mentoring (regular group sessions and community events for students from equity-deserving groups, facilitating peer networking and mutual support), and Career Mentoring (matching third-year or higher students with industry professionals, often alumni, for guidance as they prepare for careers).
Similarly, internships, job shadowing, and embedded career-planning courses give students confidence in their trajectory. Institutions can also integrate career goals into academic advising and marketing, using alumni stories to reinforce long-term value. When students see a clear path from degree to career, their motivation and likelihood of staying enrolled dramatically improve.
5. Leverage Data and Early Alerts to Identify At-Risk Students
Predictive analytics enables institutions to proactively support students showing signs of disengagement or academic risk. By monitoring GPA, class attendance, LMS activity, or even ID card swipes, colleges can detect early warning signs and act before a student drops out.
Many platforms offer dashboards and AI-driven messaging to flag risks and send targeted resources. When paired with advisor outreach, this approach becomes highly effective.
Example: Georgia State University’s Predictive Analytics: Georgia State tracks over 800 risk indicators, triggering alerts when students show signs of academic or financial distress. This system led to the Panther Retention Grant, which helps students with small outstanding balances, one of the biggest dropout triggers. Combined with advisor follow-ups, this strategy has significantly improved retention, especially for underrepresented students.
Even basic early alert systems can help. Faculty-initiated midterm warnings and proactive outreach have been shown to improve persistence by making students feel supported. Benchmarking tools like the IPEDS database can also guide institutions on where to improve.
In short, using data transforms retention from reactive to proactive. With the right tools and team, schools can identify challenges early, intervene meaningfully, and prevent students from slipping through the cracks.
6. Enhance Financial Aid Awareness and Support
Financial strain is a top reason students consider stopping out. To improve retention, institutions must ensure students are aware of, and able to access, funding options before small financial issues force them out.
Colleges should proactively promote scholarships, bursaries, emergency grants, and flexible payment plans. Hiring financial aid coaches or sending alerts to students with incomplete forms or unpaid balances can help prevent unnecessary dropouts. Georgia State University’s Panther Retention Grants exemplify this approach, offering micro-grants to students at risk of losing enrollment over modest fees. Over 10,000 students have benefited, with research showing faster graduations and lower debt loads as a result.
COVID-era aid also proved powerful: community colleges and HBCUs that used relief funds to clear student debts saw thousands stay enrolled. Additionally, financial literacy programs, like budgeting workshops or one-on-one counselling, equip students to manage limited resources wisely and reduce financial stress.
Example: Queen’s University has focused on reducing financial barriers and the misinformation around them by proactively promoting financial aid opportunities to students, using channels like social media, email, and digital signage. The goal is to ensure students know about and utilize available aid (scholarships, bursaries, grants), thereby decreasing the number who drop out due to financial strain. In practice, Queen’s Student Affairs runs ongoing Instagram awareness campaigns about bursary deadlines, loan applications, and financial wellness tips. Below we see Queen’s official Student Affairs Instagram has posts reminding students “it’s not too late to apply for the 2023–24 General Bursary for winter and summer terms” and to apply for government aid like OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program).
Bottom line: funding support and strong communication are critical tools in retaining financially vulnerable students.
7. Offer Flexible and Inclusive Learning Options
Modern college students are diverse; many are part-time, working, parenting, or have accessibility needs. Rigid policies and teaching methods can alienate these learners, making flexibility and inclusivity essential to retention.
Flexible scheduling options, like evening, weekend, online, or hybrid classes, help students balance education with life responsibilities. Allowing part-time enrollment, asynchronous learning, or summer online courses can reduce dropout risk, especially among non-traditional learners.
Credit for prior learning (e.g., PLAR in Canadian colleges) also supports older students by recognizing experience and accelerating time to completion. Inclusive learning environments ensure students of all abilities and styles thrive.
Example: Academy of Learning Career College (AOLCC) uses its proprietary Integrated Learning System (ILS) to maximize student retention by offering flexibility, personalization, and one-on-one support in the learning process. The ILS is a self-directed, multi-sensory training system that lets each student learn at their own pace on a schedule that suits them. A crucial feature since many AOLCC students are adult learners, working, or have family obligations.
Support for online students is also critical. Strong virtual infrastructure; 24/7 tech help, online tutoring, and proactive instructor check-ins help remote learners feel connected. Some schools have engagement teams dedicated to online students.
Additionally, flexible academic policies such as compassionate leaves or grading options (used during the pandemic) can prevent student loss under strain. By adapting to student realities rather than enforcing a traditional mold, colleges show they care and turn potential stop-outs into future graduates.
8. Strengthen Faculty-Student Engagement and Mentorship
Faculty play a pivotal role in student retention through their daily interactions with students. Strong faculty-student engagement, including mentorship, accessibility, and supportive instruction, helps students feel seen, guided, and motivated to persist, especially when challenges arise.
Research shows that meaningful faculty contact improves students’ sense of integration and commitment to college. Gen Z students, in particular, value professors who demonstrate authenticity and personal interest. Without that, disengagement and dropout risk increase.
Colleges can enhance engagement through mentorship programs, pairing students with faculty advisors who offer academic, career, and personal guidance. Faculty training in inclusive teaching and student outreach empowers instructors to recognize and assist struggling students early. Simple actions, like checking in on absences, can make a big difference.
Example: Faculty as Mentors at Berkeley:As noted earlier, UC Berkeley emphasizes that its faculty are among the most accessible, citing programs like the Resident Faculty Program where professors live in residence halls to interact with students outside of class. They highlight that faculty often serve as mentors and even friends to students, and note statistics such as a 19:1 student-faculty ratio and many small classes. This environment of approachability contributes to student success and retention at Berkeley; students feel supported academically and personally by instructors of that caliber, which deepens their commitment to staying.
Interactive teaching methods, such as discussions or group work, foster stronger connections. Faculty who use student names, encourage participation, and integrate feedback build rapport and community. Schools like UC Berkeley go further, housing faculty in residence halls and maintaining small class sizes to promote mentorship.
Faculty should be viewed as frontline retention agents. By celebrating teaching and providing tools for meaningful student relationships, institutions can greatly boost persistence through a caring, connected academic culture. In retention, relationships matter, and faculty are key.
Retention Starts With Intention and the Right Support
Improving student retention isn’t about a single silver bullet. As we’ve explored, it takes a coordinated, research-driven strategy, one that centers students at every point of their journey. Whether it’s delivering personalized outreach, fostering belonging, offering early career guidance, or using data to proactively intervene, the most successful institutions treat student retention as both a mission and a metric.
But knowing what works is only half the equation. Implementing these strategies at scale, consistently and effectively, requires the right tools, technology, and expertise. That’s where Higher Education Marketing can help.
At HEM, we equip colleges and universities with the CRM systems, marketing automation, and digital engagement strategies needed to nurture students from application to graduation. From crafting segmentation-based communications to building data-informed retention workflows, our solutions are built for institutions ready to prioritize persistence.
If you’re looking to boost your retention rates, build stronger student connections, and create a more responsive campus experience, explore how HEM’s services can support your goals. Together, we can help more students reach the finish line and help your institution thrive in the process.
Do you want to explore strategic and effective university student retention strategies?
Contact HEM for more information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Why is student retention important in higher education?
Answer: Student retention reflects institutional effectiveness and student success. High retention means students are achieving their goals and institutions are providing strong support. Low retention signals issues like academic or financial struggle.
Question: What is the difference between persistence and retention?
Answer: Retention refers to students returning to the same institution, while persistence tracks students continuing in higher education, even if they transfer.
Question: What are the factors affecting student retention?
Answer: Student retention is influenced by academics, finances, social belonging, mental health, and institutional climate. Academic unpreparedness, isolation, financial strain, and life challenges are leading causes of dropout.
The Health, Education and Human Services Committee of the 25th Navajo Nation Council passed the proposal earlier this week, but it still has to get the approval of the full council. If it does, Diné College, Navajo Technical University and the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance would each get $10 million a year beginning in 2027, potentially indefinitely.
The plan would more than double the current funding allocations for those institutions, which receive a total of $12.4 million from the Navajo Nation. Each one would be required to put at least 1 percent of the $10 million allocation toward support for Diné language teacher programs, institutional endowments and K–12 education pipeline efforts.
According to Council Delegate Andy Nez, who sponsored the legislation, fewer than half of Navajo students who apply for scholarships through ONNSFA get one.
“This legislation provides a stable source of funding that directly supports our students and institutions, while investing in the longevity of learners and Diné speakers,” he told Native News Online. “We are moving beyond limited five- or 10-year grants to a consistent, annual allocation. This ensures funds go directly to the institutions and scholarship office without delay.”
(This story has been updated to correct the amount of federal funding cut.)
Then-treasurer Peter Costello with new born babies at Royal Women’s Hospital in 2005. Picture: David Caird
University commencement numbers have hit a record high, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic years, Department of Education data released on Wednesday shows.
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Engagement Australia chair Verity Firth discusses how the ATEC could be a ‘circuit breaker‘. Picture: Andy Roberts
Verity Firth, chair of Engagement Australia and vice-president of societal impact at the University of NSW, joins with guest host Alphia Possamai-Inesedy, the pro-vice-chancellor of student success at Western Sydney University.
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The Alliant Credit Union Foundation has awarded a $108,000 grant to Digital Leaders Now, the nonprofit that powers the Digital Leaders Academy at Ridgewood Community High School District 234, to support the implementation of innovative digital opportunity programs.
The initiative will begin rolling out in Spring 2025, with full program implementation for the 2025-2026 school year. The grant will help students gain critical digital skills, enhance career preparation opportunities at Ridgewood and beyond, and ensure teachers have the necessary resources to integrate technology into the classroom effectively.
“The Alliant Credit Union Foundation is committed to fostering educational opportunities that prepare students for the future,” said Meredith Ritchie, President of The Alliant Credit Union Foundation. “By partnering with the Digital Leaders Academy, we are helping to bridge the digital divide and ensure that students in Ridgewood Community High School District 234 are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the evolving workforce.”
The grant will support key initiatives, including:
Integration of AI Tools: Students will gain hands-on experience using AI and emerging technologies to enhance their learning and problem-solving skills.
Teacher Training & Development: Supporting professional development programs that empower educators with the tools and knowledge to incorporate digital learning strategies into their curriculum.
Digital Fluency Expansion: Enhancing student digital literacy and technology-based learning experiences to build a foundation for future careers.
Career Readiness Programs: Preparing students for high-demand technology roles by connecting them with industry experts, mentorship opportunities, and real-world applications of digital skills.
Through this initiative, the Alliant Credit Union Foundation continues its mission of driving positive change in education by expanding access to technology and professional development resources.
“The Digital Leaders Academy is a testament to the power of partnership and community. With the support of Alliant, we’re equipping students, teachers, and parents with the tools to thrive in the digital age, because when we invest in digital fluency, we unlock limitless potential,” said Caroline Sanchez Crozier, Founder of Digital Leaders Now, an Illinois-based nonprofit, and creator of Digital Leaders Academy.
Ridgewood Community High School District 234 students will benefit from enhanced learning experiences, giving them a competitive edge in today’s digital economy.
Kevin is a forward-thinking media executive with more than 25 years of experience building brands and audiences online, in print, and face to face. He is an acclaimed writer, editor, and commentator covering the intersection of society and technology, especially education technology. You can reach Kevin at [email protected]
Unibuddy, a higher education peer-to-peer engagement platform, has officially launched Assistant – an AI tool designed to support large-scale, authentic student-led conversations.
Following a successful beta phase, the tool is now fully live with 30 institutions worldwide and delivering impressive results: tripling student engagement, cutting staff workload significantly, and maintaining over 95% accuracy.
As universities face increasing pressure from tighter budgets and rising student expectations, Unibuddy said its Assistant tool offers a powerful solution to scale meaningful engagement efficiently, combining the speed of AI with the authenticity of real student voices.
65,000 unique students have used Assistant
100,000+ student questions answered automatically without requiring manual intervention
125% increase in students having conversations
60% increase in lead capture
five hours saved per day for university staff
“Today’s students demand instant, authentic and trustworthy communication,” said Diego Fanara, CEO at Unibuddy. “Unibuddy Assistant is the first and only solution that fuses the speed of AI with the credibility of peer-to-peer guidance – giving institutions a scalable way to meet expectations without sacrificing quality or trust.”
Unibuddy has partnered with more than 600 institutions globally and has supported over 3,000,000 prospective students through the platform. As part of this extensive network, it regularly conducts surveys to uncover fresh insights. Although chatbots are now common in higher education, survey findings highlight key limitations in their effectiveness:
84%of students said that university responses were too slow (Unibuddy Survey, 2025)
79%of students said it was important that universities balance AI automation (for speed) and human interaction (for depth) while supporting them as they navigate the decision-making process (Unibuddy Survey, 2025)
51%ofstudents say they wouldn’t trust a chatbot to answer questions about the student experience (Unibuddy Survey, 2024)
78% say talking to a current student is helpful — making them 3.5x more likely to trust a peer than a bot (Unibuddy Survey, 2025)
Only 14% of students felt engaged by the universities they applied to (Unibuddy Survey, 2025)
Unibuddy says these finding have shaped its offering: using AI to handle routine questions and highlight valuable information, while smoothly handing off to peer or staff conversations when a personal, human connection is needed.
Buckinghamshire New Universityused Unibuddy Assistant to transform early-stage engagement – generating 800,000 impressions, 30,000 clickthroughs, and 10,000+ student conversationsin just six months. The university saved over 2,000 staff hoursand saw 3,000 referrals to students or staff.
Today’s students demand instant, authentic and trustworthy communication Diego Fanara, Unibuddy
Meanwhile the University of South Florida Muma College of Business reported over 30 staff hours saved per month, with a 59% click-to-conversation rate and over a third of chats in Assistant resulting in referrals to student ambassador conversations.
And the University of East Anglia deployed Assistant across more than 100 web pages, as part of the full Unibuddy product suites deployment of peer-to-peer chat, with student-led content contributing to a 62% offer-to-student conversion rate compared with 34% of those who didn’t engage with Unibuddy.
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SAN DIEGO — How can community colleges deliver economic mobility to their students?
College leaders at this week’s ASU+GSV Summit, an annual education and technology conference, got a glimpse into that answer as they heard how community colleges are building support from business and industry and strengthening workforce development.
These types of initiatives may be helping to boost public perception of the value of community colleges vs. four-year institutions.
Last year, 48% of surveyed Americans said they had high confidence in community colleges, compared with just 33% who said the same about four-year colleges, according to a Gallup poll. Moreover, policy analysts often view community colleges as an engine to increase workforce development — though some still say these institutions could do more to help their students.
Below, we’re rounding up four takeaways from community college experts about how these institutions can take steps to boost workforce development.
Bring industry into policy advocacy
In 2023, Texas enacted a new outcomes-based funding formula for the state’s community colleges — a change that came with a $683 million price tag. Rather than basing funding primarily on enrollment, the state now ties the majority of its allocation to performance-based measures, such as how many credentials colleges award in high-demand fields.
As a result of the change, the state’s community colleges saw funding increases in fiscal 2024 ranging from $70,000 to $2.9 million, The Texas Tribune reported last month.
Ray Martinez, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, said unified advocacy from the state’s community college leaders helped the measure gain widespread support from lawmakers.
Community college leaders also drummed up support from businesses to help get the new funding model over the finish line, Martinez said.
“We needed business leaders. We needed K-12 leaders,” Martinez said. “We needed other stakeholders to engage with us and to go to their members, to go to the folks that they knew at the Legislature, and say, ‘This is what we need for economic development and for future economic growth of our state.’”
Look to industry to help create curriculum
It’s not enough for community colleges to merely have business and industry representatives on their advisory councils, Martinez said. Institutions need to forge deeper relationships with these stakeholders, including by having them help craft curriculum for workforce education programs.
Although workforce education programs make up about a quarter of Texas community colleges’ overall offerings, that share is rapidly growing relative to academic programs under the state’s new performance-based funding formula, Martinez noted.
“I’m not sure you can single out an industry that is not changing rapidly because of technology or other reasons,” Martinez said. “If you are not engaging with employers in that constant loop of information, you’re missing out as a college.”
Focus on stackable credentials
At Miami Dade College in Florida, leaders are focused on stackable credentials that can be linked together to form an academic pathway.
Stackable credentials represent the “blurring of credit and noncredit,” said Madeline Pumariega, president of Miami Dade College.
“Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, ‘I want to go take a noncredit course,” Pumariega said. Instead, they seek out the quickest training available to land a certain job, she said.
But after students complete that noncredit training, it’s key for community colleges to return to them and say, “‘Great, we got you that training, but you’re now a quarter of the way there for a college credit certificate,’” Pumariega said. When students finish a certificate, college leaders can then offer them an associate degree before suggesting a bachelor’s program, Pumariega said.
Don’t try to be a university
Community college leaders have at times strived for their institutions to be more like their neighboring four-year universities, said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, president and CEO of College Futures Foundation, which aims to boost credential attainment in California.
“When I started out at community colleges, we were always looking to our sister university,” said Oakley, who previously served as chancellor of the California Community Colleges system. “Well guess what, folks? They need to be more like us now. Okay? They need to be opening their doors to regular working class Americans.”
Community colleges were built to generally serve 100% of students that apply, Oakley noted.
“Community colleges were built to be inclusive, to serve the diversity and to raise the equity of the people in those communities,” Oakley told the conference attendees. “I know, for some, those words have become bad words, but you are the epitome of why equity, diversity and inclusion are an economic imperative, not a woke conversation.”
NEW ORLEANS — Between 2020 and 2024, student attendance in Missouri’s Springfield Public Schools dipped from 94.73% to 90.63%.
Like many other school districts nationwide, Springfield’s attendance rates took a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data from the American Institutes for Research shows fall 2020 attendance rates nationwide for elementary school at 92%, middle school at 90%, and high school at 89% — down from pre-pandemic averages of 95% for elementary and 92% for middle and high school.
And because of the global health crisis, the state kept Springfield at its 2019-20 attendance numbers for funding purposes, Superintendent Grenita Lathan told attendees in March at the annual conference of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, in New Orleans.
But with the state’s hold harmless order on attendance about to sunset, Lathan said, officials in the 24,500-student district knew that they needed to boost attendance during the 2023-24 school year. So they set a goal: By the end of that school year, they would raise attendance to 92%.
“When it comes to school attendance, 90% is not an A.”
Springfield Public Schools’ messaging on attendance
Announcing that charge during her annual state of the schools address in August 2023, Lathan said chamber of commerce members and the community at large needed to understand the impact that a 2 percentage-point attendance increase would have.
“That would bring in anywhere from $3 [million] to $4 million in funding that would help us with different programs,” Lathan said.
Lathan and other district officials laid out a districtwide strategic plan that included a communication timeline, monthly updates to 300 local business leaders, and a promise that Lathan would let herself be publicly doused in Powerade if the district reached its goal. Here are the keys to how officials rallied the community to work toward the attendance goal.
Keep it simple and be bold
“It was important that we had buy-in from everyone in the district so that the messaging would resonate with everyone in the community,” said Stephen Hall, the district’s chief communications officer.
To that end, the district prioritized making its messaging simple, direct and bold in presentation. This was reflected not only in the attendance campaign’s slogan — “Attend today, succeed forever” — but also in messaging on social media and on signage around the city.
In their car pickup lines, each of Springfield Public Schools’ 50 elementary, middle and high school buildings displayed five 18-inch by 24-inch yard signs heralding the directive “Attend daily. On time. All day.”
Additionally, the district used digital billboards at three major intersections to get its message out. For only $500, Hall said, the district was able to get more than 250,000 ad placements on the billboards over 20 days.
The attendance initiative became an easy, noncontroversial message for media and business partners to get behind. District leaders asked businesses to be creative in incorporating the campaign into their own messaging and also to sponsor PSAs on local TV stations.
Furthermore, the district sent monthly news releases to local media showing the district’s progress. One local reporter even made it his mission to try to calculate the progress on his own, because he wanted to beat the competition on getting the story out once the district hit its goal, Hall said.
On social media, the district boldly declared, “When it comes to school attendance, 90% is not an A.” The school system supplemented these posts with graphics that simplified attendance data. Visuals, for instance, demonstrated how much of an impact each successive absence could have on a student’s performance, as defined using their GPA: Where a student with four absences might average a 3.63 GPA, a student with 35 absences might have a 2.29.
A social media graphic from Springfield Public Schools shows how prolonged absences correlate to potential impacts on student GPAs.
Permission granted by Springfield Public Schools
Don’t sweat the pushback
Shifting a community’s mindset isn’t without its hiccups, however. If your messaging is working, you should expect to receive pushback, the Springfield officials told AASA conference attendees.
“Because it was consistent, because it was bold, and because we were holding people accountable, we heard quite a bit of feedback,” Hall said.
One negative Facebook comment shared with attendees, for instance, read in part: “The SPS attendance obsession is why everyone in our house has been sick the last month. Our kids report they have been surrounded by sick kids at school who have been bullied by administrators into thinking they cannot miss any school. The result? Our kids are getting sick because sick kids are at school.”
When concerns like this arose, Hall said the district made a point of reminding parents that it’s still important to keep their kids at home when they are ill, and that punishing sick children wasn’t the purpose of the attendance campaign.
The district used the pushback as an opportunity to have school attendance officers and liaisons talk with families to identify barriers to attendance and offer solutions and resources to help address the issue. These included six attendance advisors who provided supports for transportation and health needs, counseling referrals, home visits, phone calls and address checks.
But pushback didn’t just come from parents: Students also leveled criticism against the district using social media comment sections, the district website’s feedback platform, and even a cover story in Kickapoo High School’s quarterly KHQ Today Magazine. Among their complaints: participation in school activities like dances, art shows, and public-facing performances such as band or choir relied upon attendance staying above a certain level.
“The only way to move metrics by 2 percentage points is for people to understand that there’s accountability, that there is consistency. And so it does ruffle some feathers sometimes, because they’re hearing it from multiple levels of the organization,” Hall said.
Yard signs promoting school attendance are pictured on the cover of the Fall 2024 issue of KHQ Today Magazine, a quarterly publication produced by students at Kickapoo High School in Springfield Public Schools in Missouri.
Permission granted by Springfield Public Schools
Leverage virtual learning
Not only is Springfield Public Schools the largest school system in Missouri, but it has the state’s largest virtual learning program, which serves around 400 school districts statewide.
“We have, in-house, a really robust virtual learning program,” said Ben Hackenwerth, the district’s chief strategy and innovation officer. “In Missouri, the way we’re funded, if a student is a virtual student, they automatically receive 100% attendance as long as they are participating.”
While there are specifics on how that participation has to be monitored and reported, Hackenwerth said, this situation provided an opportunity to meet with parents of students who were struggling in the regular school environment and offer them an option that might suit their child better.
The virtual learning program also gave Springfield a pathway to rethink suspensions.
For students on long-term suspensions, “we would give them the option of becoming a virtual student with the expectation that they could not be on campus,” Hackenwerth said. “So instead of taking that attendance hit, they could continue learning in a virtual setting, and it didn’t impact our attendance in a negative way.”
At the high school level, leveraging virtual learning options raised attendance by 1.5 percentage points.
It’s a small percentage of students in the grand scheme of things, “but it’s still good for kids,” Hackenwerth said.
Springfield Public Schools principals pose with their attendance trophies. (L-R) Truman Elementary Principal Sara Shevchuk, Watkins Elementary Principal Joanna Brockwell, Sunshine Elementary Principal Tracy Daniels, Pershing K-8 Principal Tommy Wells, Middle School and K-8 Campuses Director Andre Illig, and Elementary Schools Director Mykie Nash.
Permission granted by Springfield Public Schools
Reward progress
Of course, recognition for successes achieved is crucial to keeping morale up during an effort like Springfield’s attendance campaign. So, the district each month awarded trophies to principals in categories such as largest attendance gain year over year, most improved over the past month, and 95% attendance or better.But what about Lathan’s Powerade promise? Did Springfield hit its goal?
The short answer is “yes.” At her 2024 State of the Schools address in August, Lathan announced the district’s attendance had reached 91.78%, which was rounded up to 92%.
Lathan noted that one school in particular stood out throughout the campaign: McGregor Elementary School. The 281-student, 90%-free-lunch campus led by Principal Rebekah Kirby— then a first-year principal — raised its attendance by 3.56 percentage points.
“Her children were outperforming our higher-performing campuses where attendance is not an issue,” Lathan said.
With that in mind, at Lathan’s August 2024 state of the schools address, Kirby, along with some of her building’s teachers and students, got to do the honors of dumping a bucket of Powerade over Lathan’s head.
“It truly was worth it to be able to hit that goal and for them to be able to celebrate,” Lathan said.
