"That's why most colleges invest significant time and energy to ensure first-year students have a successful start, connecting them to peers, support resources and faculty invested in their personal and academic growth. But the support often lags during the transition to sophomore year. Retention is a key factor in timely degree completion; students who leave college after the first year are much less likely to ever finish their program."
"What's the need: As a university, DePaul has focused on improving second-year retention, said Jaclyn Jensen, professor and associate dean of undergraduate programs in management and entrepreneurship. Jensen was approached by a DePaul alumna, Pam Schilling, co-founder of the ed-tech company Archer Career, who was looking to apply for the Illinois Innovation Voucher program. The program provides funding for small or medium-size businesses that partner with higher education institutions in the state."
DePaul University piloted a Rising Sophomore Success Program to bridge the first-to-second-year transition and improve second-year retention. The program partnered with Archer Career through an Illinois Innovation Voucher application to deliver self-paced microlearning. Students completed short, approximately 10-minute online modules covering time management, money management, career exploration, networking, and LinkedIn profile development. The modules aimed to increase students' confidence and practical skills for academic and career planning. Faculty and staff targeted rising sophomores in business programs to provide resources and habits that support timely degree progress and reduce the likelihood of attrition after the first year.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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