Support retention from the ground up by rebuilding student connection and engagement with your institution.
Overview
As institutions have moved back to in-person or hybrid operations from a largely virtual COVID-19 response, student engagement and disconnection is at an all-time high. While the beginning of this trend predated the pandemic, it has now been compounded by increasing enrollment and retention challenges in the aftermath. We know that students who do not feel they belong at their institution are much less likely to persist and graduate from that institution, and a central hurdle to mitigating this challenge is that higher ed faculty and staff do not feel equipped to reconnect and reengage students.
Join us for this one-day virtual conference to learn more about how to rebuild the connection between your institution and the students who attend. Our expert speakers, Glenn Davis and Vickie Cook, will share practical tips for understanding the nuances of student success today, as well as how to address student needs. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss engagement both in and out of the classroom, the adverse impact of intersectionality on some students’ experiences, and best practices to move forward.
Who Should Attend
Faculty and staff who work directly with students will benefit most from this virtual conference. Additionally, mid-level academic and administrative leaders (e.g., deans and directors) will also gain methods to help advise their faculty and staff on issues of student engagement.
Recording available 10 business days after the live training.
The Academic Impressions Online Learning Experience
Intentionally Designed
Online Learning
Our virtual trainings go far beyond just replicating PowerPoint presentations online: these experiences are intentionally designed to give you the kind of robust and dynamic learning experience you’ve come to expect from Academic Impressions. These trainings provide you with an active learning environment and an online space where you can explore ideas, get inspired by what your peers are doing, and understand the range of possibilities around a certain topic. You will leave these sessions with practical solutions that you can take back to your team or task force.
What you will get:
- A dynamic, interactive, and high-touch virtual learning experience designed to engage and set you up for growth
- Seamless online face-time, networking, group work, and Q&A opportunities from the comfort of your own workspace
- Practical takeaways and hands-on knowledge
- Guidance from vetted subject matter experts
- Unlimited access to all recorded online sessions
AGENDA
11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. ET
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
To kick off the day, our speakers will introduce themselves and share a little bit about their work in creating student engagement on their campuses.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Our first short session will be devoted to defining what student success means for faculty and staff working directly with students. Institutions often have retention and persistence goals in their strategic plans, but what does this mean for individual faculty and staff members in their daily work? You’ll learn about what contributes to student success that is not easily tracked in institutional metrics.
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET
This session will focus on who is currently enrolled on college campuses, as well as on the specific needs of these students. Our speakers will also discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and generational changes on student needs.
12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. ET
During the breaks, we invite you to take time away from your computer in order to return refreshed for subsequent sessions.
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. ET
COVID-19 and current political and economic events have had a disproportionate impact on certain groups of students. In this session, we’ll discuss how students’ intersecting identities have impacted students’ journey through college.
2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. ET
For the first 45 minutes, you’ll focus with one of our speakers either on engaging students in the classroom or connecting students to your campus through outside-the-classroom experience. During each concurrent session, you will work together to create a toolkit of strategies to implement once the conference is over. We’ll then come together as a whole group for the last 15 minutes of the session to talk about the intersections of curricular and co-curricular experience.
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. ET
During the breaks, we invite you to take time away from your computer in order to return refreshed for subsequent sessions.
3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
During this session, our speakers will highlight ways to engage students and ensure student success on your campus. You’ll have the opportunity to share what practices are working for you and ask questions.
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
During this final session, we’ll have time to share takeaways and final questions.
SPEAKERS
Vickie S. Cook, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment, Online Learning, Professional, and Engaged Learning (OPEL), University of Illinois Springfield
Dr. Vickie Cook is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment, Online Learning, Professional, and Engaged Learning (OPEL) at the University of Illinois Springfield. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and an M.S. in Adult Education.
Glenn Davis
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Bowling Green State University
Glenn started his career as a faculty member in the English Department at St. Cloud State University, where he also served as Chair, before becoming Interim Dean of University College. In all his roles, he worked to address barriers to student progress.