Stop, Drop, and Enroll: Innovative Strategies for Boosting Student Retention

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About the Episode: 

On this episode of The Hidden Gem, host Maya welcomes Julio Vargas-Essex, VP of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at North Hennepin Community College. Julio shares insights from his innovative research, "Stop, Drop, and Enroll," which focuses on retention strategies that empower students to persist through higher education. Through collaborative partnerships, cutting-edge strategies like photo voice, and impactful initiatives such as peer mentoring and just-in-time communication, Julio and his team are addressing barriers to student success and transforming the retention landscape in community colleges.

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Key Takeaways

• Retention as the New Recruitment: With free community college initiatives making access less of a barrier, the focus is shifting toward helping students persist and succeed.
• Student-Driven Research: Using creative methods like "photo voice," students visually captured the barriers they face, offering rich, actionable insights.
• Barriers to Success: Financial challenges, balancing school with life, and college readiness were top barriers identified, with a surprising disconnect between student and faculty perceptions of preparedness.
• Innovative Retention Strategies: Key initiatives include holistic basic needs support, revamped orientation and onboarding, and peer mentoring programs tailored to underrepresented students.
• Marketing Teams Must Adapt: By shifting from recruitment-only messaging to retention-focused communication, North Hennepin’s marketing team plays an integral role in student success.

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The Retention Challenge

Retention has long been a challenge for community colleges, but as Julio Vargas-Essex explains, it’s more critical now than ever. At North Hennepin Community College (NHCC), research revealed that 40% of students don’t persist into their second year, resulting in lost revenue and compounding student debt. Julio and his team wanted to shift the narrative by placing students at the center of the conversation and using their lived experiences to guide solutions.

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Research Methods: Putting Students in the Driver’s Seat

One of the standout aspects of NHCC’s retention research is the use of creative, student-focused methodologies like "photo voice." Students were invited to document their barriers visually by taking photos of campus or community spaces that hindered their progress. This approach allowed Julio and his team to go beyond traditional surveys and gain deeper, more vivid insights into the challenges students face.

For example, financial insecurity, inadequate financial aid, and difficulty balancing school with work emerged as significant barriers. But the research also uncovered unexpected insights, such as a stark disconnect in perceptions of college readiness: while 68% of students believed they were prepared for college, only 17% of faculty agreed—a troubling misalignment that impacts student confidence and success.

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Building Solutions: From Research to Action

Armed with this data, NHCC and its partners—Hennepin Technical College and Brooklyn Park Youth Alliance—created a "blueprint" for change. This strategic plan focuses on addressing the key barriers uncovered in the research.

1. Basic Needs Support
   • NHCC made significant investments in mental health services, hiring social workers and therapists, and opening resource centers like food cupboards and parenting hubs.
   • The institution leveraged grants and student health fees to fund these initiatives, leading to recognition as a "hunger-free campus" and nearly $2 million in external funding.
2. Academic Support and Guided Pathways
   • NHCC adopted the Guided Pathways model to create proactive advising strategies and reduce attrition at high-risk points.
   • Success teams—cross-functional groups of staff—collaborate on targeted engagement campaigns and improved student onboarding processes.
3. Peer Mentoring Programs
   • Programs like "Be Bold, Break the Mold" connect underrepresented students in non-traditional fields with peers and industry mentors. Both students and mentors are compensated, addressing financial barriers while building confidence and support networks.

A New Approach to Onboarding

One of NHCC’s game-changing initiatives is its revamped orientation and onboarding process. Recognizing that traditional one-day orientations often overwhelm students, NHCC introduced an extended orientation model with just-in-time communications.

• Personalized Touchpoints: Weekly emails remind students about important deadlines, resources, and strategies to navigate their first semester.
• Proactive Support: A student needs assessment sent to all new students triggers personalized follow-ups from advisors, ensuring no one falls through the cracks.
• Interactive Content: The online orientation features videos, quizzes, and student testimonials to make the process engaging and accessible.

This multi-phase approach ensures that students feel supported not just at the start of their journey but throughout their critical first semester.

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The Role of Marketing in Retention

NHCC’s marketing team, which reports directly to Julio, has shifted its focus from solely recruitment to include retention. Here’s how they’ve made an impact:

1. Collaborative Messaging: The marketing team partners with departments like advising to craft clear, engaging communications tailored to students’ needs.
2. Targeted Campaigns: Success teams use student data to create personalized emails and campaigns for specific academic programs, increasing student engagement.
3. Just-in-Time Communications: Weekly emails and app push notifications keep students informed about deadlines, resources, and upcoming events.

This shift required investments in additional staff and resources, such as hiring a digital content specialist to ensure that all communications are accessible and student-centered.

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Peer Mentoring and Beyond

The Be Bold, Break the Mold peer mentoring program exemplifies NHCC’s commitment to innovation. Designed to support women and men in non-traditional fields like construction and engineering, the program pairs students with industry mentors who can provide guidance and inspiration.

To address financial barriers, both mentors and mentees are compensated for their participation. The program also includes guest speakers and workshops on topics like imposter syndrome, fostering confidence and resilience in students.

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What’s Next?

Looking ahead, Julio emphasizes the importance of "staying the course." While higher education is constantly evolving, NHCC’s focus remains on retention, equity-centered communication, and student support. By refining existing programs and remaining adaptable, the institution is preparing for whatever challenges may come.

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Research Article Discussed on the Show
Lauritsen, J., Favela Naca, E., Gilgen, R., Lui, I., &
Vargas-Essex, J. (2023). Stop, Drop, Enroll: Increasing
Student Persistence Through Strategic Partnerships.
About Campus, 28(1), 38-49.
https://doi.org/10.1177/10864822231169226

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Connect With Our Host:

Maya Demishkevich

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network:

The Hidden Gem: Marketing Community Colleges is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.

Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

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