³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ sees record-setting retention rates for second consecutive year
The last two years of fall to spring retention rates hit record levels in the ³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ’s history.
³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ reached impressive retention rates of 95.7% from fall 2024 to spring 2025 and 95.5% from fall 2023 to spring 2024. Spring 2025 retention shows a strong 5.3% increase over the last four years since spring 2021.
The new retention record results from strategic campus-wide collaboration between the Office of Student Success, colleges and academic departments to reach out to students who may be struggling or need extra advisement.
“Part of what makes ³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ special is how much attention our faculty and staff can give our students,” said Dr. Erin Richman, Office of Student Success associate vice president. “Our priority these past two years has been ensuring students take full advantage of these tools and succeed.”
In addition to the high-quality academic programs, welcoming faculty, impactful services and caring campus culture already offered at ³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ, support for student success was holistically redesigned, including advising, technology platforms, tutoring, experiential learning and more.
The Student Success Advocacy team was created to customize support for students and help them overcome barriers. The MyNest student success portal was created to give students easier, more user-friendly access to resources like tutoring, career advisors and academic advisors. A monthly Next Level Student Success training and professional development was also implemented for staff. All these efforts combined have proven to be impactful for students who may be struggling during their first semester of college, not know how to find resources themselves or are the first generation in their families to attend college.
“We put students at the center of everything we do, and there’s nothing more gratifying than seeing students blossom while at ³ÉÈËAVÊÓƵ,” Richman says.
Students notice the student success focus, too. Their comments from 2024 post-advising surveys highlight personal impacts:
"My advisor, Chelsea Whiteman, is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She is amazing. I always feel so safe to talk to her and I can tell that she genuinely cares and wants to help in any way she can."
"Ambrey Wilson was phenomenal! I am starting college for the first time and that has led to lots of worries and a ton of stress. All of the unanswered questions and just the simple matter of everything is new has resulted in me feeling out of my comfort zone. That was until today! ... Mr. Wilson was extremely helpful, so kind and was every bit of the reason I left today feeling more confident and more secure going into my first year of college. I am so appreciative of this service provided by the school but even more grateful for the staff that works within that system. Go Ospreys!"