StudentAffairs@NOVA
We are delighted to welcome you to the spring 2025 semester filled with opportunities for discover and growth in our commitment to serving students. Also, we are excited to reflect on the prospect of our new initiative with InsideTrack aimed at increasing enrollment via the re-engagement of our recent stop-out students. This month, we will share exciting insights and highlights from our partnership with InsideTrack. In addition, in recognition that January is National Mentorship Month, we are happy to share updates regarding our mentorship program.
NOVA’s Partnership with InsideTrack: A Path to Student Success
I am excited to share the progress of our college-wide initiative in partnership with InsideTrack, a nationally recognized non-profit coaching organization. This collaboration, announced by Dr. Kress on September 10, 2024, aims to provide personalized re-enrollment coaching to our students who have recently stopped out. Our goal is to help these students balance their work, family, financial and academic obligations while fostering a sense of belonging at NOVA.
Strategic Goals and Pilot Phase
Our partnership with InsideTrack is a strategic move to enhance enrollment, retention and completion rates at NOVA. With the looming enrollment cliff in higher education, this initiative is crucial. InsideTrack coaches have been diligently reaching out to students who have stopped out over the past two years, providing them with the support they need to return and complete their degrees. The pilot phase, which began in fall 2024, has already shown promising results.
Engagement and Outcomes
During the pilot phase, we identified over 1,800 students for engagement. InsideTrack’s efforts included phone calls, emails and text messages, resulting in a positive response from students. According to InsideTrack’s December 2024 report, 1,839 students were contacted, with 43% achieving contact status – meaning they responded to InsideTrack’s outreach and 4% held a meeting touchpoint – meaning they a two-way dialogue.
Student Feedback and Opportunities
We have received great feedback from students who appreciate the support and opportunities provided by NOVA. Students have expressed gratitude for the compassionate staff, the ease of enrollment and the quality of instruction. However, InsideTrack assisted in identifying areas for improvement including but not limited to scheduling conflicts, financial constraints, difficulty navigating the probation process and SDV course requirements. By addressing these areas, we can enhance our support systems and improve student retention.
Moving forward, it is essential to continue monitoring these factors and implementing targeted interventions to ensure our students’ success. The work conducted in fall 2024 will also help inform future actions to reduce stop-out numbers and develop and implement an ongoing re-engagement strategy. We look forward to continuing this partnership during the spring 2025 semester.
Mentorship Program Updates: New Opportunities and Exciting Developments
January is National Mentoring Month! Our mentorship program is entering an exciting new phase, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share what’s ahead! As we continue to refine matching opportunities, we’re excited to unveil a collaboration with PackBack, offering a user-friendly online space where mentees and mentors can easily navigate the program, share reflections and engage with structured support tools.
We’ll also be hosting a series of training and preparation sessions to ensure mentors are fully equipped with the tools and strategies they need to make a meaningful impact.
In an effort to spotlight the incredible dedication of our mentors, we’re launching a series of inspiring video stories that capture how they’re making a difference in students’ lives both in and out of the classroom. These stories will showcase the passion and commitment of our mentors while providing a glimpse into the transformative power of mentorship. Keep a lookout for a link to these videos later this semester!
Thank you for being a part of our growing mentorship family. Together, we’re creating opportunities that truly transform lives. Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s make this term unforgettable!
If you have any questions pertaining to our partnership with InsideTrack, please reach out to Dr. Joel Frater, vice president of student affairs, at JFrater@nvcc.edu.
If you have any questions regarding the mentorship program, please reach out to Nigel Word, director of student leadership & engagement, at WordNC@nvcc.edu.
The leadership of the Office of Student Affairs looks forward to continuing to share and present to the NOVA community what Student Affairs is accomplishing through @NOVA, every second Tuesday of the month.
Submitted by:
Dr. Joel Frater, Vice President of Student Affairs, jfrater@nvcc.edu