When a simple check-in email leads to a 77 percent increase in student persistence, it’s clear something powerful is happening. At Greenville Technical College, data is more than numbers on a dashboard. It’s a way to connect, support, and transform student outcomes. What started as a pilot outreach project by a team of data analysts quickly became a catalyst for campus-wide change.

In this episode, Kevin McMindes shares how his team used predictive analytics and personalized outreach to make a real difference. From identifying students most in need of support to tracking the impact of advising appointments, Kevin explains how they turned insight into action and why even small efforts done with care can move the needle in a big way.

You’ll hear how one advising appointment per student became a game-changing goal, how initiative analysis revealed which programs delivered the greatest return, and how empathy combined with data can drive meaningful and lasting impact. If you're looking for practical ways to support students at scale without losing the human touch, this episode will give you a roadmap.

[03:04] Greenville Technical College is one of 16 technical colleges in South Carolina. They serve 10,000 to 12,000 students per term. It's their mission to empower and impact student's lives.

[03:49] Kevin is Assistant Director of Analytics.

[04:33] We learn about challenges like persistence rate and retention rate.

[05:12] They adopted the four disciplines of execution.

[06:12] They had a goal to reach out to students who were in the lower persistence rate.

[07:05] They reached out to their students and tracked the results. When they charged it out they realized they were actually moving a lot of students.

[07:25] By the end of the fall, they had moved 219 students.

[08:23] The actual numbers were higher than their predictions. They went from a 32.5% predicted persistence to 58% actual persistence.

[11:13] There were a number of students who needed to be connected with resources.

[13:17] After the study, people wanted training and a lot of it was about convincing them that this is going to make their lives easier.

[13:35] A lot of students can be reached out to with a single email.

[14:40] They decided to set a goal to have each student have an advising appointment. They used the Inspire platform and pulled the data and put it in a dashboard to drill down.

[15:38] They accomplished 44% of their goal and then 109%.

[16:10] With that success, they started focusing on what's really good for students.

[17:16] Kevin shares his analysis strategy using the Civitas platform.

[19:40] Kevin shares how advising is structured at Greenville Tech.

[21:09] With the 40x results they've had, a lot of people are interested in using the predictive analytics platform.

[22:20] Being able to segment the students is key.

[24:48] As part of the Strategic Data Project that was operated out of the Harvard Center for Education Policy and Research, Kevin was able to look at success initiatives and analyze them.

[26:12] They also discovered Brainfuse Online Tutoring was effective and cheap.

[27:28] The idea of reaching out to scholarship recipients and asking how it's going.

[31:55] The importance of having a renewed focus on an advising appointment for the student. It's important for students to have a personal connection with somebody on campus.

[36:32] It's so helpful to be able to personalize messages even when they're sent out at scale.

[38:15] Individuals can make a difference.

Kevin McMindes - Greenville Technical College

Kevin McMindes - LinkedIn

Brainfuse Online Learning

Higher education stands at a crossroads. With growing public skepticism about the value of a college degree and mounting financial demands on both students and institutions, the need for bold, student-centered leadership has never been greater. Today, you'll hear from someone who has not only confronted these problems, but also turned them into possibilities for positive change.

My guest, Dr. Nicholas S. Zeppos, Chancellor Emeritus of Vanderbilt University, shares the story of Opportunity Vanderbilt, one of higher education's most ambitious financial assistance efforts, and what it took to erase undergraduate debt while boosting access and student achievement. He discusses the groundbreaking developments taking place in the sector, ranging from enrollment cliffs and rising costs to political scrutiny and the need to rethink how institutions serve communities.

This episode is a strong call to action for higher education executives to change old behaviors, get closer to their data, and stay engaged with both their internal and external audiences. Dr. Zeppos provides practical advice on how colleges should make the case for their worth, embrace transparency, and develop new solutions to guarantee students prosper in and after college.

[03:12] Vanderbilt has about 6,500 undergraduates getting a fairly traditional liberal arts experience. They are alsod a hybrid Institution with a large research university.

[04:41] Dr. Zeppos has been at Vanderbilt almost 40 years and has held almost every job except football coach.

[05:10] We learn about making the case for access and providing resources for access to college. The high loan burden at Vanderbilt was deterring enrollment.

[06:01] Creating Opportunity Vanderbilt and raising $700 billion dollars has transformed the campus, graduation, and completion. No Vanderbilt undergraduate will leave with undergraduate debt.

[07:19] The college experience is more than getting a degree, it's also setting students up for success.

[08:43] It's really important to prepare students by focusing on their psychological, emotional, social, and academic development.

[09:48] Dr. Zeppos wanted to go from a model of is the student graduating to is the student thriving?

[10:53] The importance of using data to connect and prioritize focus and services.

[12:39] There's also challenges with perception and the perceived value of higher education.

[13:29] There's a dramatic reset going on with universities and colleges.

[15:22] Universities and colleges are dealing with enrollment cliffs and funding cuts or even endowment taxes.

[16:36] How the expenses of higher education are growing faster than the revenues.

[18:32] How leaders can shift and start to think differently about the value higher education offers.

[20:14] College presidents and boards need to get out and talk to congress and their senators.

[23:20] There needs to be a solution with the costs of higher education.

[26:17] Using data and having an economic impact statement.

[27:11] Dr. Zeppos used to have the Saturday Rhodes Scholars once a month.

[28:11] The importance of physically presenting yourself in the local communities and with constituents. Listen and be part of the solution.

[30:51] To get started do a full-blown audit. How connected are you with the community and leaders? Look for solutions to lower costs.

Civitas Learning Website

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Dr. Nicholas S. Zeppos - Vanderbilt University

Dr. Nicholas S. Zeppos - LinkedIn

Opportunity Vanderbilt

Student success in higher education isn’t just about reacting to problems — it’s about building systems that anticipate them. And at the University of North Carolina Asheville, that proactive approach is making all the difference.

Joining today’s conversation are two incredible leaders who are doing this work every day: Regine Criser, Director of Student Success, and Lynne Horgan, University Registrar. Regine oversees UNC Asheville’s Academic Success Center, leading efforts in advising, writing support, and peer tutoring, while Lynne brings over 25 years of experience to her role managing student records and registration processes. Together, they’ve built a powerful partnership — one that bridges student success and the registrar’s office in ways that are still rare across higher ed.

In this episode, they share how UNC Asheville is leveraging data, technology, and collaboration to support students holistically — especially during moments of crisis like Hurricane Helene. You’ll hear how they’ve tackled challenges like retention and graduation rates, how they communicate with students in real time during emergencies, and why their integrated approach is leading to real results — including their largest year-over-year retention increase ever. They also offer a behind-the-scenes look at how breaking down internal silos, using tools like Civitas Learning, and focusing on personalized, proactive outreach is helping their students not just stay — but thrive.

[03:33] UNC Asheville is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. They are the designated public liberal arts and sciences school of the UNC system.

[05:11] A common challenge across institutions of higher education is fall-to- fall retention. They experienced the dip in the fall of 2021. They were focused on building the retention rate up to 80%.

[06:19] They were concerned after Hurricane Helene, because they thought it would be another derailleur in retention and graduation rates. The work they had already put in helped carry them forward.

[07:47] One of the biggest challenges was navigating so much data. It really helps to have it all in one system.

[09:25] Most of their students fall into the traditional student category. More than half of them need to work alongside school.

[10:26] After the hurricane, they needed to embrace their students who had a variety of needs.

[11:13] The registrar's office is focusing on two primary action items. These are registration and graduation applications.

[12:15] It was also important to get updated information and deadlines out after the hurricane.

[13:26] They also have student success specialists that can help students explore available support systems.

[14:42] They were also able to text all of their students through one platform, and then they could focus on the information that they're getting to the students.

[18:52] People, processes, and technology adopted in recent years to help implement and facilitate their approach to student care.

[20:56] Civitas has really helped them reach the goals that they've been trying to achieve.

[21:41] How collaboration between student affairs and the registrar office really makes a huge difference.

[22:46] We learn how they're leveraging data and technology to support their work.

[27:51] Lynn and Regine get a little time to brag about how well their system is working. Students registering on time is huge. Seeing the data also helps them make decisions that better suit the students on their paths.

[29:48] Their intentional work also played a role in a 5% increase in retention.

Civitas Learning Website

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Regine Criser - UNC Asheville

Diversity and Decolonization in German Studies

Lynne Horgan - UNC Asheville

Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on.

Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, including roles at institutions like George Mason University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Dr. Hunt brings a wealth of expertise to the table. At NDSU, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the university's strategic planning for retention and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

In this conversation, we'll dive into NDSU's multi-faceted approach to declining enrollment. From developing a comprehensive framework to leveraging student success analytics, Dr. Hunt will share invaluable insights into how NDSU is proactively addressing this challenge. We'll also explore the importance of building cross-functional relationships and data insights across campus, highlighting the collaborative efforts that are key to driving positive change.

[2:20] - Phil shares his background and his role at North Dakota State University.

[4:03] - Enrollment is much more than admissions. Phil describes what enrollment looks like at NDSU.

[5:18] - It is important to do our best to keep existing students enrolled. Amping up retention is key.

[7:02] - One of the outcomes of their mission to solidify their retention strategy is to partner with Civitas.

[8:05] - NDSU asked several questions, explored the data to answer them, and let those answers drive their focus.

[9:31] - There are a lot of things we look at individually that are all connected to enrollment.

[11:02] - If we cannot ensure that we have adequate structures in place that support our goals and priorities, a change needs to be made.

[13:41] - NDSU incorporates everyone and emphasizes collaboration across campus in this initiative.

[15:53] - Phil shares some of the problems discovered when digging into data and what they have leaned into and leveraged to improve.

[19:08] - Improvement is always a work in progress.

[21:19] - Institutions are really good at collecting data. But what makes the difference is how they use that data.

[24:03] - In years past, data tends to get siloed with leadership. But it’s the insights the data brings to the entire institution that leads to change and progress.

[26:04] - We can’t truly control enrollment. But we can control how we interact with students and the services we provide to support them.

[28:13] - What early indicator successes are NDSU experiencing now?

[29:48] - Phil explains that advising is the greatest success and what is really pushing the institution’s success in student retention.

[32:11] - Because all faculty have access to data, everyone is on the same page.

• North Dakota State University
• Partnering with Institutional Research to Improve Student Outcomes with Dr. Steve Wilkerson and Dr. Tammy Wyatt
• Civitas Learning Website
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In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, it's crucial to recognize that students are not just statistics or numbers; they are individuals with unique challenges, needs, and aspirations. As educational leaders, it's imperative to adopt a holistic approach that considers the whole human behind the student.

Joining us is Chris Campbell, the Chief Information Officer at Devry University. With a wealth of experience in higher education technology and strategy, Chris spearheads the university's efforts to reinvent the learning experience and infuse data-informed decisions across the institution. Today, we delve into how Devry University leverages innovative technology, including AI and data analytics, to provide personalized support to students, ensuring they receive the assistance they need to succeed on their academic journey. By understanding students at a deeper level and tailoring support accordingly, institutions can empower students to achieve their goals and thrive in their educational pursuits.

Throughout this episode, we'll explore how Devry University's data-driven approach and focus on the whole student experience are revolutionizing higher education and fostering student success. From leveraging behavioral psychology to harnessing the power of data analytics, we'll uncover valuable insights and strategies that can inform and inspire educational leaders in their mission to support student growth and achievement.

[2:20] - Chris describes Devry University, their mission, and his role as Chief Information Officer.

[3:35] - There is a culture of strong continuous improvement at Devry University and they are “data-hungry.”

[4:48] - Devry has the award-winning Devry Digital Care Engine that combines technologies and data management strategies to provide support to students.

[6:10] - How is AI technology integrated into the Digital Care Engine?

[7:56] - They have a centralized CRM where student journeys are housed. This enables Devry to be able to easily access data they need to drive decisions.

[10:16] - By using data to see student trends, they could see an opportunity to support students effectively.

[12:23] - Behavioral psychology and understanding has been applied to this as well. Support is crafted per student as they are all individuals on their own journey.

[13:56] - Data does a great job providing opportunities to explore and then when put into the context of a whole person, we can identify what assistance is needed.

[16:02] - At Devry, leveraging data is part of their culture.

[19:10] - Student community also has an impact on student success.

[20:35] - Chris shares his advice from his perspective and role at Devry.

Civitas Learning Website

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In this episode, I’m speaking with Dustin Ramsdell, host of The Higher Ed Geek Podcast. The Higher Ed Geek explores the impact of edtech on the student experience by speaking with diverse leaders from institutions, companies, and nonprofit organizations. We are extending that conversation to the Next Practices Podcast as we think about ways to use technology to streamline the student experience.

In our conversation, we discuss interesting trends Dustin is seeing in his conversations with higher ed leaders, common challenges, and interesting ways institutions can leverage data and technology to streamline and ease the student experience. Dustin's expertise sheds light on emerging trends, such as the growing importance of partnerships in higher education, and the innovative approaches institutions are taking to address student needs. We explore the critical challenge of student awareness and how technology can bridge the gap, ensuring students are informed about available resources. Moreover, we uncover the diverse challenges and barriers institutions face, emphasizing the importance of a tailored approach that aligns with each institution's unique culture. From empowering students to equipping support staff with the necessary tools, we examine the pivotal role of a cohesive digital ecosystem in fostering student success.

[2:14] - Dustin shares his background and how he found himself in his current career.

[5:26] - Dustin has always been drawn to the student experience side of things.

[7:40] - There is a unique opportunity to create pathways for students that are accessible and provide relevant and engaging skills.

[10:36] - One trendline that is up and coming is partnerships.

[13:11] - There are a lot of different things that institutions and technology companies are doing to streamline the student experience.

[16:16] - A big concern is lack of student awareness of resources and things going on around campus.

[18:20] - Challenges and barriers may vary per institution and campus culture.

[20:32] - Some students don’t know the questions to ask.

[23:03] - There are a lot of staff and faculty to help students, but technology is an essential tool in tackling student success challenges.

[26:27] - Both for the student experience and the experience of support staff, there needs to be a cohesive digital ecosystem.

[29:06] - How can we get staff across an entire institution on the same page and leverage the tools they have?

[31:17] - Base everything on best practices, but be flexible for your unique institution’s culture.

Civitas Learning Website

Higher Ed Geek Podcast

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