The annual First Year Experience Conference was held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Indiana Memorial Union on the Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) campus. This year’s theme, “It Starts with Us: Becoming a Student-ready Campus,” underscored the university’s commitment to fostering an environment that nurtures and supports students holistically.
The conference, organized by the Office of First Year Experience Programs, brought together educators, administrators, and stakeholders to collaborate on innovative practices for enhancing student success. By addressing academic, social, cultural, and community engagement aspects, the conference aimed to equip attendees with strategies to create a more inclusive and supportive campus environment.
Key highlights of the conference included:
- Keynote Address by Tia Brown McNair: Renowned speaker Tia Brown McNair delved into “Navigating Student Success: Strategies for Embedding High-Impact Practices into First-Year Experiences.” Drawing from extensive experience, McNair explored evidence-based strategies to promote student engagement and learning, with a focus on diversity, equity, and continuous improvement.
- Interactive Sessions: Attendees had the opportunity to participate in sessions covering a wide range of topics such as bias incident response, student retention, family engagement, technology challenges, mental health trends, and more. These sessions offered valuable insights and actionable strategies for addressing current issues in higher education.
Undergraduate Education (UE) staff members from IUB recently presented at a conference, highlighting innovative strategies and impactful initiatives aimed at enhancing student success and fostering a transformative educational experience.
Adrienne Sewell, during her presentation titled “IUB Retention: Let’s Talk About the Data,” delved into crucial benchmarks for retention and graduation rates within the framework of new strategic objectives. Sewell’s discussion encompassed data on DF and DFW rates, major changes in students’ academic paths, and insights from financial wellness data sourced from Trellis. Her presentation shed light on emerging trends and initiatives that significantly influence student success at IUB.
Another notable presentation came from the collaborative efforts of Anthony Guest Scott, Drew Koke, Molly Burke, and Leslie Robinson from the Student Academic Center and Academic Support Center. Their session titled “Students, 2024: What the Helpers in College Success Classes, Tutoring, and Coaching at IUB Are Seeing Right Now – and What to do about It” addressed crucial aspects of students’ social and emotional well-being, technology utilization, perfectionism challenges, help-seeking behaviors, and the evolving landscape of tutoring resources. The team’s insights provided valuable guidance on navigating these dynamics effectively to support student success.
Mary Clare Bauman’s presentation, “Beyond the Role: Creating a Developmental Employee Experience,” explored innovative approaches to enhancing the experience of IU student employees across various university departments. Bauman emphasized the importance of adopting a developmental approach, viewing student roles as avenues for career and professional growth, fostering deeper engagement within the university community, and building meaningful relationships. These strategies, backed by research indicating their positive correlation with student retention and success, underscored IU’s commitment to nurturing a supportive and enriching environment for all stakeholders within the UE framework.
The presentations by UE staff members exemplify Indiana University Bloomington’s collaborative spirit, dedication to innovation, and commitment to student-centered approaches. These efforts collectively contribute to shaping a brighter future for higher education, reflecting IU’s ongoing pursuit of excellence in transformative learning experiences.
