First-Year Retention Initiatives

Important Dates

About Us

• Committee Purpose

  The university formed a Student Success Operations Committee (SSOC) that includes senior leadership across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Strategic Enrollment & Innovation, and Enrollment Success.  One of the priorities for the SSOC is to identify key services and programs that enhance the first-year experience to increase persistence and retention. The SSOC established a First-Year Retention Initiatives (FRI) work group to assist with this priority.  The expectations for the work group are to identify gaps and provide solutions, generate ideas for first-year student success, and implement new initiatives to retain students.  

  The work group meets bi-weekly and will be expected to plan, facilitate, implement, and assess initiatives to retain first-year students.  The co-leaders for FRI are Dr. Rachel Valle, Executive Director of Student Engagement, and Mr. Jalon Berry, Director of Collaboration & Outreach. Dr. Chelsea Smith, Dr. Jacob Chandler, Dr. Phillip Cody, and Mr. Ryan Marlin, will be the direct support team for FRI and will participate in monthly FRI meetings.
  
  Questions about FRI can be directed to: fri@shsu.edu

• Committee Members
  Nate Archuleta, Admissions

  Kyle Ashton, Residence Life

  Anna Pursley, Lowman Student Center

  Samantha Aldrich-Wollgast, First-Year Experience

  Lindsay Lauher, University Advancement

  Christopher Mahlen, Campus Recreation

  M. Brandon Cooper, Dean of Students' Office

  Dr. Brandon Cooper, Data Analytics 

  Cody Willard, Student Account Services

  Kelli Tucker, Registrar's Office

  Dana LeNorman, Visitor Services

  Ace Thomas, Student Money Management
  Alejandra Llamas, Financial Aid

  Jamal Payne, Academic Advising

• Past Programming
  • March Housing Madness (March 2024)
    To support the transition of first-year students to renew on-campus housing or move off-campus, for their second year.
    • Collaborative Programming:
      • Promotion of Residence Life's Renewal Phase 1 and Phase 2
      • Budgeting for Apartments presented by Student Money Management
      • Student's Legal Guide to Renting presented by Student Legal and Mediation Services
      • Mr. Sammy's Neighborhood Housing Fair presented by Residence Life
      • Transition to Off-Campus Living 'What I Wish I Knew' presented by Freshmen Leadership Program Alumni
  • 4 Steps 4 Success (Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023)
    To remind and support first-year students scheduling required advising appointments to ensure successful on-going registration.
    
    • Presented by Student Advising & Mentoring (SAM Center)
  • First-Year Student Feedback Survey (Spring 2023, Spring 2024)
    To assess first-year student experience and discover opportunities for additional support.