Across the University, the undergraduate directors of advising are quietly doing some of the most important work in advancing student success and retention.
As the Advising Coordination Project reaches the midpoint of the second year, their collective efforts tell a powerful story of leadership, flexibility, and a commitment to students, particularly to students from historically underrepresented and underserved populations.
The Advising Coordination Project is grounded in a collective impact approach, aligning advising practices, data, and interventions across undergraduate schools around shared goals. At the heart of this work are the directors of advising, who translate high-level objectives into meaningful, on-the-ground strategies.
This year’s Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) focus on improving retention, persistence, and engagement for first-year, first-generation, transfer, out-of-state students. The mid-year results show real momentum.
Across participating schools, directors have led the design and launch of targeted pilot initiatives, often while balancing day-to-day advising operations.
From peer tutoring and mentorship programs to advisor-led first-year seminars and personalized outreach campaigns, these efforts reflect a deep understanding of students’ lived experiences and barriers to success.
Importantly, when large-scale programming yielded limited engagement, directors shifted toward more individualized, relationship-based advising that meets students where they are.
Through discussion at the end of the fall semester, progress was clear. Spring registration rates increased across many schools, suggesting a strong fall to spring persistence. In several cases, cohorts targeted for additional support are persisting at rates equal to or higher than their peers.
These outcomes are not accidental; they are the result of intentional planning, cross-campus collaboration, and sustained follow-through by advising leaders and their teams.
Equally important is the thoughtful assessment work happening behind the scenes. Directors are not only implementing interventions, but also collecting and comparing data to understand what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
This commitment to evidence-based decision-making will shape future scaling and ensure that successful strategies are sustained over time.
Perhaps most notably, this work reflects a growing sensitivity to how support is framed and delivered. Several schools have adjusted approaches in response to reactions around identity-based labeling, demonstrating directors’ willingness to observe, learn and refine practices in service of more inclusive advising environments.
As the Advising Coordination Project moves into the second half of the academic year, the foundation laid by the undergraduate directors of advising will be critical.
Their leadership, creativity, and persistence are driving meaningful change, and ultimately helping more students stay, succeed, and thrive.