Student Success

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Onboarding

Project Status: Implementation

This project aims to implement a clear, comprehensive, and consistent onboarding experience for first year and transfer students during their first year at PSU. With a supportive plan in place, students will know who their ‘success’ team is and the knowledge and access to resources that support student success. This project is a collaborative effort between Advising & Career Services and the Transfer & Returning Student Resource Center. 

Accomplished

Phase One: Advising 

  • Launched Spring 2024 Welcome Week efforts in collaboration with Academic and Career Services (ACS), Office of Student Success (OSS), and academic service units to support student navigation and connection to resources 
  • Submitted recommendation for the First Year Mandatory Advising Requirement and shared with Advising Council and the Vice Provost for Student Success for review
  • Developed and submitted advising and student success goals and assignments for University Studies FRINQ Pilot Project
  • Hosted student onboarding engagement session (9 students) comprised of representative sample of first year and transfer students at PSU to seek feedback on onboarding experience (May 2024)

Phase Two

  • Launched Phase II Kick-Off meeting in January 2024 with additional key stakeholders, including Honors, Learning Center, Financial Aid, Financial Wellness Center, Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs, Student Success, and University Studies. 
  • Synthesized learnings from journey mapping the ideal onboarding experience during the first three terms by modality, timeframe, and first year vs. transfer experience 
  • Team decision to work on phase two of the project in tandem with phase one to narrow project  scope and outcomes
  • Held a kickoff meeting for the First Year Intake Questionnaire project with a goal to roll out a pilot questionnaire in Fall 2024.
  • Held a kickoff meeting to establish an Academic and Career Support Resource Fair with the goal to pilot this event in Fall 2024

In Progress

Phase One

  • Workgroup to refine practices and implement interventions in preparation for 2024-25 launch
  • Synthesize findings from student onboarding engagement session and incorporate into practices and support strategy for Fall 2024 implementation
  • Refine First Year Mandatory Advising Requirement learning objectives and outcomes for input by the advising community and review by the Vice Provost for Student Success

Phase Two

  • Reevaluate the next phase of the project and update the project charter to reflect the strategy shift 
  • Plan the Academic and Career Support Resource Fair to pilot this event in Fall 2024
  • Continue creating the First Year Intake Questionnaire and establish process and protocol. Pilot the questionnaire in fall 2024
  • Develop a coordinated onboarding communication plan 
  • Engage with stakeholders for input and feedback on onboarding design and plan for implementation 

Project Team

Sponsors: Andrea Garrity, Lynell Spencer, and Erica Wagner
Project Leads:  Ilka Bailey and Randi Harris
Project Manager: Kara Hayes
Team: Brianna Avery, Shawna Chambers, Saori Clark, Beth Harris, Brittany Montana, Luke Norman, Krys Roth, Aimee Shattuck, Shay Snyder, Ryan Wagner
Collaborators: Advising and Career Services, Office of Student Success, Transfer and Returning Student Resource Center