ASCEND Podcast

Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby
  • 4.7 (13)
  • 教育
  • 一周一更

Are you ready to ASCEND to new possibilities? In this podcast, Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby outline why a focus on retention and completion is so important, why previous retention efforts have not always worked, and discuss how we can successfully "ASCEND" to these great expectations. In each episode, we will share innovative ideas, creative initiatives, and best practices and strategies that campuses have used to achieve amazing results. This podcast has intentionally been produced in a quick-tip, bite-sized format where the listener can quickly find ideas, initiatives, and solutions that can be tried on campus today.

  1. 6天前

    S3 - E12 - Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Brian E. Garsh - Midterm Alert of Academic Risk for Transfer Students (Nudges)

    Transfer students often face unique academic challenges that can go unnoticed in traditional retention efforts. In this episode, Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Dr. Brian Garsh from Georgia Tech share how a redesigned midterm early-alert initiative uses timely data, targeted outreach, and transfer-specific support to identify academic risk and promote student success. Learn how Midterm Progress Reports, advisor- and student-level interventions, and an anti-deficit framework are helping transfer students navigate “transfer shock” and build momentum toward persistence and completion.

    27 分钟

  2. 2月1日

    S3 - E11 - Tom Hicks - Long Night Against Procrastination (Engagement)

    In this episode, we discuss the “Long Night Against Procrastination" event, a practical and student-centered approach to tackling one of the most common academic challenges. Drawing on experience from a small liberal arts college, the conversation explores how a single, well-timed evening in the library evolved into a campus-wide tradition supporting hundreds of students at a critical point in the semester. We unpack how centralized academic support, easy access to campus resources, peer connection, and a fun, low-pressure environment combined to help students make meaningful progress on coursework. This episode offers ideas for creating high-impact, scalable events that foster motivation, community, and academic momentum, even when outcomes are hard to measure. A valuable listen for learning commons, academic support, and student success professionals looking for practical ways to meet students where they are.

    13 分钟

  3. 1月25日

    S3 - E10 - President Mark Milliron and Dr. Angela Baldasare - The Unlikely Culture Builder: Using ‘Operating Reviews’ to Drive Student Success (Culture)

    Building a culture of student success doesn’t happen by chance, it requires focus, discipline, and shared accountability. In this episode, we explore how National University uses Quarterly Operating Reviews (QORs) as a powerful, and often overlooked, culture-building practice. Based on the their write-up in ASCEND To Higher Retention Rates (Vol. 3), “The Unlikely Culture Builder: Using Operating Reviews to Drive Student Success,” this conversation highlights how structured, data-informed reviews align leaders around strategy, create a shared language for student success, and foster collaboration without blame. Listeners will hear how the simple rhythm of “get grounded, get real, get going” keeps student outcomes front and center while turning insight into action. A practical listen for higher education leaders looking to build a strong culture of alignment, accountability, and a sustained focus on student success.

    22 分钟

  4. 1月18日

    S3 - E9 - Dr. Joshua Wilkin - Holistic Support Strategies to Improve Retention (Support)

    In this episode, we explore how Moore College of Art & Design is improving student retention through a deeply intentional, holistic support model. Dr. Joshua Wilkin, Dean of Students, shares how Moore’s multipronged approach (spanning academic early alerts, mental health services, and financial wellness initiatives) has strengthened student success and belonging at a small, mission-driven institution. The conversation highlights cross-campus collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and the real impact of meeting students where they are, resulting in the college’s highest first-year retention rate in nine years.

    20 分钟

  5. 1月11日

    S3 - E8 - Dr. Lara Lomicka Anderson and Dr. Shelley Dempsey - Bridging the Financial Gap (Affordability)

    College affordability doesn’t end with tuition, and for many students, hidden financial barriers can be the difference between stopping out and graduating. In this episode, we explore how financial gaps, aid complexity, and basic needs insecurity impact student retention, particularly for Pell-eligible and first-generation students. Leaders from the University of South Carolina share a suite of innovative, cross-campus initiatives designed to remove these barriers; from micro-grants and debt relief to food security, fee transparency, and first-gen support. This conversation highlights how intentional, collaborative approaches to affordability can improve completion, advance equity, and ensure more students cross the finish line.

    31 分钟

  6. 1月4日

    S3 - E7 - Dr. Kris Bliss - Holistic View of Students (Data)

    In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kris Bliss from Indiana Tech University to explore what it truly means to take a holistic view of students, and why breaking down data silos is essential to student success. Drawing on her experience, the conversation highlights how centralized student information, collaborative data practices, and both qualitative and quantitative insights can enable earlier, more effective interventions. From creative stopgap solutions like shared spreadsheets to the long-term vision of a comprehensive data warehouse, this chapter shows that institutions don’t need perfect systems to start doing better work for students.

    17 分钟

  7. 2025/12/30

    S3 - E6 - Dr. Solomon Tention - ‘Project Graduate’ Increases the Number of Completers Amongst Community College Students (Nudges)

    In this episode we visit with Dr. Solomon Tention, Assistant Professor of Advanced Studies, Research, & Leadership at Morgan State University. We talk about how intentional outreach and proactive advising can bring stopped-out students back to the finish line. Through Project Graduate, a targeted “nudge” campaign at a large Texas community college, leaders re-engaged former students who were close to completion and provided the advising, degree planning, and financial guidance needed to help them return and persist. The conversation highlights the power of data-informed outreach, cross-campus collaboration, and intrusive student success strategies; resulting in meaningful gains in re-enrollment and completion.

    12 分钟

  8. 2025/12/21

    S3 - E5 - Dr. Brian Garsh - Helping Students Take FLIGHT (Engagement)

    In this episode, Eric Kirby visits with Dr. Brian Garsh to explore how institutions can strengthen student belonging and retention through intentional, cross-functional design. Using Kennesaw State University’s FLIGHT: Class-Year Connections Program as a case study, the conversation unpacks why the first year matters so deeply, how academic and social integration shape persistence, and what it looks like to support students holistically across their entire journey. From class identity and signature experiences to coordinated academic support and advising, this conversation offers practical insights for breaking down silos and helping students feel connected, supported, and positioned to succeed.

    23 分钟
查看全部 178 集

评分及评论

4.7
共 5 分
13 个评分

关于

Are you ready to ASCEND to new possibilities? In this podcast, Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby outline why a focus on retention and completion is so important, why previous retention efforts have not always worked, and discuss how we can successfully "ASCEND" to these great expectations. In each episode, we will share innovative ideas, creative initiatives, and best practices and strategies that campuses have used to achieve amazing results. This podcast has intentionally been produced in a quick-tip, bite-sized format where the listener can quickly find ideas, initiatives, and solutions that can be tried on campus today.

信息

  • 创作者
    Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby
  • 活跃年份
    2022年 - 2026年
  • 单集
    178
  • 分级
    儿童适宜
  • 版权
    © 2026 ASCEND Podcast
  • 节目网站
    ASCEND Podcast