Student Experience
The student experience honors, with gentleness as a core value, the individuality of all learners in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Focusing on and supporting their spiritual, academic, emotional, and physical well-being, the University invites students to be active participants in community life, where faith, fun, and friendship connect to their social responsibility for the common good and their neighbors in need. Attention will be given to developing further the role of the University's athletic programs and facilities as a vehicle for strengthening our community life.
This pillar ensures every student experiences the transformative power of our Catholic, Salesian community through comprehensive support systems, wellness initiatives, enhanced facilities, and career preparation that honors their individual journey while building lasting connections to faith, friendship, and service.
Implement a Comprehensive Retention Plan
We are supporting all students—traditional day, graduate, and adult studies—from recruitment to graduation through enhanced retention strategies. This comprehensive approach includes measuring key metrics such as first-year retention rates, stop-out rates, early alert resolution, and graduation rates across all populations. We are increasing touchpoints for student engagement, cultivating stronger relationships between faculty, staff, and students, and conducting annual student satisfaction surveys to address areas of concern. Our coordinated approach ensures financial aid, academic advising, student engagement, counseling, and health services work together to build community and foster belonging.
Strengthen the Be Well Initiative
The Be Well initiative fosters institution-wide resilience and holistic well-being, creating environments where students thrive emotionally, mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. We are increasing student engagement in resiliency activities by categorizing all programs according to wellness dimensions and tracking participation. Faculty engagement in the Be Well initiative will grow from five to ten supporters over three years, while our peer-to-peer support model launches with ten Be Well Influencers, expanding to twenty students who provide peer guidance and support.
Enact a Comprehensive Study for Athletic Programs and Facilities
Athletic programs and facilities serve as vehicles for strengthening community life while supporting University-wide recruitment and retention. We are conducting strategic studies to determine philanthropic support for key facility priorities, including a 10,000-square-foot auxiliary gym that would enable men's volleyball and generate additional revenue through fifteen new male students. Additional priorities include a fieldhouse for turf fields with locker rooms for lacrosse and field hockey, expanded locker room facilities, upgraded bleachers, and court surface improvements. These enhancements will benefit the entire student experience while creating naming opportunities for donors.
Coordinate Career Development Through Alumni Networks
Our schools, colleges, and alumni community form an interactive network providing practical experiences and career development for all students. We are achieving annual increases in internships, Career Development Center programs and events, and classroom presentations. The growing number of social media followers will enhance our reach, while our student-alumni mentor program expands partnerships, including collaboration with Ryan Leadership Institute alumni. We are increasing graduate destination survey participation and continuously improving success rates for employment or graduate school placement within six months.
