Supporting Challenges in Student Persistence through Technological Advancements

Elise Awwad, Chief Operating Officer, DeVry University

Higher education institutions can be challenged when it comes to helping students persist and graduate, even under the most normal circumstances. The past two years have not been normal circumstances for anyone. Many of our students are working adults who balance the pursuit of a degree with family life and other personal commitments a tremendous effort for many people. Like many institutions, those students have been fully remote since March 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

At DeVry University, we are fully committed to helping our students engage with resources to support their academic journey, coursework success and persistence. We are steeped in a Culture of Care for our students. In addition to personal touch points fostered between students, their advisors and professors, DeVry addresses student needs to improve their persistence by leaning through some of the latest technologies.

Our faculty and advisors are a critical resource for students and have a tremendous impact on their persistence, but it can be difficult to reach and engage them all. Therefore, we make it our priority to ensure students are aware of resources that can help them persist to graduation.

Student Advisors

To better understand our students’ needs, DeVry leverages the use of advanced analytics that empower targeted and proactive interventions designed to improve student outcomes. Through a combination of technologies, advisors are able to easily identify when students experience issues ranging from low grades to declining course attendance. These technologies surface underlying challenges, making it easier to get to the root of barriers impeding student success and deploys preventative efforts.

“By encouraging prospective students to engage in their learning experience early, they can get a better sense of what comes ahead”

Through our adoption of technology, students benefit from personalization across their advising journey. Messaging is tailored to the distinct needs of at-risk students to guide them towards success, while our Digital Care Engine scales the recognition of our most successful students. In fact, the use of predictive analytics affects the success of our students well before they even begin classes.

Start Smart – New Student Prep

We know how crucial it is for students to get off to the right start. In addition to our new student orientation, we offer a ‘preview’ period so they can familiarize themselves with their upcoming course expectations up to two weeks before classes begin. This includes reviewing expectations, an early read on upcoming assignments, and the ability to build familiarity with the cadence of work ahead. By encouraging prospective students to engage in their learning experience early, they can get a better sense of what comes ahead. Also, DeVry advisors can initiate conversations around the support needed to help with long-term success.

Recognizing the role that connectivity with peers can play in college success, we encourage our students to engage in their peer-only virtual community as early as the day they apply. Applicants can see how other students feel about their educational journey at DeVry and ask questions. Approximately 75 percent of our students are signed-up for our community, giving them an opportunity to connect with each other from anywhere. The encouragement and support they receive goes beyond the care we provide and can be a powerful resource. Students share their experiences, discuss ideas, and collaborate. We’ve learned that this community has been especially important during the pandemic when students stepped-in to rally around those experiencing personal loss and grief. In this way, we are breaking down the walls of the classroom so all students have a voice and a safe place to exercise it— every day, any time of the day.

24x7x365

Helping students get to graduation and have a meaningful career is a top priority of ours. Student CARE goes beyond one class, it extends across a student’s complete academic journey as we provide a variety of tools, resources and industryrelevant coursework to help them succeed beyond the classroom.

We provide dedicated student support and career services advisors, including 24x7 on-demand online tutoring (available 24/7). Additional tutoring services are also available through our faculty on our website. Along with the academic support we provide, we’re working to make managing student accounts even easier by offering a virtual assistant in our student portal to address common questions.

Our Digital Care Engine leverages a variety of digital communication channels to connect students with help. Whether it be offering tutoring ahead of an assignment known to be challenging or a guide to manage their account. Student care is embedded in everything we do. That includes access to career planning and a network of opportunities through our Career Services staff. When it comes to Care, we talk the talk and walk the walk

Predictive Analytics

virtual assistant