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Published
2021-05-27
Section
Campus Notes
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Copyright (c) 2021 Devin Carpenter
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright of all articles published in JCOTR belong to the author(s) and are published under a CC BY-NC license.
How to Cite
Transitioning a Marquee Orientation and Transition Program for Increased New Student Engagement and Retention Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
Devin Carpenter
University of Montana
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v28i2.3750
Keywords: extended orientation, COVID-19, retention, student success
Abstract
One mid-sized public flagship institution in the Mountain West was forced to abandon a brand-new marquee orientation and transition program, which had contributed to the first increase in first-time student retention numbers in a decade. As educators around the world were faced with similar challenges, three main concerns arose for this school: cancellation of all in-person instruction and events indefinitely in March 2020, a long-term downward trend in enrollment and retention, and a lack of adequate space to host in-person orientation activities. This paper seeks to discuss the ways in which these obstacles were overcome, and share the important lessons learned for consideration as colleges and universities continue to grapple with the uncertainty of onboarding our next cohort of students in fall 2021.
