098: Innovation in Higher Education: Lessons Learned - SUU's Assistant Coaches for Excellence and Success (ACES) Program

Solutions for Higher Education with Southern Utah University President Scott L Wyatt

Show Notes:

President Scott L Wyatt and Steve Meredith sit down with SUU’s Dr. Eric Kirby, assistant vice president for student affairs and Ryan Bailey, coordinator of completion and student success. They discuss SUU’s main retention strategy, the Assistant Coaches for Excellence and Success (ACES), a peer mentoring program for first year students.

Featured Quotes:

. . . the ACES are basically the "one stop shop" for all incoming students, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The ACE contacts their incoming student within 24 hours of that student 'depositing' at SUU and basically says that much. "I am your one stop shop; I am your end all and be all of anything you need. I may not know the answers, but I'm going to get you where you need to go."
Eric Kirby, SUU Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs

. . . there's always been staff members, there's always been academic advisors, financial aid counselors, but this way, every student has another student where maybe they can ask the nitty-gritty questions, or, "You just did this last year, how did you combat tough roommates? Or asking somebody on a date? Or homesickness?" And they're getting feedback from someone who is in their own shoes which I think has been really successful.
Ryan Bailey, SUU Coordinator of Completion and Student Success

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