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Student Engagement

Leveraging Technology to Improve the First-Year Experience

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Solutions Used

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Description

Central Washington University (CWU) partnered with Suitable to transform its approach to student engagement. Previously reliant on sticker booklets and limited tracking tools, CWU sought a centralized, interactive platform to support first-year engagement, resource access, and community building. Adopting Suitable allowed CWU to integrate this tool into their Week of Welcome and University 101 programs, where students engaged in diverse sessions on essential topics and lively social events, achieving a 90% first-year participation rate. Future plans include extending Suitable to broader university programs and creating a four-year engagement transcript to support student retention and holistic development at CWU.

About the School

Central Washington University (CWU) offers a broad array of academic programs, including over 135 majors and certificates in unique fields such as Craft Brewing, Project Management, Accessibility Studies, and Accounting. With an enrollment of over 10,000 students, CWU’s vibrant campus life is supported by more than 100 clubs and organizations, creating ample opportunities for students to explore interests, develop skills, and connect with like-minded peers. The university’s student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1 ensures that students receive personalized support and direct guidance from experienced faculty members.

CWU is dedicated to fostering a dynamic, inclusive learning environment, with more than 38% of first-year students identifying as BIPOC and a student body representing 66 countries. This commitment to diversity enriches the campus experience and brings a wealth of perspectives into the classroom. In addition, CWU recognizes the importance of accessibility; over 83% of students receive financial aid, underscoring the university’s dedication to making education achievable for all.

CWU’s community is built on values of respect, responsibility, and reciprocity, creating an environment where meaningful connections can flourish. By nurturing these principles, CWU empowers students to reach their academic and personal goals, cultivating a foundation for their future success.

Challenges Before Suitable

Before adopting Suitable, CWU tracked student engagement using sticker booklets for event attendance, which proved cumbersome and inefficient. Students frequently lost booklets, and the university faced ongoing shortages of stickers, leading to challenges in accurately monitoring engagement. To address these limitations, CWU briefly utilized Presence, a platform offering basic check-in functionality. However, the absence of more dynamic engagement tools or a mobile app limited the effectiveness of Presence for CWU’s diverse student body.

CWU aimed to actively engage students, particularly first-years, to foster connections and provide resources during this crucial transition. The university also wanted to identify common first-year challenges, promote resource accessibility, and support academic and career exploration. Recognizing the importance of a centralized engagement platform, CWU sought a solution that would streamline event tracking and promote a more holistic student experience.

In addition to improving engagement tracking, CWU wanted to promote wellness, leadership, and community involvement through service learning. However, the lack of a comprehensive, user-friendly platform hindered these efforts, prompting the university to search for a more robust tool to support student success and enrich campus life.

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“Week of Welcome was helpful to learning where certain things were on campus and helped me understand some of the campus clubs and fun things I can do!”

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Claire, Student at Central Washington University

Life After Suitable

Partnering with Suitable offered CWU an integrated, engaging platform to align its University 101 course with orientation activities. Initially introduced by CWU’s College of Business, which saw success with Suitable’s EDGE program, the platform quickly gained support for broader campus use. A demonstration of Suitable’s features led CWU to implement it as part of their Week of Welcome (WoW) initiatives, addressing previous challenges and enhancing student involvement.

Suitable’s mobile application introduced features such as QR code scanning, photo uploads, and interactive reflections, which immediately increased engagement and encouraged students to actively participate in campus events. Administrators found the platform’s interface user-friendly and efficient, enabling easier management of student activities and engagement processes. The inclusion of detailed reporting tools, like completion and badge reports, provided CWU with insights into the effectiveness of its engagement strategies, allowing for data-driven adjustments to programming.

Integrating Suitable into WoW and University 101 transformed the first-year experience at CWU. These programs, which include 16 required sessions on essential topics like financial aid, diversity, wellness, and student leadership, along with social events like the Paint Party and Monday Movie Madness, foster a welcoming environment. Through Suitable, students now benefit from a streamlined, interactive approach to CWU’s programming, building strong connections and gaining essential knowledge as they begin their academic journey.

Inside CWC’s Dashboard: Key Insights and Takeaways

  • Get started confidently: while launching may seem challenging, managing your pathway becomes smooth and straightforward once it’s set up
  • Data-driven decisions: higher education values data, making it essential to track and leverage key insights effectively
  • Prioritize student accessibility to ensure a seamless, inclusive experience for all learners
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Outcomes Achieved

Setting an initial goal of 1,000 first-year students downloading the app before arrival, CWU used Suitable’s login report and SLATE communications to track early engagement. Data analysis revealed high participation, with 90% of first-year students ultimately attending WoW events. This success extended to transfer students, who also joined in, illustrating the program’s broad appeal.

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WoW offered over 45 activities, resulting in an impressive 43,173 recorded completions. This high level of participation demonstrated Suitable’s effectiveness in enhancing student engagement, as first-year students actively connected with the CWU community from the outset. The broad range of activities helped establish a strong sense of community, allowing students to forge connections that contribute to their ongoing engagement and academic success.

With Suitable’s insights, CWU has been able to measure the success of their initiatives, affirming that the platform has met and exceeded initial expectations in fostering an inclusive and connected campus environment.

Plans for the Future

Looking into the next year, CWU plans to expand Suitable’s role in New Student Orientation by integrating activities like the Wildcat Snapshot campus scavenger hunt. To improve communication and engagement, CWU will leverage multiple channels, including emails, texting campaigns, welcome guides, and calls from orientation leaders, ensuring students receive timely information about upcoming events and resources.

CWU also aims to increase staff engagement with the “view group” feature, allowing faculty and staff to monitor student program usage and support individual student needs more effectively. Further, they plan to offer a session during WoW that guides students on using Suitable for tracking activities throughout the week. CWU envisions extending Suitable’s reach to cover orientation for transfer students, as well as broader areas like SLICE, career services, and the Douglas Honors College.

In the longer term, CWU hopes to create a four-year student engagement transcript, using data to analyze retention rates from first to second year. Participation incentives and a holistic life-cycle model will encourage students to stay engaged throughout their CWU journey, helping to shape a fulfilling university experience and enhancing student retention through informed decision-making.