Description
North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) partnered with Suitable to transform co-curricular engagement through WesQuest, an innovative program blending gamification, real-time tracking, and a co-curricular transcript. Launched with a collaborative, campus-wide effort, WesQuest empowers students to master career-readiness competencies while showcasing their unique experiences. Within its first semester, the program achieved a remarkable 68% engagement rate and 7,000 activity completions, earning NCWU the Outstanding New Program Award at Suitable’s Pathways 2024 Conference. Looking ahead, NCWU plans to refine engagement strategies, deepen faculty involvement, and continuously innovate to prepare students for meaningful careers and responsible citizenship.
Life with Suitable
When NCWU partnered with Suitable, they launched an ambitious five-year plan to introduce a co-curricular transcript and gamify the student experience. This initiative was designed to complement the academic curriculum with transformative, hands-on learning opportunities that prepare students for meaningful careers and responsible citizenship. NCWU selected Suitable for its ability to reliably track and quantify student engagement, provide real-time data, deliver an intuitive and visually appealing mobile app, and incorporate gamification and credentialing features—all within budget.
Implementation of the program, named WesQuest, was a collaborative effort involving representatives from Student Engagement, the Dean of Students Office, the Student Success Center, Academic Life, and Career Development.
Together, they created a program that supports students from their first year through graduation, helping them navigate their personal and professional growth while preparing for future careers. WesQuest’s mission is to measure students’ mastery of competencies highly valued by employers and provide a dynamic, real-time co-curricular transcript highlighting their unique experiences.
The program incorporated these competencies:
During the Development of WesQuest
NCWU focused on three key areas. First, they established a strong brand identity with the help of the university’s marketing team, crafting a “student journey” concept that symbolized personal and professional development. Second, they shaped the student journey itself, beginning with institution-wide implementation in Year 1 and shifting to a more personalized, career-focused experience in Year 2. Lastly, they emphasized clear and compelling messaging to ensure students understood WesQuest as a dynamic tool for career readiness.
To encourage participation, NCWU created engaging digital badges and introduced WesQuest during Fall 2023 Freshman Orientation.
Outcomes Achieved
WesQuest achieved a 68% student engagement rate in just one semester and over 7,000 activity completions in Fall 2023. NCWU continues to refine its approach to defining and enhancing engagement using the platform.
WesQuest Best Practices
- Identifying champions, including the Provost, to drive adoption.
- Leveraging engagement data to demonstrate the program’s impact and gain faculty and staff buy-in.
- Generating campus-wide excitement to boost student participation.
- Highlighting leaderboards in weekly communications to students.
- Encouraging student-led promotions within clubs and organizations.
NCWU’s efforts earned them the Outstanding New ProgramAward at Suitable’s Pathways 2024 Conference in Philadelphia.
Plans for the Future
Looking ahead, NCWU plans to analyze outcome data from the Fall 2023 cohort to identify opportunities for improvement. They aim to incorporate incentive strategies, meet students where they are, and build on existing events to sustain engagement. NCWU is also committed to deepening faculty and administrative involvement and continuously identifying program champions to ensure WesQuest’s long-term success.
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