Persistence Plus

'Tis the season for gratitude and we're all reflecting on who and what we're grateful for! Did you know that expressing gratitude can benefit students both emotionally and academically? Here's a previous blog post from Chief Learning Officer Ross O'Hara on the psychological benefits of gratitude and how interventions for students can boost focus, motivation, and resiliency for students (via Psychology Today). #studentsuccess #highered #highereducation #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #mentalhealth #enrollmentmanagement #studentsupport #collegesanduniversities #studentlife #facultydevelopment

"Rituals are an important part of life. All humans, and even some other mammals, appear to engage in ritual. We most commonly associate rituals with religion, but we also find them in sports, art, community organizations, and everyday life. Rituals can be performed individually or collectively. But most importantly for our purposes, ritual may be a way to help students manage?anxiety?and perform better academically." P+ Chief Learning Officer Ross O'Hara discusses how rituals can be impactful for reducing anxiety and how they can be leveraged in education (via Psychology Today). #studentsuccess #highered #highereducation #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #mentalhealth #enrollmentmanagement #studentsupport #collegesanduniversities #studentlife #facultydevelopment

"College is a lot. Students need to manage financial aid, scheduling, course software, housing,?career?opportunities, campus resources…there’s almost more to learn?about?college than there is to learn?in?college. On top of that, students are given guidance through more channels than ever before: email,?social media, SMS, LMS, SIS. That’s why colleges are becoming strategic about what info they send to whom, when and how they send that info, and the language they use. Colleges know that a well-thought-out communications plan must play an important role in their overall retention strategy." Persistence Plus's Chief Learning Officer Ross O'Hara has been leading our work with colleges around the country to help them better communicate with students. He's shared five effective strategies colleges and universities can implement to get their students to read and respond to campus messages (via Psychology Today). #studentsuccess #highered #highereducation #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #mentalhealth #enrollmentmanagement #studentsupport #collegesanduniversities #studentlife #facultydevelopment

P+ Chief Learning Officer Ross O'Hara shared strategies for helping mentorships flourish at your institution! Here are some key takeaways: -Shared goals, driven by the mentee's needs, are essential to a successful mentorship. -Formalized mentoring programs need to provide opportunities for mentors and mentees to match organically. - Equity should be at the forefront of mentoring programs even when diverse mentors are not available. (via Psychology Today) #highered #studentsuccess #highereducation #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #studentsupport #collegesanduniversities

There's still time to sign up for this week's webinar! Join us Thursday at 2PM ET for an insightful discussion on how to cultivate a culture of care for student mental health. Queensborough Community College of The City University of New York (CUNY) and Persistence Plus have partnered to leverage behavioral science to identify and address students' hidden mental health challenges as well as to effectively connect them with vital support. You’ll receive practical advice on how you can use behavioral science and effective messaging to change norms around mental health and foster a campus culture that prioritizes care and well-being. Moderator: Serena Fahnbulleh Crain, Director of Partner Success, Persistence Plus Presenters: -Ross E. O’Hara, Ph.D., Chief Learning Officer, Persistence Plus -Angelica May, Associate Director of Student Communications, Queensborough Community College #studentsuccess #highered #highereducation #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #mentalhealth #studentsupport #collegesanduniversitiies #studentlife

Thank you, Amber Greenway Neher! We loved our session and the opportunity to connect with everyone.

Join us for an insightful discussion on how to cultivate a culture of care for student mental health. Queensborough Community College of The City University of New York (CUNY) and Persistence Plus have partnered to leverage behavioral science to identify and address students' hidden mental health challenges as well as to effectively connect them with vital support. You’ll receive practical advice on how you can use behavioral science and effective messaging to change norms around mental health and foster a campus culture that prioritizes care and well-being. Moderator: Serena Fahnbulleh Crain, Director of Partner Success, Persistence Plus Presenters: -Ross E. O’Hara, Ph.D., Chief Learning Officer, Persistence Plus -Angelica May, Associate Director of Student Communications, Queensborough Community College #studentsuccess #highereducation #highered #studentaffairs #collegecounseling #mentalhealth #studentsupport #collegesanduniversities #studentsuccess #studentlife

Ross O'Hara, our Director of Behavioral Science and Education, recently served on a panel about strengthening academic advising. The event’s conversation produced five key recommendations to support advisors. 1. Everyone is an advisor - If you give students directions, share a resource, or just ask how they’re doing, you’re advising! 2. Simplify policy - Remove hassle factors that make it difficult for advisors to do their jobs and for students to get the help they need. 3. Support advisors - Students need continuity in advising, and that happens when advisors are given opportunities and stay at your institution. 4. Proactively connect with students - Use behavioral science to change students’ mindsets and misconceptions about academic advising. 5. Keep technology friendly - New tools should make life easier for students and advisors, not take away from valuable advising time. Thank you to all of the advisors out there for everything you do for students’ success. If you’re not an advisor, thank an advisor today! #collegeadvising #highered #highereducation #collegesanduniversitities #studentaffairs #facultydevelopment #campuslife #collegeadmissions #communitycollege https://lnkd.in/gTARGvTC

A college student recently said they’d rather fail a class than ask a professor for help. The student isn't alone. Others also say they’re reluctant to seek help, often until it’s too late. This example surfaced recently when Lumina Foundation and Persistence Plus met with more than 200 advisors, staff, and college administrators to examine why students won't seek guidance and to nudge struggling students to explore resources proactively. These discussions raised two ways colleges can remedy this issue: 1. Centralize knowledge. 2. Build a culture of help-seeking. Read more:

Earlier this year Persistence Plus and Lumina Foundation led a series of trainings to increase the usage of critical services colleges offer for student success. Persistence Plus shared our evidence-based strategies we've used with a few of our partner colleges (Lorain County Community College, Ohio University, The City University of New York) to increase students' utilization of advising, tutoring, basic needs resources, and more. Ross O'Hara (Persistence Plus) and Wendy Sedlak (Lumina Foundation) share insights on this issue from meeting with more than 200 advisors, staff, and college administrators. Two main takeaways: centralize knowledge and build a culture of help-seeking. #highered #highereducation #collegesanduniversitities #collegecounseling #studentaffairs #facultydevelopment #campuslife #collegeadmissions #behavioralscience