Key points:
- Responsive school communities support student success
- 5 ways to forge genuine connections with modern learners
- Leveraging students’ tech use for stronger recruitment, retention outcomes
- For more news on student success, visit eCN’s Student Success & Well-Being hub
College campuses are facing a growing crisis of student connection and completion, with nearly 1 in 4 first-year students dropping out. Many struggle with self-doubt and anxiety, compounded by insufficient support at home and a lack of community on campus. Academic challenges, financial strain, mental health concerns, family pressures, and social barriers make the transition even more difficult. Without adequate support systems, new students are at greater risk of disengagement and attrition.
Decades ago, students built foundations for their college experiences through in-person events and institutional support. Today’s learners, particularly first-year students, rely heavily on social media and digital applications to make new friends, engage with peers and faculty for academics, and meet with advisors.
Technology often complicates students’ ability to build real-life connections–but when designed intentionally and with the student in mind, it becomes a powerful tool for fostering meaningful relationships. Institutions are now using technology to take a more innovative approach to digital student engagement, particularly for first-year and transfer students, addressing significant new barriers to connections and belonging. This shift creates a more inclusive environment where all students feel informed, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Siloed and disparate
Campus technology stacks often cater to the needs of faculty and staff, leaving students to navigate unintuitive, fragmented systems. To complete typical tasks like submitting assignments, managing financial aid, registering for courses, or finding tutoring resources, students juggle multiple platforms, navigation patterns, and logins, adding unnecessary complexity (and frustration) to an already challenging academic journey.
Campus portals aim to centralize resources but often fall short. Lean IT teams struggle to maintain these platforms while also securing the broad buy-in needed for effective governance. At the same time, college websites frequently fail to provide the critical information students need, while their social media pages rarely foster meaningful connections. Worse, publicly available information that should be behind authentication walls poses security and privacy risks–leaving gaps in both user experience and data protection.
First-generation and Pell-eligible first-year students often struggle to feel connected on campus, as they may lack shared experiences and familiarity with the college experience. Isolation makes it easy to give up after a poor midterm performance rather than seeking available tutoring resources. Confusion over a financial aid package may result in dropping out instead of scheduling a meeting for clarification. Too often, students simply don’t know where to turn for the support they need.
Create go-to digital spaces
Research and experience show digital communities offer a powerful solution for building campus connections and boosting retention. Taking strategic steps–such as centralizing communication, offering virtual communities where students can connect, and providing easy access to resources–fosters a sense of belonging and engagement, particularly for critically at-risk first-year students. Some of these include:
- Remove barriers: Portals (or digital experience platforms) must eliminate unnecessary barriers and prioritize critical, personalized information. Integrating with source systems prevents students from navigating multiple platforms (and reauthenticating). Portals must also provide easy access to essential resources like financial aid information or checklists, academic advising, course schedules, mental health support, and tutoring services. This approach ensures students feel informed, supported, and connected, ultimately enhancing their campus experience.
- Help students build community online: Connecting students to peers with similar interests, backgrounds, or majors fosters a sense of belonging. Institutions must create and maintain virtual and in-person communities where students actively engage. For example, in an online group with education majors, students connect with peers in their field, easily find messages from deans or professors, and stay informed about program updates and activities tailored to their studies.
- Encourage peer-to-peer connection: Pairing incoming or first-year students with upper-level students enhances belonging and eases transitions to college life. Connecting with experienced students enables incoming students to familiarize themselves with campus resources and culture and build relationships with like-minded peers–ensuring they feel supported, confident, and better prepared before the first day of classes.
Creating a vibrant virtual campus community is crucial, but it must also foster inclusivity, amplify student voices, and encourage leadership. To remain relevant and effectively engage students, institutions must prioritize building comprehensive, responsive communities. When online spaces seamlessly extend campus life, they create deeper connections and contribute to both lifelong academic and personal success.
