By NICHOLAS VARJAN, News3 Reporter
MACOMB, Illinois (NEWS 3) — Retaining freshmen and transfer students iis anchallenge at college campuses across the United States.
Western Illinois University Student Success and Retention Director Justin Schuch said first-year retention is usually lower than any other students.
”First-year retention rates tend to be where students get into the college experience and it might not be what they thought,” Schuch said.
Schuch also talked about the services available to students to try to help them academically.
“Our academic supoort center offers tutoring, our academic success coaching program is there if a student wants some additional accountability and someone to help them out our accedemic success coaching program helps them,” he said.
He also said staying connected outside the classroom can be just as important to a student’s success. He suggested some of the ways students can connect on campus,
“We also have recourses and support just to get students connected,” he said. “Student engagements does a number of different things. There are hundreds of RSOs (Registered Student Organiations) here. Our multicultural center is remarkably active. All of those things are in a student success lens to help students get connected.”
Students can reach out to their academic advisor or email the university’s University Student Success and Retention Office at retention@wiu.edu for any questions or concerns they may have in regards to becoming more involved on campus.
