Welcome Back!
Helping Students Finish What They Started
Not every student’s journey from admission to graduation is seamless. Some start a program but don’t cross the finish line. Their reasons for stepping away are just as diverse as the motivations that brought them here in the first place.
In an institution of nearly 17,000 students, it could be easy for these early departures to go unnoticed. But Robin Markel, Head, Career & Professional Development, says sending an invitation to explore what’s possible now can be the key to credential completion. “Some students take time away thinking they may come back in the future or pursue a different path altogether. And from our perspective, the goal is to ensure students are supported to successful program completion and have an overall positive experience along the way.”
To encourage those who leave to return and reconnect with their educational goals, CCE launched a pilot project, aptly named Welcome Back.
“We started by reviewing academic records from the past seven years and identifying those who were close to completing a program,” says Markel, "The University has also recently introduced a three-year Bachelor Degree in Arts & Sciences which is ideal for adult learners, particularly those who have completed credits already."
An initial group of 85 students were identified and contacted by email which outlined the number of credits they had earned to date and how many more are needed to complete a certificate, diploma, or degree. Students were invited to contact an academic advisor to discuss program opportunities and next steps. The immediate response surprised even Markel.
“We sent the email out on a Thursday and by the following Tuesday we had people booked in with appointments.”
What was not surprising was that no two student stories were alike. “One person had a great career and wanted to complete their degree for a sense of purpose while others wanted to get ahead in their careers by boosting their resume and skills. Another person had poor grades when they were 18 and didn’t know if they were cut out for university. What we realized is that when we reach out to them, we validate that this is possible and give them the confidence they need to reach their goals.”
With students now registering and re-entering university life, there’s a sense of pride as they move forward in completing something they may have started years earlier. And, while the personal gratification is reward enough, Markel believes the effects ripple more broadly. “To have people who are recalibrating their participation in the workforce means they bring more skills into Saskatchewan’s employment landscape. Not only will these students be more employable but the economy ultimately benefits from their expertise.”
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“This will not be a one-time project but something we’re going to be building into our regular operations going forward,” says Markel. “We think this will be a really good way to bring the university back into the lives of potential students and help them navigate a new future.”