Student Success Podcast: For Higher Ed Professionals

Community colleges lose a staggering number of students before they even show up in official retention data. For this episode, I interviewed Dr. Rita Karam of RAND Corporation. She and her colleagues at RAND examined this often-overlooked group across 15 colleges in California, Texas, and Kentucky. The findings? More than 60% of students are lost between application and census date, with the majority leaving due to a mix of personal barriers and institutional processes.This episode unpacks the research and offers practical steps colleges can take to reduce these losses and re-engage students.Key FindingsEnrollment leakage is real and large: About 10–15% drop after enrolling but before census. Another ~50% are lost between application and enrollment over 60% combined loss.Institutional processes matter: Complex onboarding, unclear handoffs, and overwhelming communication push students out just as much as financial or personal challenges.Financial aid is a critical barrier: Students often don’t realize aid requires a declared major or other criteria. Many are dropped when aid decisions aren’t resolved in time.Students want relational, not transactional, support: They seek caring, transformative relationships with advisors, not one-off transactions.Timing is crucial: Roughly 30% of students enroll within two weeks of term start, overwhelming advisors and limiting the quality of advising.Few colleges systematically track these students: Data systems are fragmented, making it hard to identify where and why students disappear.Key Chapter Makers00:00: Introduction02:45: Why Students Leave Before Census06:20: Institutional vs. Personal Barriers11:10: The Role of Financial Aid in Early Attrition15:30: Communication Breakdowns During Onboarding20:40: Timing Matters: The First Two Weeks26:15: Tracking Students Who Disappear31:00: Effective Re-Engagement Strategies36:20: Rethinking Advising: From Transactional to Transformational41:50: Practical Steps Colleges Can Take Now47:00: Closing Thoughts & Key TakeawaysFor the full transcript and detailed show notes, including ACTION STEPS, visit the episode page.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Brent Warner, a Professor of English as a second language at Irvine Valley College, explores the integration of AI in education. He emphasizes the need for transparent discussions about AI usage among students. Brent advocates for creating 'AI sandbox' time for educators to experiment without pressure. He suggests redesigning assignments to foster critical thinking and personal reflection. Additionally, the conversation touches on innovative grading techniques, the importance of collaboration, and the creative potential of AI in the classroom.

Learn practical strategies to teach with purpose, innovation, and heart. Let’s get one thing out of the way: Yes, Kelly Spoon is a math faculty member. But no, this isn’t just a “math thing.” Whether you teach biology, sociology, English, or automotive technology, you’ll benefit from what she brings to the classroom. Kelly Spoon of San Diego Mesa College isn’t just teaching derivatives—she’s reshaping how students experience learning itself. In this episode, we translate her powerful practices into actionable strategies any faculty member can use, with a special focus on designing your classroom and professional development around care, curiosity, and continuous improvement.The Student Success Podcast  episode page  includes action steps to achieving 10 key topics she discussed. 1. Reframe "Rigor" to Reflect Learning—Not Compliance2. Let Students Show Their Brilliance, Not Just Yours3. Embrace Productive Struggle with Thin Slicing and Whiteboards4. Redefine Assessment with Standards-Based Grading (SBG)5. Flip the Classroom Strategically6. Foster a Culture of Reflective Teaching7. Redesign PD to Include All Faculty, Even the Resistant Ones8. Close the Loop on Professional Development9. Believe in Every Student—and Show Them They Belong10. Keep Growing, Keep Reflecting00:00: Intro: Welcome and framing: why Kelly Spoon’s approach benefits all faculty, not just math instructors.01:05: Meet Kelly Spoon: Background, teaching at Mesa College, and work in faculty development.02:47: Kindness in the Classroom: Centering students as whole people and honoring their lived experiences and thinking.04:01: Productive Struggle and Student Brilliance: Using the zone of proximal development and student choice in how they demonstrate learning.05:55: Building Thinking Classrooms: How Kelly uses whiteboards, random groups, and thin slicing to foster deep engagement.08:04: Responding to the “No Rigor” Critique: Debunking false dichotomies: lecture vs. active learning, rigor vs. kindness.11:49: Standards-Based Grading: Grading for understanding, not compliance, and letting students grow over time.14:44: Flexible Learning and Reassessment: Using the ESIL framework and allowing multiple attempts to show learning.20:34: Bringing PD to All Faculty: Strategies for engaging resistant faculty through low-stakes, high-interest approaches.25:55: Creating Non-Evaluative Coaching Spaces: Using feedback tools like “Three Ideas” and aspirations for peer observation.32:06: Closing the Loop on Professional Development: Building reflection and iteration into PD to increase its long-term impact.36:30: Addressing Equity Gaps in STEM: Centering student voices and identities in math to foster belonging and growth.43:53: The Power of a Learning Community: How social media and peer influence helped Kelly take risks and evolve as an educator.47:23: Teaching as a Profession: Closing thoughts on the depth, difficulty, and rewards of being a truly reflective teacher.For the full transcript and detailed show notes, visit the episode page.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn how geographic distance shapes transfer outcomes, and what colleges can do about it.  When we talk about student transfer success, conversations often focus on GPA, support services, or articulation agreements. But what if one of the biggest factors is something as simple—and as complex—as distance?In this episode of the Student Success Podcast, Dr. Darla Cooper and Dr. Daisy Segovia from the research & planning nonprofit, the RP Group, unpack the findings of their latest research on how geographic distance from a public university significantly affects transfer outcomes for community college students. With over one million students tracked across six years, the data tells a powerful story—one that challenges assumptions and calls for policy, funding, and support changes to level the playing field for students in “university deserts.” While it's a study of California colleges, the methodology and findings can be applicable to all states dealing with this issue.This episode—and the study behind it—reminds us that equity in higher education isn’t just about what’s taught in classrooms or offered in student centers. Sometimes, it’s about how far a student has to go just to get in the door.0:00: Introduction to the "Why" of the Study4:43: The Study on Geographic Barriers11:15: Mapping University Deserts17:42: Who Lives in University Deserts27:20: Impact on Transfer Outcomes38:09: Solutions and Policy RecommendationsFor the full text transcript and detailed show notes, visit the episode page.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn the complex paradoxes of inclusion and discover strategies to navigate and address them effectively.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn about successful dual enrollment implementation. Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn about a study of placement as a catalyst for institutional transformation.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn why labor market data needs to inform changes to the college student experience.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn how to inspire and improve outcomes for disproportionately impacted college students. Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Learn about successful developmental education reform in English at Onondaga Community College, NY.Continuous Learning Institute:A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.Student Success Podcast Homepage:Access show notes, resources, & transcripts