Part 3 of our “Strategies to Re-Enroll and Support Students Who Have Discontinued Their Studies” series
Lauren Dukes, EdD, Director, Student Support & Engagement (SSE), Noodle
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the foundational steps of developing a re-engagement plan for stopouts, including gathering additional data, selecting a segmentation strategy, crafting and delivering messages, and evaluating results. In Part 2, we looked at practical ways to address some of the most common reasons for stopping out.
In this final article, we will focus on the value of building a strong sense of community and belonging to help returning students feel more connected and supported and increase their commitment to completing their education.
For students who have stepped away from their education—often referred to as stopouts—re-establishing a sense of community can be particularly impactful. These students need to know that their educational journey doesn’t just resume; it is welcomed and supported. Effective re-engagement means institutions must not only address the practical aspects of returning to study but also the emotional and social integration of stopouts. By actively building inclusive practices and supportive environments, colleges can reassure returning students that they have a place and a purpose within the academic community, which is critical to rekindling their commitment to their educational goals.
Let’s Talk about Belonging
Educator, college administrator, and business owner Terrell Strayhorn, who currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at Virginia Union University, emphasizes the importance of belonging in his book College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students, 2nd Edition. According to Strayhorn, belonging—with peers, in the classroom, or on campus—is a critical dimension of success at college. It significantly influences a student’s academic adjustment, achievement, aspirations, and even their decision to stay in school.
Supporting Strayhorn’s perspective, a recent Stanford-led study reinforces the idea that fostering a sense of belonging can dramatically affect college retention rates. The study involved more than 26,000 students across 22 four-year universities and found that students who are encouraged to feel that they belong are more likely to complete their first year. One of the primary barriers to first-year completion is the feeling among some students that they don’t fit in and that college is not for people like them. This is particularly crucial for stopouts, who may feel disconnected or believe that college is not for people like them. The challenges they face, such as difficulties in making friends or struggling academically, can exacerbate feelings of alienation, making it even harder to reintegrate into the academic community.
Statistics further highlight the urgent need for educational institutions to create inclusive and supportive communities:
- Prevalence of Loneliness: 64% of college students report experiencing loneliness, with LGBTQ+ students even more affected at 70%. This indicates the critical importance of addressing loneliness to prevent stopouts among all students, especially marginalized groups. Read more about the loneliness report here.
- Impact on Mental Health: Students feeling lonely are over four times more likely to suffer from severe psychological distress, emphasizing the mental health challenges linked to isolation. Learn about the mental health impacts here.
- Concerns Among Students: Over half of Gen Z college students (53%) are concerned about loneliness, highlighting the need for better social connectivity on campuses. Find out more about student concerns here.
As online and flexible learning options continue to grow, providing accessibility and convenience, it’s essential that universities also focus on fostering a strong sense of community within these digital platforms and agile environments. This approach will help to mitigate the retention and stopout challenges specific to online learners, ensuring that even in virtual settings, students feel a robust connection to their educational institution and peers.
Support the Development of Human Connections
In a world where quick texts and emojis often replace face-to-face conversations, it’s easy to overlook the profound impact of truly connecting with others, especially when facing challenges. For students who leave their studies due to unexpected life hurdles or academic difficulties, the journey back can seem daunting. Yet, when these students find real-world connections—people who have navigated similar obstacles—they discover they aren’t navigating these challenges alone. This sense of community not only reassures them but also reignites their confidence and motivation to re-enroll and pursue their educational goals. Building these authentic connections can transform the intimidating path of returning to school into a journey of shared experiences and renewed possibilities.
Programs and events that bring students together with their fellows are relatively easy to plan and execute, but they must be supported by university leadership and communicated effectively to ensure meaningful participation.
- Peer Mentorship Programs: Connecting re-enrolled students with current students or alumni provides a relatability that may be lacking in encounters with faculty or trained counselors. Understanding the stopout’s reason for leaving is critical to the success of these programs as they rely heavily on the power of shared experience. Encouraging newly re-enrolled students to serve as peer mentors in these programs can add to the student’s sense of personal value and commitment to the institution.
- Re-Enrollment Events: Host events specifically for re-enrolled students to welcome them back, provide information, and foster connections with peers and faculty. Be sure that skilled advisors attend who can address specific stopout programs for issues such as finances and learning difficulties as discussed in Part 2.
- Engagement Platforms: Utilize online platforms to create virtual communities where re-enrolled students can connect, share experiences, and support each other. The ultimate goal is to ensure students feel a real sense of connection to and belonging with the institution, in addition to their peers and faculty.
Provide Comprehensive Support Services
As we alluded to in Part 2 of this series, support services play a crucial role in helping returning students succeed. Providing a comprehensive range of support services can address academic, personal, and career-related challenges, ensuring that re-enrolled students have the necessary resources to thrive. But, these resources must be made available at times and in modalities that returning and non-traditional learners can access when needed. Providing services during evening and weekend hours and making them remotely accessible increases the likelihood that students with other commitments and responsibilities will utilize them.
Academic Advising: Personalized Support for a Smooth Return Academic advising for returning students needs to be more than just scheduling and course advice; it should be a holistic support system that recognizes the unique challenges these students face. Many stopouts return to education while managing jobs, families, and other responsibilities. Academic advisors should act not only as planners but as empathetic supporters, offering guidance tailored to each student’s life context. This includes flexibility in course loads, time management tips tailored for the working student, and options like part-time studies or online courses that accommodate their schedules.
Mental Health Services: A Safe Space for Reintegration Post-pandemic, the increase in mental health issues among students is notable, with stopouts often facing compounded stress upon their return. Universities must ensure that mental health services are approachable, destigmatized, and tailored to the nuanced challenges of returning students. Counseling, support groups, and workshops should specifically address the fears and pressures of reintegration, providing a safe space for students to discuss and manage their anxieties and mental health in a way that acknowledges their unique journey back to education.
Career Services: Bridging Education and Ambition Career services should do more than help with resumes and interviews; they should bridge the gap between academic efforts and career aspirations, which is crucial for motivating stopouts to complete their education. By offering targeted workshops, co-op opportunities, and networking events that integrate with their academic programs, career services can help students see the tangible outcomes of their studies and how they align with their broader career goals. This practical support helps students visualize and achieve the ‘why’ behind their hard work, making their educational journey feel more relevant and directly connected to their future success.
Each of these services plays a crucial role in not just attracting stopouts back to the fold but ensuring they feel understood, supported, and valued throughout their journey, enhancing both their academic success and personal well-being.
Conclusion
Addressing the challenges of stopouts requires a comprehensive approach that includes targeted re-enrollment campaigns, financial support, flexible learning options, comprehensive support services, and building a sense of community. By implementing these strategies, higher education institutions can improve re-enrollment and graduation rates, ultimately benefiting both students and society as a whole. Noodle is committed to partnering with universities to develop and implement these strategies, helping to create a more supportive and successful academic environment.
For more information on how Noodle can assist your institution in re-engaging stopout students, please reach out.
