Dr. Peter Felten – Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and Professor of history at Elon University – will serve as a keynote speaker at the inaugural Caring Campus Conference 2025: Building a National Culture of Care, taking place Nov. 12–14 in San Diego.
A nationally recognized scholar and author, Felten has dedicated his career to studying the role of relationships and connection in higher education. His 2020 book, “Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College,” was grounded in interviews with 400 students, faculty, and staff across more than two dozen institutions.
“One of the questions we asked was about a meaningful interaction during their college experience,” Felten said. “Sometimes it was something as simple as a smile or being looked in the eye. The biggest thing I took away is that if we can help students see they’re more capable than they think they are, then we’ve succeeded. Everything else is extra.”
Felten’s research underscores that relationships – whether with faculty, staff, or peers – are among the most powerful forces shaping student persistence and success, a belief that aligns deeply with Caring Campus.
“I was immediately impressed by the intentionality behind Caring Campus,” Felten said. “It’s not just about being kind. It’s a structured, evidence-based framework that’s attainable for every campus – large or small. Everyone can do this work, and it matters.”
At the conference, Felten will explore how relationship-rich practices can be scaled across campuses and embedded into daily interactions. His keynote will provide actionable strategies to cultivate connection and promote student agency.
Felten will join fellow keynote speaker Dr. Vincent Tinto, a leading voice in student retention and success, along with approximately 35 presenters from across faculty, staff, administrative, and research roles.
And register for the conference today!
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