At Oakton College, a commitment to connection is driving profound results. Known as “The Persistence Project,” the college is seeing meaningful gains in student persistence as a result of a stronger culture of care across campus.
The Persistence Project encourages faculty to build relationships with students through simple behaviors like learning names, checking in individually, and providing early feedback. In fall 2024, Oakton found that first-time students who took at least one course with a Persistence Project faculty member persisted from fall to spring at a rate 17.8 percentage points higher than their peers – 77.4% compared to 59.6%. This continues a positive trend seen since the college first launched the effort in 2016.
“Our biggest takeaway from the Persistence Project is that connection and belonging are critical to student success,” president Dr. Joianne Smith said. “Caring Campus provides a framework with clear ways to operationalize and create that caring environment.”
Following the success of the faculty model, Oakton expanded Caring Campus to staff, introducing efforts like the “Oakton Hello,” visible name tags and lanyards, warm referrals, and digital tools to help students navigate campus. Staff also welcome students each semester and offer resources like a Caring Closet stocked with essentials.
“We’ve heard from students that they feel cared for, seen, and supported at Oakton,” Smith said. “They’ve also shared that they feel more comfortable asking for help and having open conversations with faculty and staff – which is incredibly meaningful for us to hear.”
Caring Campus is now part of Oakton’s strategic plan, solidifying its role in shaping a student-centered culture.
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