Six community colleges nationwide will participate in a Lumina Foundation-funded quantitative study examining how Caring Campus impacts student retention, persistence, completion, and success.
Participating colleges include Lawson State Community College, Patrick & Henry Community College, Oakton College, Hartnell College, Temple College, and Ranger College. Together, they will help build a clearer, data-informed understanding of how connection and belonging influence student outcomes.
“Lawson State has seen transformational change across our institution since implementing Caring Campus,” Lawson State President Dr. Cynthia Anthony said. “We’ve experienced the qualitative impact, but this study will allow us to close the loop by examining the data behind what we did, how we did it, and the impact it made.”
Over the past few years, Lawson State has seen increases in both fall-to-fall and fall-to-spring retention, as well as marked improvement in overall student success. Student surveys and focus groups consistently reflect that students feel supported and cared for beyond the classroom.
At Patrick & Henry Community College, Caring Campus is embedded throughout the institution, from hiring and onboarding to professional development. As the nation’s first gold-certified Caring Campus institution, Patrick & Henry has consistently expanded its implementation, with plans to further embed Caring Campus practices among adjunct faculty.
“What makes Caring Campus so powerful is that it’s truly middle-out, not top-down,” Patrick & Henry President Dr. Greg Hodges said. “This study gives us an opportunity to pair what we know anecdotally with quantitative data and better understand the impact of the Caring Campus work that’s already deeply embedded on our campus.”
The findings from this study will not only aim to inform current Caring Campuses, but also provide valuable insight for the broader higher education community on the power of care.
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