Temple College employees set up a welcome table on the first day of class to ensure students feel a sense of belonging and care. Temple staff and faculty go above and beyond to make students feel supported both in their academic and personal lives, perfectly encapsulating Caring Campus principles and commitments.
Temple College has seen remarkable improvements in student engagement and success, thanks in part to their involvement with Caring Campus. Temple College attributes its use of Caring Campus techniques as a key factor in reaching a full-time student majority, with 52% of students enrolled full-time in 2022, compared to 46% in 2020.
“Caring Campus has profoundly transformed our campus, empowering staff and faculty to embrace tangible, research-backed practices for student engagement and seamlessly integrate them into our supportive environment,” Temple College President Dr. Christy Ponce said. “I have loved seeing the major shift that has come out of Caring Campus and how our employees are sprinkling personalized creativity into the strategies they develop.”
One initiative that emerged from Caring Campus is the “Caught You Caring” campaign, where faculty members recognize colleagues who embody the program’s principles. These nominations are then evaluated by a group called the “Fun Fairies,” who choose one Caring Campus Champion each month, surprising them with an assortment of goodies.
“What’s most inspiring about these efforts is that they’re not driven by just a few people,” said Shannon Bralley, Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management. “Faculty and staff from different departments are collaborating to create a community where everyone feels appreciated and seen.”
A Temple College employee welcomes and helps a group of students on the first day of class. Temple College staff and faculty have both completed Caring Campus, where they learned to build upon their existing positive campus environment with strategies and tools to establish a culture of care and help all students succeed.
Rebekah House, a student at Temple College, shared how the culture of care has impacted her life. “From Shannon Bralley offering to be my academic mentor and helping me find housing when I was homeless, to numerous professors who consistently provided guidance during personal challenges, so many Temple employees have gone above and beyond for me,” she said.
Dr. Ponce highlighted that Caring Campus has given Temple College the opportunity to support its rural student population by providing resources and a level of support comparable to larger urban institutions. The faculty and staff are now more intentional about their actions and committed to creating a family-like atmosphere for all students.
Dr. Ponce recommends that all schools engage with Caring Campus training to inspire a similar culture of care on their campuses.
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