350 students received personal phone calls from BYU-Pathway employees in an attempt to reach out to the one
In an organization as student-centered as BYU-Pathway Worldwide, it’s no surprise that employees genuinely care about the students. Every day, employees work hard to ensure that each student has the best possible experience in reaching their educational goals.
BYU-Pathway employees rolled up their sleeves and pulled out their cell phones in an attempt to better understand the needs of online students and encourage each individual to continue in his or her academic endeavors.
Employees eyes were opened as they spoke directly with students
BYU-Pathway Support Operations Manager, Josiah Carlson, and Support Operations Processing Coordinator, Mark Johnson, led the team in an online student retention activity. Employees contacted BYU-Idaho online students in their first semester who had not yet enrolled in their second semester. 354 first-semester students were contacted during the activity.
The goal was to learn what keeps students from enrolling and to encourage them to register for courses and seek academic guidance where needed. As employees spoke with students, they referred 44 students to Pathway Support and helped 51 students register for their courses. Their eyes were opened to the needs of so many individuals seeking a meaningful higher education.
Four key principles became clear in speaking with students:
- Online students miss the face-to-face interaction that PathwayConnect offers
- Life happens — some students aren’t enrolled for a second semester due to health concerns, weddings, pregnancy, and other life events
- Online students have busy schedules — full/part-time jobs, children, Church callings, etc.
- Students need academic guidance — some students don’t know what classes to take or how to register
Possible solutions are in the works
As employees took a few minutes to ponder these subjects, they discussed possible solutions to make the systems more user-friendly and the employees more understanding and aware of important life events. While adjustments and new opportunities are still in the works for these students, employees are working hard to ensure the best experience possible.
