Originally introduced as a consulting service in January of 2021, Trellis Company has supported Project Success institutions in attempting to bring back students that have left their institution without a degree or credential. This summer, Trellis launched the Project Reconnect Program with 10 institutional partners to provide structured support for campuses looking to reclaim students who experienced college but didn’t graduate. Project Reconnect has since evolved into a hands-on, holistic approach to re-engage students with some college and no degree, including more follow up measures and touchpoints to help students re-enroll and incorporate retention best practices at the institution to help students graduate from college. With student outreach being one of the toughest challenges for institutions currently, Trellis has a multistep, personal approach to help.
As we continue into our next phase of Project Reconnect, the process will involve surveying stopped out students about why they left and what challenges they faced, articulating the data from this feedback, and working with the institution(s) to develop a strategic plan for re-enrolling students and keeping them on track to graduate. This will also include training faculty and staff to help them optimize their plans for re-enrollment and ensure they are instituting the right student supports where needed.
Once institutions have rolled out their strategic plans, Trellis will bring the process full circle by holding a virtual ‘lessons learned’ meeting. In this meeting, Trellis consultants will invite the institutions to share their experiences, including what’s been implemented, how many students have re-enrolled, and how direct-to-student services have supported students. From there, additional support will be planned with the intention of creating ongoing student-centric campaigns and communication messaging.
As college student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates continue to decline in the ever-changing landscape of higher education, Project Reconnect is here to help! Our thorough consulting, research, and outreach support services will help your institution develop outcomes-focused programming and ensure students return to complete their education. Contact us at partnerships@trelliscompany.org to receive a baseline description of our services and how they can benefit you.