Student Success and Retention Conference 2025

Students come where they are welcome and stay where they feel cared about. If students don’t feel connected to the college they attend, they are far less likely to persist and succeed, regardless of the academic interventions and support services the college has provided. As the Aspen Institute notes, “A culture of caring has become a hallmark of excellent community colleges.”
The Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) has created Caring Campus based on research that shows students who feel more connected to their college are more likely to be retained, persist from semester to semester, and complete their academic goals. Increasing connectedness, therefore, can go a long way toward increasing the likelihood of maintaining enrollment.

In the face of constant change, Purple Cow Leadership champions unique approaches and resilient leadership practices that prepare educational communities for future challenges. Built on the principles of Positive Mindset, Unchaining Yourself, Building Relationships, Perseverance, Sherpa Leadership, and Energy (PURPLE), this leadership style empowers institutions to thrive through innovation and adaptability.

Here is how PURPLE Framework aligns with some of the tracks:

• Positive Mindset: Cultivates openness to evolving educational demands, allowing leaders to inspire proactive adaptation.
• Unchaining Yourself: Encourages leaders to break free from traditional constraints and embrace progressive methodologies that meet the changing needs of students.
• Perseverance: Ensures that efforts to meet new needs are sustained, promoting long-term commitment to student success.
• Sherpa Leadership: Guides teams and institutions through complex technological transformations with empathy and strategic foresight.
• Building Relationships: Strengthens collaboration between technology teams, faculty, and administrators, creating a united front in adopting impactful innovations.
• Energy: Brings the drive needed to implement new operational systems, ensuring positive engagement throughout transitions.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights on:

• Leveraging the PURPLE framework to address emerging educational needs with creative and adaptive strategies.
• Applying Sherpa Leadership to drive technological innovation that supports institutional goals.
• Building relationships that create supportive environments, empowering students and staff to flourish in dynamic settings.

In this high-level and fast-paced session, Dr. Brent A. Gage, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Strategy at the University of Iowa and Senior Consultant with AACRAO Consulting, will provide an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities higher education professionals will face in 2025 and beyond. This keynote will explore critical areas of focus for daily work and long-term planning, addressing pressing emerging trends that demand attention. Covering 10 essential insights, including the looming enrollment cliff, growing mistrust in financial aid, and the evolving tension between campus priorities and national politics, Dr. Gage will dive into the key reflections to help higher education professionals navigate the changing landscape with confidence. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable perspectives and strategies for the future!

Centering student voices is critical in colleges’ student success efforts, particularly elevating the voices of new majority learners - working, parenting, immigrant, adult education, career pathways and Black, Indigenous and other students of color - students whose voices have not historically been front and center. To culminate this year’s Student Success and Retention Conference, attendees will hear from four current Oregon community college students. Through this powerful panel discussion, we’ll learn about their unique journeys to and through college. The students will share the college supports that have been most helpful to them and offer invaluable insights and recommendations on what more colleges can do to be student ready. Attendees should feel even more inspired and motivated to implement innovative student success ideas and best practices back on their campuses.