A Special Focus Four-Year institution specializing in graduate programs for fine arts and related disciplines sought to improve student retention, a critical factor in both student success and program completion. Like many online graduate programs, it faced challenges in maintaining student engagement and retaining nontraditional graduate students. Through strategic interventions and targeted support, Elsmere Education partnered with the institution, ensuring that students remained engaged and on track to complete their academic programs.
The Challenge
Retention in graduate programs is often complex, particularly for nontraditional adult students. This challenge is common across higher education, as students frequently face a combination of academic, personal, and financial pressures, which may lead to dropout or stop-out decisions.
The Solution
Elsmere Education worked closely with the institution to design a tailored strategy that addressed the specific needs of its graduate students. A comprehensive student success plan was developed, aligned with each program’s requirements to provide targeted, tech-enabled support for every cohort.
Serving as an extension of the institution’s student success team, Elsmere’s coaches implemented strategic initiatives through the Education Process as a Service (EPaaS) ecosystem. This approach empowered the institution to scale efficiently, meet immediate and evolving needs, and surpass internal benchmarks without straining its resources.
Personalized Support Through Flexible Communication and Goal Setting: Using EPaaS to engage with busy working professionals through their preferred communication channels—text, calls, or emails—coaches provided tailored support to help students set clear academic goals and develop effective study and time management strategies. This personalized, accessible approach empowered students to balance academic, professional, and personal responsibilities, keeping them organized, focused, and on track for long-term success.
Proactive, Data-Driven Interventions to Address Challenges: By leveraging EPaaS to analyze LMS data—such as course access, missing assignments, and current grades—coaches identified at-risk students early and engaged them through personalized coaching. This proactive approach connected students with appropriate institutional resources, addressing academic, financial, and personal challenges before they escalated. These early interventions significantly reduced the likelihood of dropouts, ensuring students remained on track to achieve their academic goals.
Streamlined Registration Process: Through EPaaS, coaches accessed a comprehensive view of student progress, including completed courses, current enrollment, and future plans. This enabled individualized registration guidance supported by targeted outreach campaigns and digital acknowledgments. By simplifying course planning and ensuring students enrolled in the right courses at the right time, this approach removed guesswork, kept students on track, and supported seamless academic progression.
The Outcome
The institution’s strong retention outcomes reflect a deep commitment to student success, particularly within a specialized and demanding educational environment.
Key outcomes from academic years 2020 through 2023 include:
91% New Student Persistence (Term 1-2)
95% Term Over Term Retention
80% Graduation/Completion Rate
The institution’s impressive retention outcomes highlight the impact of Elsmere’s tech-enabled strategies through the EPaaS ecosystem.
By leveraging LMS data and integrating streamlined course planning with institutional systems, Elsmere’s coaches provided proactive, personalized support to engage students, address challenges, and remove barriers to success.
This scalable, targeted approach not only exceeded retention goals but also reinforced the institution’s commitment to delivering sustainable, student-centered outcomes, strengthening its reputation for academic excellence.
Contact Elsmere Education today to learn how we can help your institution achieve similar success.
