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A family-friendly library where student parents can study while their children play. A program that provides both public transit vouchers and stipends for rideshares to help students get to campus. A summer institute where Native Hawaiian students can learn from faculty who share similar backgrounds.

These are some of the transformative practices that ��о����ʦ�ҷ��黨��Ƶ College of Education researchers have uncovered in a study of how higher education institutions are facilitating success for their Black, Latine, Indigenous and low-income students. Launched in 2021, the Institutional Transformation Toward Equity project is funded by $801,733 from the Gates Foundation.

Led by Co-principal Investigators Sharon Fries-Britt ’81, Ph.D. ’94, Distinguished University Professor, and Bridget Turner Kelly M.A. ’96, Ph.D. ’01, associate professor of student affairs, the team interviewed 70 students and 36 faculty, administrators and senior leaders at six higher education institutions, including four-year universities and two-year colleges in rural and urban communities nationwide. Each institution is dedicated to transforming its campus culture to support the academic and social success of students of color and from low-income backgrounds.

“These institutions are committed to an ethic of care and an ethic of action,” said Fries-Britt. “They’ve translated their care for students into policy changes.”

Two overarching themes emerged from the team’s research. The first, which the researchers call “ways of being that escalate success,” includes actively listening to students and finding innovative ways to support them.

“A key takeaway from our study is the need to listen to the people who are most impacted by these policies and programs,” said Kelly.

The team found that these institutions approach issues collaboratively. For example, at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., advisors at the Center for Student Success work alongside financial aid officers to identify and meet students’ needs. Often, a minor adjustment in a financial package can make the difference between whether a student stays in school or not, according to President Patricia McGuire. 

“Our advisors are like caseworkers,” said McGuire, noting that they have moved beyond simply giving course selection advice to connecting students with resources like mental health support and food assistance. “It’s made a huge difference in our retention and graduation rates.” 

The second theme focuses on tools for measuring and reimagining success. The institutions define success beyond traditional measures like six-year graduation rates or particular GPAs. They celebrate their role in helping students arrive at their next step, even if that means they transfer to another institution. They also see success in how their work helps not just individual students but also their entire communities.

For example, through Native Hawaiian Student Services (NHSS) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, students can intern in Hawaiian community organizations or study with Hawaiian community leaders and then present what they’ve learned to the broader Hawaiian community.

“The university has become a place you go as a Hawaiian to learn more about yourself and where you fit within the collective,” said Willy Kauai, director of NHSS. “It’s where students find their kuleana, or responsibility, to their community and the greater nation.”

In a time of uncertainty, Fries-Britt and Kelly hope these success stories will inspire higher education professionals to renew their commitment to creatively supporting students.

“The work we do has a compounding effect on the success of students,” said Fries-Britt. “We have the power to make a difference.”

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Photo: Fries-Britt (left), Kelly (right) and their research team. Photo by Dillon Donolds