LONG BEACH, CA – Nearly 200 staff, faculty, and administrators from across the country gathered in San Diego on Nov. 12-14 for three days of connection, collaboration, and fresh thinking at the inaugural Caring Campus Conference: Building a National Culture of Care.

The interactive event left attendees inspired and energized, equipped with new ideas, strategies, and tools to strengthen student success efforts on their own campuses. The conference highlighted the impact of Caring Campus, which empowers staff and faculty to cultivate cultures of care that boost student persistence, retention, and success.

“My favorite part of the conference has been the connections I’ve made and knowing we’re not alone in this pursuit,” Hinds Community College Vice President of Student Services Dr. Jennifer Scott-Gilmore said. “There are so many others nationally doing this work and believing in the Caring Campus model. We can see that the model is working and what everyone is achieving.”

The conference opened with an engaging keynote session by Dr. Peter Felten – Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and Professor of history at Elon University – a national leader whose career has centered on championing human connection in higher education.

“The work Caring Campus does, the work you all do, is the most important work happening in American higher education,” Felten said. “This is the work that is transforming students’ lives. It’s transforming communities. There are literally decades of research that demonstrates the quality of relationships students have with their peers, faculty, and staff in college are foundational for their well-being, learning, motivation, persistence, and success.”

Throughout the conference, attendees participated in interactive sessions led by Caring Campus implementers from institutions nationwide. Each session offered opportunities to learn from peers, exchange best practices, and explore new approaches to strengthen campus cultures.

“It’s important to hear from others who are passionate about student success because it keeps you going and gives you new ideas to try,” Yuba College SSS/UB Learning Specialist Giovany Guzman said. “Sometimes you hit a stale spot, and it’s hard to maintain the great work we’re doing, so those fresh ideas are really instrumental in keeping things moving.”

Dr. Vincent Tinto, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University and former Chair of the Higher Education Program, delivered the second keynote address of the conference, bringing decades of research and insight as one of the nation’s leading scholars on student persistence.

“Every word you speak matters,” Tinto said. “Students hold their futures in their hands, and one wrong action or one wrong word can turn them away for good – the exact opposite of what any of us want. The smallest interaction can shape whether a student stays or walks out the door.”

The conference closed with the first-ever Caring Campus Awards Ceremony, honoring colleges and universities that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to Caring Campus implementation, including the inaugural cohort of nine campuses to earn Caring Campus Certification.

“It was incredible to see everyone come together to network and connect over a shared commitment to student success at our inaugural conference,” Caring Campus founder and CEO Dr. Brad Phillips said. “Thank you to all of our attendees, presenters, and sponsors for making this transformational event possible. We hope to see you all again next year!”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

IEBC_CONFERECE1: Dr. Vincent Tinto delivered the second keynote address of the inaugural Caring Campus Conference: Building a National Culture of Care, bringing decades of research and insight as one of the nation’s leading scholars on student persistence.

IEBC_CONFERENCE2: A team from Victor Valley College led an interactive session at the Caring Campus Conference, offering best practices and new approaches to strengthen campus cultures.

IEBC_CONFERENCE3: Nearly 200 staff, faculty, and administrators from across the country gathered for three days of connection, collaboration, and fresh thinking at the first-ever Caring Campus Conference.

IEBC_CONFERENCE4: A team from Yuba College attended the inaugural Caring Campus Conference. The event left attendees inspired and energized to strengthen student success efforts on their own campuses.