Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) is embracing Caring Campus to strengthen student success – trailblazing as the first Caring Campus university, earning bronze Caring Campus Certification, and preparing to present at the Caring Campus Conference: Building a National Culture of Care, happening Nov. 12-14 in San Diego. TAMUK’s commitment reflects the core tenet of Caring Campus: establishing a welcoming environment where students feel connected leads to greater student retention, persistence, and success.
Dr. Vincent Tinto, one of the nation’s most influential scholars on student success and belonging in higher education, will keynote the inaugural Caring Campus Conference: Building a National Culture of Care this November in San Diego. As Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University and former Chair of the Higher Education Program, Tinto has dedicated his career to advancing research on student persistence and the power of connection to transform college experiences and improve student outcomes. In distilling the research on college retention, Tinto found student success could be captured by two simple thoughts: students must want to persist – that is, be motivated to persist – and they must have or acquire the ability to persist.
Four more community colleges nationwide have achieved Caring Campus Certification, a distinction honoring institutions that exemplify what it means to lead with care while advancing student persistence, retention, and success. Patrick & Henry Community College in Virginia has made Caring Campus history as the first institution to earn gold certification, while Northeast Lakeview College in Texas, along with West Los Angeles College (WLAC) and Yuba College in California, have each earned silver certification – demonstrating their deep commitment to fostering connection, belonging, and opportunity for all students.
Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana has made caring an institutional priority – embedding the word directly into its mission statement to reflect a commitment that runs through every corner of campus. That focus is felt daily by students, employees, and the community, who all experience Bossier Parish’s dedication to creating a welcoming, connected environment. This fall, the college is taking that commitment to the next level. More than 70 faculty, staff, and administrators will participate in the Caring Campus Academy (CCA) – enough to bring a Caring Campus coach directly to their campus. The CCA will unite every participant around a shared set of behavioral commitments designed to foster belonging and student success, and institutions nationwide can sign up for the fall cohort, launching at the end of September, to bring these commitments to their own campuses. Data shows that when students feel cared about, they persist and succeed at higher rates.
Before a new employee even sets foot on campus, they have already been introduced to the caring culture that defines Hinds Community College in Mississippi. With the help of Caring Campus, Hinds College’s Human Resources department is helping shape a welcoming environment that supports both students and employees from day one. Caring Campus expectations are outlined in every Hinds College job description, addressed during new employee orientations, and included in annual performance evaluations. The college also requires yearly professional development sessions focused on Caring Campus to reinforce its commitment to creating a student-centered culture.
Oakton College in Des Plaines, Ill., has seen a profound and measurable impact from implementing Caring Campus, reflected in increased student persistence rates from semester to semester. Known as “The Persistence Project,” at Oakton, the college exemplifies how a culture of care can transform student experiences and outcomes. The Persistence Project encourages faculty to adopt simple, relationship-building behaviors such as learning students’ names in the first two weeks, scheduling individual check-ins with students, and providing early feedback. In fall 2024, the college analyzed outcomes for students enrolled in courses taught by faculty participating in the project. Results showed that first-time Oakton students who took at least one course with a Persistence Project faculty member persisted from fall to spring at a rate 17.8 percentage points higher than their peers — 77.4 percent compared to 59.6 percent. These fall 2024 results align with a consistent trend of increased student persistence seen since the college first implemented the Persistence Project in 2016.
When Irvine Valley College (IVC) set out to build Inspire 2035, its 10-year strategic plan, campus leaders asked students and employees to share one word they felt best described IVC. The most frequent responses – “caring,” “supportive,” and “inclusive” – captured the heart of a college deeply committed to cultivating a culture of connection and success. As a Caring Campus, IVC strives to create a welcoming environment for both students and employees every day. This commitment to care is now embedded into the college’s framework for the future. One of the six priorities in Inspire 2035 is workplace culture and growth, with an aligned goal to further strengthen a culture of care.
Dr. Peter Felten – Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and Professor of History at Elon University – has spent his career championing the power of human connection in higher education. This November, he will bring his decades of research and insight to San Diego, Calif. as a keynote speaker at the inaugural Caring Campus Conference 2025: Building a National Culture of Care, taking place Nov. 12–14. A nationally recognized scholar and author, Felten co-wrote “The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most” in 2016. While the book explored numerous key drivers of student success, it was the chapter on relationships in particular that struck a lasting chord. The response led Felten and his colleagues to dig deeper, resulting in the acclaimed “Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College” – a book grounded in interviews with 400 students, faculty, and staff across more than two dozen institutions.
As part of a growing movement to strengthen student connection and success, four additional Texas community colleges are adopting the Caring Campus framework – a student-centered approach designed to foster belonging and improve student outcomes. Hill College, Brazosport College, Clarendon College, and Texarkana College are joining Caring Campus thanks to a grant from the Trellis Foundation, marking a significant expansion across the state. Hill College President Dr. Thomas Mills said he was drawn to Caring Campus after first learning about it at a Talent Strong Texas Pathways meeting more than a year ago.
Five colleges and universities have become the first in the nation to earn Caring Campus Certification, a recognition that highlights their efforts to foster a campus culture centered on connection, compassion, and support for all students. Caring Campus Certification honors institutions that go beyond simple implementation, taking intentional steps to embed Caring Campus practices into the fabric of their campus operations and culture. Data shows that when students feel cared for and connected, they persevere and succeed at higher rates. Hartnell College in Salinas, Calif., Ranger College in Ranger, Texas, and Mission College in Santa Clara, Calif., each earned silver certification, while Texas A&M University - Kingsville in Kingsville, Texas, and Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., were awarded bronze certification.
