University of North Carolina at Charlotte Adopts EducationDynamics’ Online Retention Services

Feb. 24, 2010 - PRLog -- EducationDynamics, higher education’s leading marketing company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students, announced today that University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte has signed on to use their Undergraduate Retention Program, a web-based solution that engages students in an online orientation with the goal of increasing student success.

UNC Charlotte’s new program will focus on the often overlooked transfer student population. The institution recognized that a significant percentage of their transfer students are unable or unwilling to attend on-campus orientation for various reasons. For instance, they may have attended orientation at their previous institution and don’t see the need, or orientation dates may have conflicted with family or work obligations. Instead, the EducationDynamics Retention Program offers students flexibility by providing the information they need to succeed in university life online, resulting in a positive impact on student success and persistence.

“What’s unique about this initiative is the use of a student-facing portal that integrates a purpose network, or a social network, intentionally designed to achieve learning outcomes, with a comprehensive assessment tool that serves as an early alert to attrition risks,” says Peter Tomassi, vice president of product development for the Enrollment and Retention Services Division of EducationDynamics. “We are partnering with UNC Charlotte to develop awareness among students, survey and assessment tools, blogs, e-messaging, and other online campaigns that deliver the orientation experience within a dynamic environment.”  

UNC Charlotte’s Undergraduate Retention Program revolves around three pillars:

1.   Dynamic and segmented content―Automated e-messaging drives students to the most relevant content within the web portal and leverages best practices to increase deliverability, subject line performance and click through rates.  
2.   Interactive online orientation―Web portal delivers engaging articles, self-assessment tests, surveys, and videos designed to drive students toward resources shown to influence student success.
3.   Data tracking and assessment―Real-time data helps administrators manage students who are not engaging or have difficulty adjusting, and offers access to experts experienced in using technology to optimize student retention and program success.

Dennis Wiese, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Students and Director for the Office of New Student Family at UNC Charlotte, adds, “With an aggressive enrollment plan which includes a large number of transfer students, we saw the need to deliver orientation in way that better meets the needs of today’s fast moving and often over-scheduled students. EducationDynamics’ Retention Program is our technology vehicle to deliver this interactive experience.”

The Undergraduate Retention Program is just one in a long line of enrollment and retention tools offered by EducationDynamics to help colleges and universities find, enroll and retain more students. To request a demo or to learn more, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com/services/enrollment/.

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About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education’s leading marketing services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through its Market Research and Advisory Services division, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence, and best practice insights to its clients. for more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.