Our Impact

What Happened at Scale:

• 7,000+ students reached, demonstrating higher attendance, improved pass rates, reduced anxiety, stronger confidence
• 13 campuses involved
• 55 faculty engaged
• 24 courses redesigned

Faculty tested evidence-informed approaches such as active learning, mastery-based pacing, clearer course structures, and targeted use of digital tools to reduce DFW rates in gateway STEM courses. Early descriptive signals across redesigned courses included improved pass patterns in multiple sections, reduced D/F trends in key courses, stronger engagement, and greater clarity and confidence reported by students and faculty.

UMBC Participation:

Faculty redesigned UNIV 301: Introduction to the University for Transfer Students to better support underserved male transfer students who were experiencing high DFW rates in STEM courses. The redesign introduced a targeted workshop on metacognitive learning strategies and restructured reflective journal assignments to help students develop stronger study practices, connect with academic supports, and build a greater sense of belonging.

Reported Outcomes:

• Faculty reported increased student awareness and use of proactive academic supports, including tutoring and campus learning resources.
• Students reported greater confidence and improved problem-solving approaches in STEM courses, with some noting improved exam performance.

The primary goals of the grant are twofold:

1. Increase the number of campuses regularly engaging students through structured, qualitative methods that elevate lived experience as critical input
2. Support institutional and cross-campus strategic decision-making by translating these insights into concrete policy and program changes. The project aims to embed focus groups as a standard institutional practice, ensuring campuses have the skills, staffing, and support necessary to act on what they hear.

Project Metrics

• 12 campuses have listened to…
• 404 students across…
• 85 focus groups, and…
• 45 new moderators have been trained

UMBC Participation:

UMBC conducted a Listening Lab study to better understand how undergraduate and graduate students perceive and use Career Center services. Through six focus groups with 47 students, the team explored awareness, engagement, and barriers to access in order to identify strategies that improve outreach, ensure equitable access to career resources, and strengthen students’ career readiness. Findings centered on awareness of and engagement.

Key Insights & Outcomes:

• Without continued and tailored outreach, there is often a gap between initial awareness of Career Center services (often introduced at orientation) and sustained engagement throughout students’ academic careers.
• Specific student groups have distinct challenges related to their career search – e.g., humanities and arts majors, international students, commuter students, and early undergraduates. These student groups (among others) expressed a need for major-specific and identity-conscious career guidance.
• Communication channels strongly influence participation, with students preferring in-person announcements, physical signage, and concise, relevant messages over mass email outreach.

2025 RESOURCES PROVIDED:

The UIA paid for two large network convenings in 2025 and contributed more than $82K in travel expenses on behalf of member campuses to the Fall UIA Convening.

2025 FUNDRAISING SUPPORT:

In 2025, UIA secured $1.6M in new funding to support collective projects and convenings, advanced new fundraising concepts across four priority areas aligned to its revised goals, and distributed more than $735K in innovation project support to member campuses.