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ASCEND Podcast

ASCEND Podcast

Written by: Jared Tippets and Eric Kirby
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About this listen

Are you ready to ASCEND to new possibilities? In this podcast, Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby outline why a focus on retention and completion is so important, why previous retention efforts have not always worked, and discuss how we can successfully "ASCEND" to these great expectations. In each episode, we will share innovative ideas, creative initiatives, and best practices and strategies that campuses have used to achieve amazing results. This podcast has intentionally been produced in a quick-tip, bite-sized format where the listener can quickly find ideas, initiatives, and solutions that can be tried on campus today.

© 2026 ASCEND Podcast
Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • S3 - E13 - Jon Ambrose - Using Data to Enhance Career Services Programming (Data)
    Feb 15 2026

    How can career centers use data to design programming that students actually need and attend? In this episode, Jon Ambrose from the University of Oregon Career Center walks through a data-informed approach to evaluating past programs, tracking student engagement, and leveraging platforms like Handshake and labor market insights to shape future initiatives. From boosting survey response rates to launching a successful Graduate School Fair, this conversation highlights how thoughtful use of data can close equity gaps, guide smarter planning, and ensure career services meet the diverse goals of today’s students.

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    22 mins
  • S3 - E12 - Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Brian E. Garsh - Midterm Alert of Academic Risk for Transfer Students (Nudges)
    Feb 8 2026

    Transfer students often face unique academic challenges that can go unnoticed in traditional retention efforts. In this episode, Dr. Anna Newsome Holcomb and Dr. Brian Garsh from Georgia Tech share how a redesigned midterm early-alert initiative uses timely data, targeted outreach, and transfer-specific support to identify academic risk and promote student success. Learn how Midterm Progress Reports, advisor- and student-level interventions, and an anti-deficit framework are helping transfer students navigate “transfer shock” and build momentum toward persistence and completion.

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    27 mins
  • S3 - E11 - Tom Hicks - Long Night Against Procrastination (Engagement)
    Feb 1 2026

    In this episode, we discuss the “Long Night Against Procrastination" event, a practical and student-centered approach to tackling one of the most common academic challenges. Drawing on experience from a small liberal arts college, the conversation explores how a single, well-timed evening in the library evolved into a campus-wide tradition supporting hundreds of students at a critical point in the semester.

    We unpack how centralized academic support, easy access to campus resources, peer connection, and a fun, low-pressure environment combined to help students make meaningful progress on coursework. This episode offers ideas for creating high-impact, scalable events that foster motivation, community, and academic momentum, even when outcomes are hard to measure.

    A valuable listen for learning commons, academic support, and student success professionals looking for practical ways to meet students where they are.

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    13 mins
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