Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive student retention strategies are essential, and institutions must tackle key issues like financial challenges, academic struggles, and mental health needs through proactive support systems.
- Creating relaxing spaces and providing access to diverse mental health resources enhance student engagement and academic outcomes.
- Faculty involvement plays a pivotal role in connecting students to the right resources, boosting their ability to persist through challenges.
- Institutions must adapt to Gen Z’s preferences, leveraging a mix of technology and personal interactions to meet their evolving needs. Prioritizing inclusivity, mental health, and community-driven initiatives ensures higher education retention efforts remain relevant and effective.
Student retention remains a critical challenge for universities across the U.S. as institutions strive to keep students enrolled through graduation. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the overall retention rate for first-year students returning for their second year was 75.7% in 2022, meaning nearly one in four students did not continue their studies. Financial difficulties, academic struggles, mental health challenges, and a lack of engagement with campus life often contribute to students leaving before earning a degree.
These challenges are solvable but require colleges and universities to invest in comprehensive retention strategies that give students the right resources at the right time. To further this conversation, TimelyCare hosted a webinar titled Gen Ztressted: From Enrollment to Engagement—Redefining Retention Strategies in 2025. The discussion featured insights from higher education leaders, including:
- Tracy Arwari, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students for Academic & Personal Success at Pomona College
- Kim Livingston-Cobb, Associate Dean of Students, Dean of Students, Student Wellbeing & Support at the University of Texas Tyler
- Katrina Hanson, Manager of Retention, Basic Needs, and Wellbeing at College of Redwoods
During the panel discussion, these experts shared multiple strategies they’ve seen work in higher education to address retention and support students.
1. Holistic mental health support breaks down barriers to care
Traditionally, counseling has been handled one-on-one, in person, but this limits access to care for students and does not meet them where and when they need support. Colleges and universities are shifting to a broader wellness strategy that incorporates group support and peer-based programs, catering to the diverse needs of students.
At University of Texas Tyler, the institution takes a proactive approach to caring for students.
“One of the things that we’ve done is create a campus-wide wellness initiative,” said Livingston-Cobb. “We created a new wellness center for students to have a place to just come and relax. They have massage chairs and puzzles and art and all kinds of things like that. It is a getaway for the students to leave the world behind, come rejuvenate, and then be able to go out and be productive.”
Beyond the wellness center, Livingston-Cobb discussed her team’s ability to break down the barriers to care and deliver the holistic mental health support that students need. By fostering a supportive environment prioritizing mental well-being, colleges can enhance student engagement, academic performance, and overall retention, ensuring students can persist and graduate.
2. Building a culture of care encourages help-seeking behavior
Another essential aspect of supporting student mental health and improving retention is building a culture of care within the institution. More and more faculty and staff are being trained to recognize early signs of distress and respond with empathy by connecting students to appropriate resources. Livingston-Cobb has seen great success in integrating faculty into the care process.
“One of the exciting things about our care, is that our faculty are our biggest referrers. We have smaller class sizes, and they’re very in tune to our students,” she said. “Having that type of faculty that really care about their students and care about their well-being, they see things. They will do a care report when someone’s been missing classes, or they’ve just seen if students come talk to them and they’re upset about something.”
This proactive approach emphasizes collaboration across departments, with care teams integrating mental health counseling, academic advising, and student support services to provide wraparound assistance. When students feel that their well-being is a priority, they are more likely to seek help, stay engaged, and persist through academic challenges, which combine to ultimately improve retention rates.
3. Leveraging technology makes care more accessible and inclusive
Higher education has the opportunity to transform mental health support in colleges, ensuring that students receive timely and flexible care regardless of their circumstances.
At Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., Tracy Arwari sees technology removing barriers and expanding access to care. Location, cost, and scheduling are no longer challenges. Instead, virtual care allows students to be seen in as little as 90 seconds. Arwari said Pomona enables successful technology programs from day one.
“Our first-year class dean at orientation has every single first-year student get out their phone, download the app, and log in. They create your account sitting right there. We have built up this culture in which it is just as normal and easy and reasonable to log on to get medical care or mental health care in a moment as it is to walk your happy hips down to student health or to our counseling center. And so having that inherent structure has helped tremendously.”
These digital tools complement traditional campus resources by offering 24/7 crisis support, self-guided coping strategies, and virtual peer support networks. This mix of integrated on-campus and virtual resources ensures continuity of care even when students are away from campus or face scheduling barriers. By embracing technology, universities can create a more inclusive and accessible mental health ecosystem, empowering students to prioritize their well-being while navigating academic challenges.
4. Empowering student voices fosters a sense of ownership
It is important for students to hear from other students. Empowering student voices is a critical component of building effective, community-driven mental health support in colleges. By actively engaging students through surveys, focus groups, and campus-wide discussions, institutions can better understand their evolving needs and tailor mental health initiatives accordingly.
At College of Redwoods in Eureka, Calif., Katrina Hanson and her team work to empower students to help each other.
“We do a lot of prevention work around harm reduction, addiction, and substance use. That can be a big retention issue for our students as well. That can be a connection point for students to share their stories with each other and build that community and then also get connected to campus and community resources,” said Hanson.
“And sometimes it’s just building those affinity spaces where students can connect with each other and share their experiences and their stories. They can just have that space where they feel comfortable connecting with other folks going through the same thing.”
Encouraging student involvement in decision-making processes—such as serving on mental health advisory boards, leading peer support groups, and organizing wellness events—fosters a sense of ownership and advocacy. Peer leadership programs also help reduce stigma and create a more supportive campus culture. These efforts not only improve mental health services but also promote resilience, inclusivity, and a strong sense of belonging, all of which contribute to student retention and overall well-being.
The full webinar, Gen Ztressted: From Enrollment to Engagement—Redefining Retention Strategies in 2025, is available to watch on demand.
