Eastern selected for national student success initiative

Gardner Institute partners with COPLAC to advance student success

by Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (04/20/2026) — Eastern Connecticut State University is among 35 colleges and universities across the country selected to participate in a Gates Foundation-backed effort aimed at increasing college student success and persistence.

Led by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, Eastern will participate in an initiative titled "Advancing Student Success: Strategic Prioritization for Student Success" along with peer institutions from the Council for Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).

Participation gives Eastern access to a structured, evidencebased process designed to help campus leaders set priorities, strengthen academic pathways, and improve student learning, persistence, and completion.

The work will be led collaboratively across Eastern's Divisions of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Student Success and Enrollment, reinforcing a coordinated, institution-wide approach to improving student outcomes.

"Eastern is laser-focused on student success and retention, and working with the Gardner Institute is another way to enhance our efforts," said Eastern President Karim Ismaili. "Being selected for this initiative underscores our commitment to building stronger, clearer, and more equitable pathways for students."

As part of the Advancing Student Success initiative - running from this spring semester through fall 2026 - institutions will receive customized reports, facilitated sensemaking sessions, a strategic prioritization plan, and an implementation roadmap.

The Gardner Institute's process uses its Institutional Transformation Assessment (ITA) and Readiness, Willingness, and Ability (RWA) survey to evaluate an institution's capacity for student success and readiness for change.

"Student success is an institutional priority, and every office on campus has a role to play," said Cheryl Wilson, provost and vice president for academic affairs, who is co-leading the project. "Working with the Gardner Institute and the ITA/RWA framework provides Eastern the opportunity to gain a comprehensive view of that work, identify priorities, and continue to improve the student experience."

"The information gained through this initiative will allow the Division of Student Affairs to collaborate in new ways with our campus partners to strengthen the entire student experience," said project co-leader Michelle Delaney, vice president for student affairs, who oversees offices including housing/residential life, accessibility services, student activities, and more, "Together, we can address barriers, enhance engagement, and support every student on their path to graduation."

"This initiative aligns directly with the mission of our Division of Student Success and Enrollment to support students from admission through graduation," said Benjamin Pauley, interim vice president for student success and enrollment. "By aligning our efforts across divisions, we can ensure every student has a clear path to success."

The Advancing Student Success initiative is delivered in partnership with the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), a consortium of state-designated public liberal arts universities of which Eastern is a part.

"My Gardner Institute colleagues and I are honored and excited to partner with Eastern and COPLAC in this important work," said Andrew Koch, chief executive officer of the Gardner Institute. "Our experience shows that programs, while necessary, are not enough on their own to produce lasting gains in student learning and success. Institutions make the greatest progress when they develop and implement a comprehensive plan for student success. This effort will help Eastern bring together strong existing work into a more coherent whole."

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