Higher Ed Advisor: innovative support services boost student outcomes and fiscal resiliency

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

This podcast is the 14th episode in our fiscal resiliency series for higher education institutions.

How do colleges and universities meet the unique needs of a diverse student body and strive for fiscal resiliency and agility at the same time? It starts with building meaningful relationships with “today’s student,” explain Katie Aranda, Iowa Wesleyan University’s (IWU) Associate Dean of Student Success Initiatives and Paul Shepherd, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities’ (Minnesota State) Director for Student Development and Success. Paul and Katie join this fiscal resiliency episode to conceptualize what it really means to be “student-ready.” We dive into innovative ways institutions are becoming student-ready as they redesign and connect their student support models to give today’s students (many of whom are first-generation undergraduates or adult-learners) access to critical services and resources when and where they need them most.

Learn about the creative strategies that have helped IWU and Minnesota State meet students’ changing needs, including:

• Leveraging technology and clearing pathways for students to better utilize and access existing resources