Retention Ideas

We believe that our material is most effective when delivered on the first day of college so that students get off to the best possible start, when they are most anxious and need the most reassurance. As well as equipping students with lifelong success skills, Making Your Mark is designed to address students' most pressing questions on Day 1: Am I in the right place? Where will my education lead me? Will this be valuable to me? When these questions are answered, students can then turn their attention to developing individual, college and career skills, and a professional mindset.

Here are some ways that different colleges use Making Your Mark to help their students succeed:

Student-run peer workshops

A great way to develop student leadership skills–as well as to deliver the information in a peer-to-peer setting, which may appeal to students–is to train students to deliver workshops to other students–this can be done in a variety of settings: student councils, residences, peer tutors, student orientation leaders...

Student Services workshops

Many Student Services deparments purchase Making Your Mark for every first year student. Some colleges distribute the book in orientation kits and hold success workshops during orientation week; others recruit a representative or faculty member from each college program to deliver the workshop during a specific program course.

FYE and Intro to College courses

Making Your Mark is used as the text for First Year Experience courses, and/or as part of the curriculum for Introduction to College courses.

TRIO programs

Making Your Mark is used by Upward Bound programs, Talent Search programs, Student Support Services (SSS) projects, and Educational Opportunity Centers programs.

Student athlete workshops

Student athletes know what it takes to compete at a high-performance level in practice and in competition. Their commitment, dedication and work ethic are the foundation of high performance both on the field and off, although they may not readily make the off-field connection. Making Your Mark Student Athlete Seminars help athletes understand the tremendous strengths they currently possess in an athletic setting and assist them in transferring these strengths to their academic life, and eventually to their career path.