The Student Experience Project at USC

Fostering Belonging. Fueling Success.
USC is proud to participate in the Student Experience Project (SEP)! SEP is a national project designed to encourage an institutional growth mindset—and the belief that all students can succeed when given instructional support and clear communication of course expectations.

Why it matters:

The foundation of SEP is the growth mindset—the belief that intelligence and ability develop through effort, effective strategies, and support. This mindset is not just theoretical: it’s backed by a growing body of research in educational psychology, neuroscience, and learning science.

SEP's pilot study data reveals that when students report improved classroom experiences:

Their likelihood of earning an A or B increases
Their likelihood of earning a D, F, or W decreases

USC Student Experience Project (SEP) & the ASCEND Pilot Study

See how the Spring 2025 ASCEND Pilot Study assisted faculty in identifying learning conditions as students experienced them in the classroom.

How is USC participating?

At USC, a cohort of faculty are working together in a structured community of practice to:

Implement SEP strategies
Use formative student feedback to assess classroom climate
Apply student-centered teaching practices to support learning and belonging

This group is driving real change—course by course, conversation by conversation.

How can I get involved with SEP?

You don’t have to be part of the SEP cohort to start using student-centered strategies. The SEP provides tools for all instructors, no matter your schedule.

Choose a practice based on how much time you have:

15 minutes

- Normalizing Academic Difficulty in Early Alerts
- Addressing an Identity-Threatening Incident

1 hour

- Creating a Belonging Story
- Creating a Wise Feedback Framing Statement

A while

All practices come with step-by-step guidance and templates you can adapt.

Ready to use student-centered teaching?

hands holding a globe covered in icons used in developing UDL

Explore the First Day Toolkit

Kick off your semester with confidence using the First Day Toolkit—a ready-made resource created by SEP experts to help you create a learning environment where all students feel welcome and capable.

Have questions or want to get more involved?
Submit the SEP interest form

Contact

If you have questions about SEP, please email Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. (GARNET) or Mitchell Herring, Ed.D. (CTE).

Graduation and Retention Network