About Our Courses

Our online courses are designed to be as close as possible to in-person instruction—providing attendees with the same content and opportunities to interact with classmates and the instructor—and are enhanced with pedagogy and teaching techniques that are uncommon or impractical in a traditional classroom format. These courses typically run between four and five weeks, with the majority of instruction occurring in an asynchronous environment. Asynchronous instruction is neither time-bound nor location-bound and does not require the simultaneous participation of all students and instructors. It uses tools such as email, threaded discussions/forums, listservs, and blogs. Participants will earn 1.5 continuing education units.

*The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition values open dialogue and respectful discourse. As such, the views of vendors, presenters, and participants during events, and courses may not be representative of those of the Center or the University of South Carolina.

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Academic Recovery Program Development

June 1-26, 2026

Instructor: Cathe Nutter, Executive Director of Academic Advising, Texas A&M University - Texarkana

 

Course Description:

Academic Recovery Advising (ARA) is at its core a proactive, targeted advising practice specifically designed to engage academically at-risk students. It requires intentional engagement with students who may not realize they need help, and will include elements of developmental, prescriptive, and appreciative academic advising depending on the needs of each student. This course is designed to help you begin or re-imagine an ARA program based on your unique situation in your institution.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain an understanding of literature and context surrounding ARA
• Examines the concept of needs assessment
• Cultivate a Proposal and Action Plan for participant’s own campus
• Develop an actionable strategy for enhancing student success and retention through specific, targeted proactive academic advising

Course Materials / Textbooks:

• Suggested: Dial, M. (2022). Academic recovery: Supporting Students on academic probation. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
• Other materials will be provided as pdfs or links

About the Instructor:

Cathe Nutter is an experienced academic advisor and higher education administrator. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Research from Texas Tech University, where her dissertation examined academic advising styles relevant to academic recovery students. She is active in student retention research and presents her findings at a variety of advising and college student retention conferences. She also teaches first-year writing courses and first-year success courses. She has developed first-year courses for specific student groups as well as academic success courses for students in academic jeopardy. Cathe currently serves as the Executive Director for Academic Advising at Texas A&M University – Texarkana.

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Understanding and Supporting Transfer Student Success

July 6-31, 2026

Instructor: Catherine Hartman, Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership, North Carolina State University

 

Course Description:

Transfer students are a significant and growing undergraduate population on campuses across the U.S. Promoting transfer student success requires institutional agents to understand and support students’ navigation of the transfer process and their acclimatation to new institutions. As such, this course will provide foundational information about transfer, including national trends in transfer. Participants will also explore characteristics of transfer students, assets they bring with them to their institutions, and institutional barriers that impact their success. Participants will engage in learning activities and create equity-minded actionable plans that reinforce support for transfers.

Learning Outcomes:

As a part of this course, participants will:

• Understand national trends, literature, and data associated with student transfer  
• Examine and understand the characteristics and assets of transfer and transfer-intending students
• Explore common tools and practices institutions use to meet transfer students needs
• Evaluate the ways in which programs or initiatives may or may not support transfer students’ transitions, engagement, and success during the transfer process
• Develop equity-minded strategies for promoting transfer student success within and across institutions, including through pathways, initiatives, and policies

Course Materials / Textbooks:

No textbook is required for this course

About the Instructor:

Catherine Hartman is an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership and Faculty Scholar at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Her research focuses on community college student persistence and engagement, community college student transfer to four-year schools, and community college leadership. Catherine also serves as an Affiliate Scholar for the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and was named a 2025-2026 Fellow for the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

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Understanding and Advancing First-Generation Student Success in

Higher Education

October 5-30, 2026

Instructor: LaNaé Budden, Director of the First-Generation Center, University of South Carolina

Course Description:

More than half of undergraduates in the United States are first-generation college students. These trailblazers bring resilience, determination, cultural wealth, and fresh perspectives that strengthen and energize our campuses. At the same time, they often navigate complex academic, financial, and social landscapes without the built-in guidance of family experience. This course explores strategies for advancing first-generation college student success. Participants will examine the historical foundations of federal support programs, including the Higher Education Act of 1965 and TRIO, and explore how institutions define and serve first-generation students. Using an asset-based framework, the course addresses structural and cultural barriers, data-informed decision-making, targeted initiatives, and high-impact practices. The course concludes with practical strategies for faculty and staff advocacy, equipping participants to foster belonging and translate learning into actionable steps within their professional roles. 

• Week One: Course overview and participant meet and greet - Wednesday, October 7 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time zone)  

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the historical foundations of first-generation student support, including the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Council for Opportunity in Education, and TRIO programs. 
• Define first-generation college students using multiple institutional frameworks and describe key demographic characteristics, intersectional identities, and strengths of this population. 
• Apply an asset-based paradigm to analyze cultural and structural barriers that first-generation students may experience within higher education institutions. 
• Interpret institutional data metrics (e.g., retention rates, graduation rates, credit hour completion) to assess student success and inform support strategies. 
• Identify and evaluate targeted initiatives that support first-generation students from recruitment through graduation, including academic support programs, orientation models, living-learning communities, high-impact practices, and engagement by faculty, staff, and families/supporters. 

Course Materials / Textbooks:

There is no required textbook. All readings will be included as PDF versions available through Blackboard or as links to publicly available sources. 

About the Instructor:

Dr. LaNaé Budden is a proud first-generation college graduate and the inaugural Director of the First-Generation Center at the University of South Carolina. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, she is deeply committed to ensuring first-generation students feel seen, supported, and empowered. She connects students with meaningful resources, builds campus partnerships, and leads initiatives that help students confidently navigate their path to graduation and beyond. 

Dr. Budden has served in senior leadership roles including Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities at Columbia College, as well as Program Advisor for Leadership Programs and Women’s Student Services at the University of South Carolina. She also serves as an executive board member for South Carolina Women in Higher Education and has taught as an adjunct professor in Columbia College’. 

She earned her degrees from Old Dominion University, Bowling Green State University, and Nova Southeastern University. Outside of work, she enjoys RVing with her family, playing basketball with her daughter, and volunteering in her community.

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The following course is full

*No new registrations permitted*

Expand allEngaging the Unengaged: Helping Students Find their Purpose in College (April 13-May 8, 2026)

Course Description:
There is growing evidence that today’s college students are becoming less engaged in the
college experience, leading to increased drop-out rates, and negatively affecting mental
health, general well-being, and many other facets of students’ lives. The central focus of
this course is helping students identify and develop their own vision for their future,
connecting purpose and personal meaning to academic persistence. To this end we will
examine the disengagement phenomenon through current research and scholarship,
institutional data analysis, and practical intervention design. Participants will explore
intrinsic and extrinsic influences on engagement and discuss strategies for engaging
students in Hi-Impact Practices (HIPs). We will use institutional data to identify risk
patterns and apply tools—including AI—to design structured, evidence-based
interventions and programming that support student purpose, persistence, and success.
The course culminates in an AI-assisted engagement plan aligned to HIPs.

Course Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain major research findings related to student engagement.
2. Analyze institutional data indicators associated with disengagement and attrition.
3. Apply motivational frameworks to support student purpose, agency, and
persistence.
4. Design structured interventions using reflective practices and AI-supported tools.
5. Develop an institutional engagement framework aligned to recognized standards
and success metrics.

Required Course Materials:
1. Access to an advanced AI tool - ChatGPT Plus, Gemini Advanced (via Google One AI
Premium), CoPilot Pro, or something similar. They are usually around $20 a month
and some may have a free trial version. The AI must be robust enough to help you
develop a quality, academically informed intervention or program plan with an
assessment component.
2. There is no required textbook. All readings will be included as PDF versions
available through Blackboard or as links to publicly available sources.

About the Instructor:

David Waddell is the Associate Director of First-Year Experience and directs the Second
Year Success Program at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He also oversees New
Student Orientation and First-gen support. David has spent the last 20 years leading
university level initiatives. He was the founding director of BYU’s ONice of Experiential
Learning, directed the integration of career and academic advising in the colleges of
humanities and social sciences, and created curriculum and training for professional
competency development and the college-to-career transition. Currently, he oversees a
pilot eNort to improve student success and retention among second-year students. David has also been developing training for using AI in program framing and evaluation.

David’s teaching experience at the university spans 20 years, from history and humanities
to student development topics like grad school prep and career and self-exploration. He
holds BA and MA degrees in History and is currently pursuing a PhD in Instructional
Psychology and Technology.