Powering Student Success through Connection and Community

Student retention is more important, and more challenging, than ever. Institutions are navigating tighter budgets, evolving student expectations, and growing pressure to improve outcomes. One reality stands out: students persist when they feel connected, supported, and seen.

Connection, however, doesn’t happen by accident. It requires visibility, access, and a sense of belonging across the student journey. Gary Ambrosino, Ready Education CEO, tells us why engagement matters more than ever, and how institutions are addressing this challenge through campus experience platform such as CampusGroups.

Student engagement and retention are top priorities across higher education. Why is connection so critical to student success?

Students who feel connected are far more likely to persist. When students can easily access resources, build relationships, and engage with their campus community, they’re more successful—academically and personally. But when support is fragmented or hard to find, retention suffers. We see this consistently in both data and partner conversations. Engagement isn’t a “nice to have”; it’s a leading indicator of persistence, belonging, and long-term success.

At Louisiana State University (LSU), one of our customers, students who join at least one student organization have a 90% retention rate, compared to 74% for those who don’t. As Josh Finch, Director of Campus Life, explains: “At LSU, we see a clear connection between involvement and persistence. Engagement truly drives success.”

Our focus at Ready Education is on helping institutions close awareness gaps and make engagement accessible to all students, not just the most confident or connected.

Can you share examples of how institutions are supporting students to improve outcomes?

One of the most important shifts we’re seeing is institutions moving away from siloed services toward whole-student support. At another one of our customers, Germanna Community College, that approach is deeply embedded in how students are served. “We give individualized, one-on-one support to all our students. We look at the whole student—where they are, where they want to go, and where they want to be—and we meet them there,” says Dr. Frank Cirioni, former Dean of Student Development. Student engagement platforms, such as CampusGroups, help institutions like Germanna extend that philosophy—connecting students to advising, wellness resources, academic support, and community spaces in one place.

From the student perspective, access to that ecosystem can be transformative. A student at Bridgewater State University shared:  “The platform helped me find my people and get a job as a Student Engagement Assistant. Getting involved in campus life has transformed my college experience for the better.” These moments of connection—finding community, purpose, and opportunity—are what keep students engaged and enrolled.

With budgets tightening, how can institutions improve ROI while enhancing the campus experience?

Institutions are under pressure to do more with less, but fragmented technology stacks make that increasingly difficult. Many campuses rely on separate tools for events, communications, surveys, onboarding, and student organizations—driving up costs while limiting visibility and impact.

Unified engagement platforms such as CampusGroups allow institutions to consolidate tools, reduce software spend, streamline training, and improve staff efficiency, while also simplifying the student experience.

In practice, this means students have fewer systems to navigate and clearer pathways to involvement. As one institution shared, “Instead of 17 different apps, students now have one place to connect, see what’s happening, and get involved.”

What role does engagement play beyond graduation?

Engagement shouldn’t stop at commencement. Campus engagement platforms can help institutions maintain strong alumni connections—supporting alumni clubs, career events, mentoring opportunities, and directories within a familiar digital environment. By personalizing content and maintaining community, institutions foster lifelong belonging while gathering valuable feedback that informs the student experience for future generations.