Elite Learner Success Lab Heads to Richard Bland College
Richard Bland College of William & Mary is one of only 10 institutions across the country that has been selected to participate in the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Learner Success Laboratory (LSL).
New this year, the LSL is part of a suite of Transformation Labs offered by ACE to guide colleges and universities through a structured strategic planning process to advance critical institutional priorities. Participants will work 12-18 months to integrate evidence-based practices for persistence and completion, life design and career exploration, and workforce skills development, ultimately producing a comprehensive strategy for learner success. The pilot cohort will begin work in October 2020 and is supported by a grant from the Strada Education Network.
“Richard Bland College will now have the opportunity to build upon its innovative Exceptional Student Experience program as a member of the elite LSL cohort,” says President Debbie L. Sydow. “Prioritizing student success in a highly diverse learning community is squarely in our wheelhouse, and this program will undoubtedly contribute to RBC’s aspirational goal of 100% student success.”
“Seize Your Potential,” RBC’s strategic plan, focuses on clearly defined pathways that outline workforce-friendly majors and credentials, making RBC an ideal fit for the LSL,” says Director of Student Success Celia Brockway. “This process will involve the entire RBC village and surrounding community. We look forward to propelling our strategic plan forward in collaboration with ACE and the LSL cohort institutions.”
“This is an important time to take action to further learner success, especially for post-traditional and traditionally underserved learners who are our new majority,” said Lindsey Myers, director of the Learner Success Lab. “As higher education reshapes itself in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions in the Learner Success Lab can leverage this opportunity to align their resources and build strategies that center and empower learners.”
The other institutions in the inaugural Learner Success Laboratory cohort include: Elon University, Iowa State University, Labouré College, Massasoit Community College, Southeast Missouri State University, Union Institute & University, University of Hawaii-West Oahu, Western Oregon University, and Windward Community College.
Institutions in the cohort serve approximately 67,000 undergraduate learners in total and comprise a diverse range of two-and four-year, public and private institutions, and several current or emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions.
Richard Bland College – Building on its Proud History as a Branch of William & Mary
Richard Bland College of William & Mary is a selective, residential two-year college offering academically rigorous programs, up to 80% financial assistance for high performing students, and intercollegiate athletics. The College’s Exceptional Student Experience (ESE@RBC) program provides each student with a dedicated Learner Mentor who uses real-time information to keep students on course to graduation. Richard Bland College professors are ranked among the best in the region, with over 80% of instruction delivered by full-time faculty. The College boasts a small and diverse student population of 2,200 on a picturesque 750+ acre campus located just south of Richmond, Virginia. www.rbc.edu
American Council on Education
ACE is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: two-year and four-year, public and private. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.
