Grayson College Launches Caring Campus

Grayson College is one of five Texas community colleges selected to work with the Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) to incorporate Caring Campus into their student success efforts in the Fall 2022 semester.

The four other Texas colleges are:

• Tyler Junior College
• Paris Junior College
• Temple College
• Victoria College

Supported by IEBC coaching and guidance, college teams will engage in work developing specific behavioral commitments, helping faculty and staff to better connect with, and support, students to help them reach their educational goals.

“We’ll be focusing on creating a better work environment for staff through Caring Campus,” Robyn Voight, Director of Human Resources said. “A workforce focused on ideas and mutual respect for each other can foster innovation and creativity in serving students.”

The Texas program is funded by the Greater Texas Foundation (GTF), a private foundation which envisions a state where all students have equal opportunity to access and succeed in postsecondary education. GTF awarded a $597,754 grant to IEBC to implement its Caring Campus program in two rounds of implementation starting in Fall 2022 and extending through 2023.

“The goal is to increase students’ overall success by implementing specific behaviors leading to cultural shifts on campus,” IEBC President/CEO Brad Phillips said.

Fewer than 90 colleges across the country are currently implementing Caring Campus. Improvements have been reported in course retention and success, increased term-to-term persistence and improved completion and transfer. Achievement gaps are being closed rapidly among demographic groups. Job satisfaction and relationships between staff, faculty and leadership also improved.

"We are a campus that cares about our community, and this will serve to further deepen our work.” GC President Dr. Jeremy McMillen said. “The College staff have the first interaction with visitors and future students on campus, and I look forward to their suggested improvements."

Caring Campus recognizes and leverages the value of connectedness to increase the likelihood that students will continue toward, and succeed in attaining, their educational goals. Faculty and staff interactions with students can set the stage for successful enrollment, persistence and completion. It is particularly important for students from historically underserved populations and students less familiar with college to feel welcome and that they belong in college.