Here on the Hill, the McDaniel community strives to climb higher and see farther — and celebrate the individuals who do the same. Whether with national rankings like the college’s fourth consecutive year as a "Best Value" regional university in the north by U.S. News & World Report, celebrating the individual and collaborative expertise of faculty members, or supporting students who seek prestigious grants and scholarships, we are proud of the community of excellence we have cultivated at McDaniel College.
In June 2022, McDaniel kicked off the fiscal year by introducing a new position, hiring Christine Moran, Ph.D., as the inaugural associate vice president of student success. In her first year at the college, she worked closely with Academic Life, Residence Life, and Financial Aid to increase the college’s retention rate to 76%, a 5% increase over the previous year and a 1% increase over the pre-pandemic rate.
A new student success management system was implemented in the spring, which allows advisors to view a student’s profile and connections to faculty and staff. It includes success trackers that map which courses the student has to complete by a certain time to graduate, and includes early alerts or notes from faculty and staff that can inform student outreach. This software will allow McDaniel to deliver truly effective support and empower our students with timely information and tools.
Professional development was offered throughout the year for faculty and staff to better understand their roles in student success. In the spring, Academic Life partnered with the Wellness Center, the Center for Experience and Opportunity, and Financial Aid on four student success presentations:
1. Teaching Today’s Student & Managing Student Expectations
2. The Mental Health Crisis: What’s Going On & What Can We Do?
3. Understanding Financial Aid
4. Supporting Our Students by Better Understanding the Relationship between Academic Coursework & Career Paths