Think back to the beginning of freshman year: how many friends did you have at orientation who did not complete their education at Connecticut College? Your list might turn out to be longer than expected. According to Dean of the College Carolyn Denard, Conn’s average retention rate over the past decade has been about 90%. At a school with just over 1,900 students, the absence of that 10% is largely noticeable among campus community. Dean Denard cited a number of reasons that students transfer, including the possibility that “a student has decided to attend a larger school, is interested in a major we don’t offer, has a health issue or has other personal reasons for leaving.”
As one junior who contemplated leaving Connecticut College said, “The bubble here can be so stifling.” Conn’s small size and distance from the heart of New London all contribute to an isolating and remote feeling that many incoming students are not necessarily prepared for. A number of factors contribute to the preconceived notions that incoming students have about college life, and it is the job of the current students, staff and faculty to ensure that incoming students have an accurate idea of what Conn’s culture is in order to attract students that will thrive in our campus’s atmosphere. The same student also said, in regards to thoughts about transferring; “What ultimately made me stay were the amazing friends I made and the academics; I have such close bonds with some of the professors here. I would be heartbroken to leave them.”
Conn’s student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which provides the time and opportunity for strong connections and relationships to form and ultimately help students throughout their college careers, as well as into the so-called “real world.” However, academics are only a portion of what makes up the campus environment.
The key to increasing the retention rate, it seems, is to improve the student experience. “All of the curricular and co-curricular programs—from curriculum review, to top-notch faculty, to expanded research and internship opportunities, to recent-run movies, to late hours at Ruane’s Den and many others—are designed to make the student experience at Connecticut College meaningful, engaging and fun,” said Dean Denard. Reaching out to first-year students is also an initiative that is receiving more attention from the staff of the school.
Recently, a number of changes and programs have been made that might address some of the main issues that cause students to transfer out of Conn. The Office of Residential Education and Living has implemented Camel Chats that, according to Scott McEver, garnered significant participation from the freshman class. The third Chat, hosted before spring break, saw 70% participation from the freshman class, and the first one saw 85%.
Zoe Davis ’16, a floor governor in Freeman, explained to the Voice in an email, “I have found that Camel Chats have helped me meet every freshmen on my floor and get to know them better, which then leads to a better freshman experience because they have someone they can turn to for advice or help, from homesickness to what to wear for the winter formal to venting about a challenging test.” Smith Floor Governor Kamal Kariem ’16 echoed Davis’s sentiments, adding that the Camel Chats allowed him to take initiative when reaching out to freshmen, instead of waiting for them to reach out to him.
Other newly instituted programs include the I’m IN Campaign, Dean Talk Backs and Parent Call-Ins. Starting next year, freshmen will also be housed more closely to one another to create a stronger sense of community. Ideally, these programs and general changes will ensure that the concerns of freshmen are met early and effectively so that their needs can be addressed, and thus, students will be encouraged to return to Conn for their sophomore year. •
