Affluence vs. Influence: Affirmed to Succeed in Higher Ed

Over the years, the definition of student success has evolved. What was deemed important twenty or thirty years ago has faded into the background of current student needs. Research on millennial definitions of success has revealed that what matters now, is much different than what previous generations valued. For example, Millennial and Generation Z students still value job security, yet they have low expectations surrounding job security. These generations have altered views of careers, work, and overall life. Ultimately this means, these generations’ approach to higher education has also shifted. And while the full scope of Covid-19’s impact has yet to be researched and reported, there has been another significant shift within higher education as a whole. This article discusses actions that influence student success. More importantly, it evaluates how students are being affirmed outside of grades alone.

Affluence vs. Influence

Affluence refers to an individual’s possession of wealth and resources. Oppositely, influence refers to a person’s ability to control or change another person’s actions or viewpoints. In previous generations affluence was valued over influence. The pursuit of higher education was rooted in the idea that you went to school so that you could secure a good job with benefits and provide for your family. The tables have turned with individuals realizing that influence can be used to impact affluence. Just think about it, over the past few years we have seen the emergence of an entirely new career path — Influencer. Job attainment and career success are no longer solely reliant on grade point averages (GPAs). So how are we in higher education meeting student needs in the face of these changes?

Areas of Affirmation

As higher ed leaders, our educational practices must evolve. I recently shared thoughts on how co-curricular programming is necessary for workforce readiness. However, I would like to pause and take a look at another area of student support, affirmation. Our affirmation, or lack thereof, of students outside of GPA drives direct impact on student success. Many areas of opportunity for affirmation beyond GPA exist in the realm of identity. First thought is usually gender or sexually oriented focused. However, there are other identity areas that should also be affirmed within higher education. These identity rooted areas of affirmation include:

• Veteran Status
• First-generation Identity
• Currently/Formerly Incarcerated Status
• Socioeconomic Identity
• Disability Status
• Religion, Spirituality, and Secularism Status
• Immigration and Documentation Status

As you may guess, each of these groupings would define success differently. Moreover, based on their selected grouping, an individual’s personal values would also vary. This means that our efforts to affirm students must reach beyond academic grades as the most valued areas of accomplishment. We must also be sensitive to the intersecting and changing identities within these groups.

Ways to Influence and Affirm Success

With the influence of millennials and digital natives continuing to grow in higher education, many institutions are shifting their focus to remain relevant and impactful. However, with so much change happening at once, how can we continue to accelerate the pace of innovation?

To remain ahead of the curve, it’s important that we reassess our own beliefs as individuals and leaders within this industry. We need a redefined sense of what it means to be successful, both personally and professionally. To truly advance our work in higher education, we must affirm student success through five key ways:

1. Be more inclusive and reflective. Successful students are more than just their grades and test scores. They come from a variety of backgrounds, religions, and cultures. We must be more inclusive in our practices by:

• Recognizing that each student’s path is unique and valid, regardless of race, class, or background
• Recognizing that each student is responsible for their progress, not just their grades and test scores
• Building trust and a safe space for all students to share their experiences and learn from one another

2. Create safe environments for experimentation and risk-taking. Students are expected to navigate a very fast-paced and difficult environment with high expectations. To do this, they have to have the freedom and safety to experiment, explore, and make mistakes. In today’s world, we must also challenge the idea that everything worth knowing can be learned in the classroom. There are many skills that cannot be acquired through a textbook or computer screen. As leaders, we must be willing to step outside the classroom to provide opportunities for students to develop their skills in a real-world setting. This could mean opening up your campus to local organizations, students’ families, or even having students go abroad to learn. In doing so, we can reach a larger scale of students, while also providing authentic experiences that prepare them for success.

3. Provide opportunities for students to find their passion. There are many paths to success, and it’s important to recognize that not all of them require a degree. We must create opportunities for students to explore passions, build networks, and develop skills that can be applied in any industry. This can sometimes happen in formalized settings, like academic partnerships or company speaker series, and other times informally in student-led clubs and organizations. Understanding what your institution offers that could benefit the wider community is a critical first step. If you aren’t sure, ask yourself these questions: What kinds of opportunities are we offering students? Where could they be applied? By doing this, you can support students’ passions and find new ways to have an impact in their communities — all while strengthening connections and engagement on campus.

4. Engage student ownership. Higher education has traditionally been an authoritative and top-down system of learning. But in this new era, students want to be more involved in the decision-making and creative process. Rather than dictating the rules, we can empower students to take ownership of their learning by:

• Giving students a voice in shaping the curriculum and engaging in decision-making
• Recognizing that students are experts in their own learning
• Providing opportunities for students to contribute to their community, through either service or creating products or services for others

5. Commit to constant growth and development. Students are looking for an institution that offers more than just the latest technology and teaching techniques. They want to find an institution that is committed to growth and development for the whole person. That is, the development of the whole student — mind, body, and spirit. This could mean incorporating wellness initiatives such as meditation or yoga, or even developing a culture of mindfulness. It could also mean providing resources and services to support students’ personal growth and development, such as career services, financial aid, and mental health services.

To remain ahead of the curve, it’s important that we reassess our own beliefs as individuals and leaders within this industry.

The future of higher education depends on our ability to create a culture of success that is inclusive, accessible, and personalized for each student. By affirming students beyond their GPA, we can reach more students and accelerate the pace of innovation in higher education. When students feel wholly supported and affirmed, they move from chasing affluence to being individuals of influence. The goal is leveraging their influence towards affluence, thus success becomes about more than just one thing.