Great Basin College

Matt Aschenbrener

Educational Innovation Authority

Working in student affairs has shaped my approach to supporting student success and campus engagement by reinforcing that students need more than access to classes; they need connection, belonging, guidance and a clear pathway to support. This is especially true as online learning has become a central part of higher education. Whether students are taking a mix of online and in-person courses, enrolled fully online in the same community as the institution, or attending from a rural community far from campus, student affairs must help create an experience where students feel connected, supported and visible.

I have worked in student affairs for over 30 years, including the last 20 years as an AVP or VP, and I have seen student engagement change dramatically during that time. Engagement was once closely tied to physical presence on campus: attending class, participating in student organizations, meeting with faculty, or gathering for campus events. While that model still matters, student engagement today must be understood more broadly. Students may attend multiple campuses, complete courses online, work full time, care for family members, or move between virtual and in-person environments. At my current college, which serves a rural area of more than 80,000 square miles, these realities are especially visible, particularly in programs that combine online coursework with required in-person labs. However, they are not unique to rural institutions; they reflect the broader student experience across higher education.

In this environment, student affairs plays a critical role in designing systems that reach students wherever they are. Engagement should begin early in the student journey. One of the most important strategies is creating a strong digital front door. Orientation, first-term advising, success courses and academic planning should introduce remote learners to support services, involvement opportunities and expectations for success. An online student should leave orientation with the same confidence as an in-person student, knowing how to contact an advisor, access tutoring, find technology support and connect with campus life. Remote learners should also have one clear online place to access advising, tutoring, library support, financial aid, career services, student life and important deadlines. When services are scattered across offices or websites, students are more likely to feel isolated or confused. A centralized virtual hub reinforces that remote learners are full members of the college community, not simply users of online courses.

“These relationships often make the difference between students simply completing courses and students feeling that they truly belong.”

Communication also plays a critical role in engagement. Online learners often balance work, family responsibilities, military service, transportation challenges, or unpredictable schedules. They may never walk past an office, see a campus flyer, or hear about an event through a classmate. Because of this, outreach must be timely, personal and purposeful. Welcome messages, academic progress nudges, registration reminders and personal check-ins can help students stay connected and on track. Communication should be coordinated and help students feel seen and supported. I recently completed an online MBA, and that experience reinforced how communication serves as a student’s connection to the institution. I also found that too much communication can be just as harmful as too little. Students do not need endless emails that are not relevant to their experience, such as severe weather alerts from a campus two time zones away. Students need communication that is clear, meaningful and connected to their success and strengthens engagement.

Faculty and student affairs partnerships are also essential to online student success. Students are more likely to remain engaged when faculty are visible, responsive and approachable. Welcome videos, timely feedback, virtual office hours, discussion boards and interactive assignments can create meaningful connections within online courses. Student affairs strengthens this work by providing wraparound support, identifying barriers early and helping students build peer connections beyond the course shell. Student success communities, peer mentors and student ambassadors can make the college experience feel more personal and less isolating for remote learners. These relationships often make the difference between students simply completing courses and students feeling that they truly belong.

Campus engagement must extend beyond traditional campus boundaries. Virtual leadership opportunities, such as peer mentoring roles, hybrid events like orientation, online student organizations and community-based service experiences, allow students to participate regardless of where they live. Recognition is equally important. Highlighting the stories of working parents, rural students, adult learners, or military-connected students sends a powerful message: online students are not separate from campus culture. They are part of it.

My student affairs career, along with my recent online MBA experience, has reinforced that student success is both personal and relational. Online learning expands access, but access alone is not enough. Students also need connection, support, belonging and meaningful engagement if they are going to persist and succeed. By intentionally designing services, communication, leadership opportunities, peer support and community engagement around the realities of online and rural learners, student affairs can help all students feel supported, connected and empowered to succeed.