They Just Named Me Head of Retention: Now What Do I do?

Retention specialists come from many areas of higher education. Some, such as a First Year Programs Director, seem like a very natural fit. Others come from departments not traditionally associated with retention. At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which offers degree programs primarily in STEM fields, the Director of First Year Programs (FYP) had been considered the informal retention specialist of record until late 2013 when the Library Director was recruited to take on the newly created position of Dean of Retention and Student Success. This paper chronicles the ways in which the two colleagues learned about the state of retention at ERAU and worked with colleagues across campus to evaluate and improve programs designed to help students succeed, particularly in the gateway Math and Physics courses vital to the persistence of first-year students.