Student Success & Thriving
Student Success & Thriving Initiative
Student success at the University of Delaware is grounded in connection, belonging and shared responsibility. Creating a dynamic culture that supports student success requires campuswide collaboration to help students navigate the University and thrive throughout their UD experience.
Student thriving provides a shared framework for this work. It recognizes that success is holistic and shaped by academic experiences, relationships, wellbeing and access to support.
This work reflects a collective commitment to aligning people, resources and practices across the institution to better meet students’ needs. It depends on collaboration across roles and units, as well as a shared understanding of how each area contributes to the student experience.
This site serves as a central resource for information, priorities and campus initiatives related to student thriving.
Thriving from the Start: The Role of Faculty in Student Success
Tuesday, September 29, 12:45 p.m.–3 p.m.
Perkins Student Center, Rodney Room
Please join the Division of Student Life for a faculty workshop with Dr. Laurie A. Schreiner. Dr. Schreiner is Professor Emerita of Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University and a nationally recognized scholar of student success whose research led to the development of the Thriving Quotient.
This workshop will introduce faculty to an expanded vision of student success, one in which students are engaged intellectually, interpersonally and psychologically. Dr. Schreiner will highlight the role faculty play in creating learning environments where every student can succeed and share practical strategies for engaging more students in the learning process.
Lunch will be provided.*
Event Details
12:45–1:15 p.m.
Arrival, check-in and lunch pickup before the program begins
1:15-3:00 p.m.
Thriving from the Start: The Role of Faculty in Student Success
*Lunch will include vegetarian and vegan options. Due to the planning timeline, we are unable to accommodate individual dietary requests or guarantee an allergen-free environment. Guests with specific dietary needs should plan accordingly.
Priorities
Faculty and staff across UD have engaged in thoughtful conversations about student support and opportunities for improvement. These discussions revealed several consistent priorities:
- Strengthening connection and belonging as a foundation for student success
- Helping students navigate support, services and resources
- Reducing silos and building more coordinated, cross-functional approaches
- Connecting faculty, staff and units more intentionally around student success work
Together, these priorities reflect an opportunity to better align efforts and create a more seamless student experience.
Current and Upcoming Work
UD’s Student Success Group is translating insights from the 2026 Student Success Summit into coordinated next steps, including:
- Cross-functional collaboration (Spring 2026)
Focused work informed by summit feedback and survey findings to strengthen coordination and impact. - Campus-wide student survey (October 2026)
A University-wide survey created to better understand students’ experiences, needs and sense of connection across UD. - Student Success Summit 2027
March 24, 2027, featuring Dr. Amelia Parnell
These efforts will help guide intentional, data-informed action across the institution.
Stay Connected
The 2026 Student Success Summit marked an important milestone in this ongoing effort. Additional opportunities to engage and learn more will be shared in the coming months.
Learn more about the 2026 Student Success Summit and related initiatives.
Thank you for your continued commitment to supporting UD students and advancing student success and thriving.
