How VCU Created a Student Support Model That's Built to Last
Impact Highlights
+9pp
increase in six-year graduation rate across their 10-year Navigate360 partnership
3.4pp
decrease in the portion of students who earned a DFW since 2015
3yrs
of sustained 85%+ freshman retention, Fall 2022, 2023, and 2024
Background
Virginia Commonwealth University launched their first Navigate360 advising campaigns in Fall 2014 to better identify and support students whose needs were less visible after the first year.
When VCU shifted from faculty-based advising to full-time professional advisors in 2016, Navigate360 became the first shared advising platform across their decentralized campus. As VCU’s needs evolved over the years, so did their use of Navigate360 to address them.
Strategy
VCU has steadily used Navigate360 to build a more mature, data-informed student success operation. What started with connected student data and personalized advising campaigns grew into early alerts, automated outreach, shared workflows, and clear visibility into intervention effectiveness. Faculty could flag concerns earlier.
Advisors could see which students needed follow-up. Support teams could track whether students connected with support services. Each new layer gave VCU better information for the next one—making outreach more precise and less dependent on manual effort.
“Navigate360 lets us be
dynamic. We can react
very quickly in small
ways and big ways, and
provide what our
partners across campus
need, which allows for
such great collaboration.”
ALISON STEIGERWALD
DIRECTOR, STUDENT SUCCESS OPERATIONS
Results
VCU’s decade-long Navigate360 partnership has led to measurable gains across student success. Six-year graduation rates increased 9 percentage points, freshman retention has stayed above 85% for three years, and DFW rates have dropped 10.9 percentage points across five key courses. Advisor turnover fell from 20.46% to 6.48%, and coordinated support now spans 15+ offices across campus.
The progression of VCU’s Navigate360’s Partnership
-
Stage One
Pilot and early impact
-
Stage Two
Campus-wide shared advising platform
-
Stage Three
Earlier support signals
-
Stage Four
Advisor workforce stability
-
Stage Five
Coordinated support across the institution
A Decade of Partnership, Shaped One Win at a Time
Navigate360 Expanded into a Campus-Wide Student Success Operating System
| Navigate360’s Role | Impact | What it Unlocked | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2014-2015 Pilot and early impact |
VCU used predictive analytics and personalized campaigns in Navigate360 to improve persistence for priority student populations | +$346K in tuition revenue by retaining 65 additional students in Spring 2015 |
Early campaign wins justified expanding Navigate360 usage across campus |
|
2016 Campus-wide shared advising platform |
All undergraduate advisors use Navigate360 as a shared system for student info, appointments, notes, referrals, and follow up |
One platform replaced siloed, fragmented support tools |
A shared platform ensured faculty concerns went to the right advisor and ensured a clear system for follow-up |
|
2017-2018 Earlier support signals |
Faculty used early alerts and progress reports in Navigate360 to flag concerns and get students to advisors before issues escalated |
2-5pp decrease in DFW rates in Fall 2017 early alert pilot courses |
Earlier classroom signals helped VCU standardize advisor follow-up across colleges |
|
2022 Advisor workforce stability |
As VCU restructured advisor roles and compensation to reduce turnover, Navigate360 acted as a shared system to standardize and monitor outreach expectations across units |
13.98pp decrease in advisor turnover CY22–CY25 |
Clear workflows and follow-up expectations allowed VCU to automate reminders, nudges, and next steps for students |
|
2023-Today Coordinated support across the institution |
VCU expanded Navigate360 beyond advising to connect academic, advising, financial, housing, career, and support data across campus. Teams can build precise outreach lists using a fuller picture of each student’s needs and automate personalized outreach |
350+ unique student categories built from shared data across 15+ campus offices |
Connecting data across offices means outreach is now built on a more complete picture of each student than ever before |
VCU’s Proactive Model Improves Student Outcomes
Navigate360 Gives VCU Visibility Throughout the Entire Student Journey
More VCU Students Are Academically Successful
Share of undergraduates earning a DFW in at least one course, AY 2015–16 to 2024–25
Students Get Support Before Issues Escalate
Navigate360’s coordinated care network gives VCU advisors and staff in other support offices visibility
into who needs follow-up, who has connected with help, and what happens next. The result is higher
persistence, better grades, and the ability to spot patterns that inform future strategy.
Struggling
students are
noticed earlier
80%
progress report submission rate Fall 2025
They know
where they
stand
66%
of students said Progress Reports helped them understand performance Spring 2026
They’re more
likely to
persist
16.6pp
higher persistence for students with a negative alert who met with Support staff
Spring 2025 –
Fall 2025
They’re
recovering
academically
15pp
higher ABC rate for alerted students who attended advising Fall 2024
Their needs
are proactively
identified
77%
of unregistered students cited finances as an enrollment barrier Fall 2025
The Impact of Campus-Wide Coordinated Care
VCU Is Helping More Students Make It to Graduation on Time
Academic Momentum Translated into Timely Graduation
Four-Year Graduation Rate for First-Time Freshman Cohorts
Fall 2015 – Fall 2021
50.2%
four-year graduation rate
for Fall 2021 cohort, their
highest on record
2pp
increase in four-year
graduation rate
Fall 2015 – Fall 2021
3.9pp
decrease in the gap
between first-year
retention and four-year
graduation
Fall 2015 – Fall 2021
Help more students thrive with Navigate360
Connect your teams, strengthen student support, and help more students succeed with Navigate360.