AERIAL VIEW OF Indiana University Northwest from the Southeast corner of campus.
Indiana University Northwest was recently awarded opportunities and funding to further support all its students, specifically historically underrepresented, low-income and first-generation students.
Through the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) national initiative and funding from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE), the campus will continue to work toward closing the equity gap to boost student success.
“I am very happy that IU Northwest is involved in both of these efforts,” Chancellor Ken Iwama said. “The partnership and state funding will help our campus to further our goal of building a campus that is committed to meeting the academic and professional needs for all students, with increased support of historically underrepresented, low-income and first-generation students. And as an IU regional campus, that is central to our mission.”
Through AASCU’s national initiative, the program — funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — is a comprehensive multi-year initiative designed to help institutions close the equity gaps of their Black, Latine, Indigenous and low-income students.
Over three years, IU Northwest will work with AASCU to gather information and feedback; reflect on strengths, challenges and opportunities; identify and prioritize root challenges to student success; develop and implement strategies to achieve student success priorities; and monitor and evaluate the outcomes of these strategies.
Throughout the process, IU Northwest will have access to resources, such as online modules and webinars, and receive support from subject matter experts in data analytics, equity, student success, advising, institutional transformation and strategic and systems planning. The initiative also involves peer-to-peer learning across institutions via in-person and virtual Student Success Academies.
IU Northwest will be joined by the other IU regional campuses, including IU East, IU Kokomo, IU South Bend and IU Southeast.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) announced that IU Northwest was a recipient of the 2023 College Success Program grant.
Support from the ICHE’s College Success grant will provide IU Northwest with funding to hire a full-time, dedicated success coach that will assist in driving admission, enrollment, persistence, completion and post-graduate attainment for all 21st Century Scholars.
The success coach will also serve as a consistent means of support for IU Northwest 21st Century Scholars by leveraging data and technology to make early interventions and celebrate student success.
Through their support, 21st Century Scholars will be empowered to make decisions about courses and campus involvement, career direction and long-term plans. Holistically, the success coach will provide curriculum and co-curriculum support.
Additional IU campuses that received similar funding, include IU Bloomington, IU Columbus, IU East, IU Fort Wayne, IU Indianapolis, IU Kokomo, IU South Bend, IU Southeast and IU Online.
