IMPACT REPORT Division of Student Engagement & Success 2024-2025
The Division of Student Engagement and Success is committed to enhancing the college experience and supporting students on their paths to success. Our mission is to assist students in navigating the challenges and opportunities of university life, promoting personal growth and development that lasts well beyond their graduation day. Through various departments, we provide a wide range of services and resources aimed at supporting all facets of student life, fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive campus atmosphere. In the 2024–25 academic year, our division focused on enhancing student well-being, sense of purpose, belonging, and academic support. This report showcases departmental achievements, innovations, and the dedicated individuals who contribute to our success. WHO WE ARE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT & SUCCESS
The Four Pillars of Student Success Student Engagement & Success Cultivating Holistic Health Guiding Career & Life Goals Fostering Community Connections Supporting Learning Pathways Well-being Belonging & Engagment Academic Achievement Sense of Purpose
Organizational Structure Student Engagement & Success Well-being Belonging & Engagment Dean of Students Sense of Purpose Campus Recreation & Wellness Financial Well-being Live Well UNG Student Accessibility Services Student Counseling Student Health Services Career Services Student Orientation & Success Adult Learners & Veterans Testing Center Housing & Residence Life Multicultural Student Affairs Student Involvement Student Care & Outreach Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) Office of Student Integrity Family Engagement First Gen Student Initiatives Student Success Technology Title IX VP Initiatives
Key Accomplishments Total Rec Center Facility Interactions (Fitness + Game Rooms) Freshmen Matriculation Rate (Orientation to Enrollment) Counseling Clients are retained to next term 209,917 97.35% 85% Economic Impact of Student Volunteers $44,635 Increase in Food Pantry Utilization 169% Student Engagement & Success Multiple programs successfully expanded to all 5 campuses Power of 5 Crisis Response Dean of Students, Counseling, and Title IX effectively managed multiple crises Recognition Military Friendly Gold, Best for Vets, National Testing Center Awards
EVENT SPOTLIGHT! BREAKS ALTERNATIVE Alternative Break experiences are service trips where students travel off-campus to engage with new communities through education, service, and reflection.
Well-being Pillar of Student Success
Campus Recreation & Wellness UNG’S Halo E-sports Team won the national title! CAMPUS RECREATION & WELLNESS Student employees earned degrees Student employee retention rate Student athletes who participated in Sport Teams (Rowing, Cheer & E-Sports) Sport club participants Wellness program participants across all five campuses Face-to-face programming interactions 17,489 2,988 247 143 93% 28 ... ... ... ... ... ... NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
Standout Achievements & Intramural Sports CAMPUS RECREATION & WELLNESS Well-being Intramurals By Campus Dahlonega 8,818 participations, 1,190 unique participants, 424 teams Gainesville 888 participations, 105 unique participants, 17 teams Oconee 799 participations, 156 unique participants, 33 teams Intramurals University-Wide 10,505 total participations 1,451 unique participants 474 teams across 18 sports Rec Facilities 209,917 facility interactions External Funding Generated $35,512 in grants/partnerships Leadership Scholarships $26,300 awarded to 30 sport team athletes Campus Expansion Successfully expanded programming to all 5 campuses Intramurals was a community that I belonged to. It allowed me to make lifelong friends and connect with the Dahlonega campus. Alex Parkman, Student
Financial Well-being FINANCIAL WELL-BEING Well-being Office Growth Food Pantry Student Outreach 43% increase in appointments $54,000 secured in grant funds Created two graduate assistant positions & added student workers 169% increase in utilization 4,000+ community members supported Relocated DAH food pantry to a more centralized location Formation of the Basic Needs Council; creating a systematic approach to addressing student needs Multi-Campus Approach Addressed needs across all five campuses
Live Well UNG LIVE WELL UNG Well-being Mental Health First Aid Certifications QPR Certifications Suicide Prevention Traiing Fundraised At Helpful Harvest Event Awarded in Grants Peer Health Educators Across all five campuses (expanded from two) Well-being Events Student Engagements 16 241 2,988 192 187 $2,887 $9,913 Notable Achievements Northside Hospital partnership provided preventative care Well-being Champions recognition program founded Integrated employee well-being components Conducted the National College Health Assessment (NCHA)
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES Well-being Sensory Room Created new sensory room on Gainesville campus in partnership with Accessibility Advocacy Group Testing Services Comprehensive testing services across four campuses with significant volume Community Outreach Extensive K-12 transition training for multiple school districts Training programs for special education teachers and administrators across multiple counties Hosted "Managing Classroom Conflict with Students on the Spectrum" and "Accessibility in Action" workshops Faculty/Staff Training Student Accessibility Services
STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES Well-being 540 652 729 Intake meetings held Intake requests received Accomodation notification meetings ADHD 41.2% Psychological 33.8% Learning Disabilities 25% Top Disabilities Served UNG students registered with SAS (consistent high service level) Captioning hours provided 7.35% 7.35% 256.74 256.74 Student Accessibility Services
Student Counseling 85% of students seen by student counseling in Academic Year 2023-2024 either enroll the following semester or graduate. Mental Health Trends Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) cases increased by 19.13% Suicidal ideation decreased by 5.22% (still represents 31% of all present students) Ideations of violence toward others decreased by 7.94% New Groups Established Mental Health in Today’s Culture Hero’s Journey General Mental Health STUDENT COUNSELING Well-being Therapy Hours Provided to 825 unique clients Wait Time Reduced average wait time in days (19.79% decrease from last year) Programming Reached 15,066 people Unique Clients Crises Increase in after-hours crises including multiple student deaths Group Therapy Hours of group therapy (34 sessions total) 3,045 320 2.27 825 255 87.5%
Student Health Services STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES Well-being 7,523 3,754 Student immunization records processed Provider visits 2,459 Nursing visits (+4% increase) 2,108 Laboratory tests (+51% increase) 918 Flu vaccines (+70.65% increase) 281 TB tests (+205% increase) 220 Other immunizations (+31% increase) Telehealth Launch 24 telehealth visits (began January 2025) Laboratory Growth 51% increase in lab tests shows expanded services Vaccination Success Increases across all vaccination categories
HOMECOMING AFTER DARK 2025 AFTER DARK
Sense of Purpose Pillar of Student Success
Student Appointments CAREER SERVICES Sense of Purpose Professional renovation of space led to a 380% increase in the GVL campus closet 370 clothing items provided to 181 students via Nigel's Career Closet 51% increase in Career Fair attendance First GVL Etiquette luncheon showed strong learning outcomes via post-event surveys Employer approval changes led to 42,162 new employers registering (1,683% increase) 20,749 student job & internship applications submitted through the system (57% increase) 1,595 individual student appointments (8.2% increase) Data shows the effectiveness of appointments (3.05 to 4.68 on ability to handle career issues on a 5-point scale) Career Services Handshake UNG’s online job posting platform Programming Nigel’s Career Closet
Transfer Scholarships Awarded Graduates for 2024-25 (transfers, adult learners, veterans) Transfer Student Persistence % (Over a period of 3 semesters) # of Veterans (up from last year) # of Adult Learners (up from last year) Combined Enrollment ... ... ... ... ... ... Adult Learners & Veterans (transfers, adult learners, veterans, readmits) 7,000 2,985 563 68% 1,667 25 STUDENT ORIENTATION & SUCCESS Sense of Purpose Launched the Heroes Kitchen The Heroes Kitchen supports student veterans by providing fresh, healthy meals in the Veterans Resource Lounge Recognized as a VIQTORY Media Military Friendly School
Veterans Resource Lounges (VRLs) & Adult Learner & Transfer Lounges (ALTLs) STUDENT ORIENTATION & SUCCESS Sense of Purpose It is the most inviting and welcoming place on campus, and I really enjoy spending time in here. Everyone is so nice. Mrs. Russell has been a godsend for me. I don't have much support at home, but she has really been encouraging to me and given me lots of advice. She encouraged me to use the food bank, which I have been doing now. She took me down there the first time, so I wasn't nervous. UNG Adult Learner The lounge has granted me access to personal resources I needed when times were difficult; the pantry items help me feed myself when I don't have enough money for food and the faculty has helped me get hardship scholarships when I didn't know how to pay for my rent and was almost evicted. We also received help multiple times over holidays from the staff finding organizations to donate needed items. UNG Adult Learner As an older student, I felt more at home when surrounded by other people my age. We're focused on different things in life than most college students, and it's nice to connect with people who are likeminded in that sense. UNG Adult Learner Meeting the VA representative there changed my life, and he helped me with my disability rating. UNG Student Veteran Without the lounge, I probably wouldn't have been at UNG as long as I have. It's a great place for support and veterans to connect. UNG Student Veteran
Student Orientation STUDENT ORIENTATION & SUCCESS Sense of Purpose Number of students served at orientation 5,341 Family/Supporters served at orientation 1,839 Matriculation rate for new freshmen (orientation to enrollment) 97% Orientation leaders trained 27 Percent of students who felt more prepared after attending orientation (90% made connections) 97% Great experience. I was very nervous to go through orientation, but I was able to make friends and learn about being a successful college student.
Testing Center CLEP GACE Prometric Pearson Vue 667 2026 2851 3924 TESTING CENTER Sense of Purpose Top 20 CLEP Center Awards Gainesville campus nationally recognized Prometric earned back-to-back Inspired Test Center Awards $33,234 Savings for high school students (192 students, 30% pass rate) Number of Tests Administered
EVENT SPOTLIGHT! Fall 2024 Nighthawk Kickoff Fall 2024 Annual Student Convocation Annual Student Convocation
Belonging & Engagement Pillar of Student Success
Department of Housing & Residence Life DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND RESIDENCE LIFE Belonging & Engagement 483 residence hall programming events across Four Pillars 300+ students participated daily during first annual Residence Life Week 600+ local residents at community focused Trunk or Treat event PROGRAMMING RESIDENCE LIFE WEEK TRUNK OR TREAT 483 300+ 600+ 200+ 200+ volunteers for Fall 2024 Move-In Days MOVE-IN DAYS !!! Successfully supported UNG's largest freshman class ACHIEVEMENT 2781 residents lived on campus during Fall 2024, 2158 non-cadets and 623 cadets (99.6% occupancy rate)
Multicultural Student Affairs MSA’s nine active student organizations hosted 115 events drawing 3,685 attendees MULTICULTURAL STUDENT AFFAIRS Belonging & Engagement 77 2,858 77 departmental events across all five campuses 2,858 total event attendees 18 18 collaborations with other departments 41 41 student leaders with 3.27 average GPA 89% Per post-event surveys, 89% of participants expressed increased cultural awareness 91% Per post-event surveys, 91% expressed interest in learning more about cultures African American Male Initiative: 31 participants across multiple campuses Latinx Graduation: 73 graduates (30 Fall + 43 Spring), 268 total since program began
Student Involvement STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Belonging & Engagement Registered Student Organizations Event Participants Student Events & Meetings Student Activity Fees Allocated Volunteer Hours Economic Impact Fraternity/Sorority Students Raised For Philanthropies By Fraternity/Sorority Life Contributing 1,283 Service Hours 203 859 $44K 833 $1.64M $273K 10,443 3,848 of Volunteer Hours (11.7% of Dahlonega Campus) Notable Achievements BOLD Leadership Program: 92-96% achievement on learning outcomes Student Conference on Leadership: 79 attendees (34% increase) Fraternity/Sorority Life: 15,022 service hours, 97 service events Executive Leader Success: 3.34 GPA average for RSO leaders vs 3.18 undergraduate average
Gamification Initiative STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Belonging & Engagement What is Gamification? Gamification adds game-like elements such as points, badges, and rewards to non-gaming activities to increase user engagement and motivation. Success! Student Involvement successfully implemented gamification strategies to boost student participation in events and programming across all five campuses.
Blue & Gold Awards EVENT SPOTLIGHT! Student Organization Annual Award Ceremony
Dean of Students
Student Care & Outreach & Behavior Intervention Team OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS Dean of Students Reorganization 100% informal resolution rate for student complaints 88% course completion rate for student support cases 70% of BIT students finished term in good academic standing 0.5 point GPA increase for students who met with DOS staff vs. those who didn't (for academic alert cases) Successfully managed several student deaths, hurricane, school shooting, and biohazard fire Restructuring of the department to include a new Senior Dean of Students Took ownership of the Academic Alert program, and successfully integrating it with Flight Support Added 3 new full-time staff positions Crisis Response Notable Achievements Case Management 7,082 Excused Absence Requests 1,229 Student Support 1,004 Academic Alerts 185 Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) 10,514 total cases managed across all programs 58 Designated Public Forum 447 Hardship Withdrawal 18 Student Complaints 485 Student Conduct & Integrity 6 Student Deaths
Office of Student Integrity OFFICE OF STUDENT INTEGRITY Dean of Students Risk-Reduction Course Percentage of students who completed the BASICS Alcohol Risk-Reduction Course did not experience another alcohol-related infraction for the 2024-2025 academic year. Academic Integrity Percentage of students who completed the Integrity Seminar Course did not experience another academic misconduct infraction for the 2024-2025 academic year. Ethical Awareness Percentage of students who completed the UNG Ethical Awareness & Reasoning Seminar are enrolled for a future semester at UNG. Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence OSI had a goal for the 24-25 academic year of increasing efforts surrounding awareness of academic integrity and the responsible use of AI. To assist in accomplishing this goal, the office conducted 10 targeted efforts (e.g, presentations, social media posts, and departmental conversations) about the topic. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Reports Submitted Cases Created Academic Misconduct Behavioral Misconduct 572 485 314 171 98.02% 92.86% 100% *15.59 days: Average Time from Case Creation to Adjudication (down from last year)
BLACK ALUMNI REUNION Co-hosted by MSA & the Alumni Association 70 attendees, including faculty, staff, and students Alumni in attendance ranged from class of 1974 and 2008 EVENT SPOTLIGHT!
VP Initiatives
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT INITIATIVES VP Initiatives Increased number of REACH GA Scholars attending UNG for a total of 17 for Fall 2025 REACH GA Scholars $43,000 in pledges secured through fundraising Fundraising $15,000+ in scholarships awarded at Proud To Be First celebrations Scholarships 97 new Alpha Alpha Alpha Honor Society inductees The largest induction class in its 5 year history! Tri-Alpha Society First Gen 1 Cohort The first cohort of the program have a 5 year (or less) graduation rate of 87% 99 matched mentor pairs (up from 42 in Fall 2020) Gen 1 Mentoring Program “I have found the Gen 1 Mentoring Program to be a huge help for me to achieve my degree. Through this program, I can figure out what resources I need whenever I find myself struggling. I also know I have my family supporting me from my hometown, but I also have Mrs. Laura there to support me and to hug me when things get hard.” Molly Evans (student) First Generation Student Initiatives
First Generation Student Initiatives First Gen attribute implemented across key university systems Advisory Council establishment with external stakeholders Data Dashboard developed with IR and IT Faculty/Staff Champions training module in development Standout Achievements FIRST GENERATION STUDENT INITIATIVES VP Initiatives "I just wanted to reach out and say that I had breakfast this morning with my Gen 1 student, Taylor, and felt the need to say how glad I am to be mentoring her. From what I've gathered, she seems to be a genuinely nice young woman and a very driven and diligent student. We had a great chat about academics, family, work, and her future career, and I am honestly very proud of her in many ways. I feel fortunate to have been paired with her as it has made the Gen 1 experience that much more rewarding." Abby Meyer, Gen 1 Mentor
Sexual Misconduct & Title IX TITLE IX VP Initiatives In 2024-2025, the Title IX Office saw a 200% increase in sexual misconduct reports, pregnancy/parenting disclosures, and harassment/discrimination allegations, with more cases proceeding to investigation. The Office presented at the Academic Affairs retreat, educating faculty on reporting requirements and supportive measures for affected individuals. This led to department-specific follow-up meetings. Training sessions covered sexual misconduct definitions, consent, reporting procedures, available resources, and faculty roles in creating change. Reports of sexual misconduct (200%+ increase) 240 Non-sex-based harassment/discrimination reports (vs 13 previous year) 28 Pregnancy disclosures (vs 21 previous year) 56
Unsung Hero This award recognizes a “behind the scenes” individual who consistently and effectively performs their duties in a manner that enhances the work environment for others. Nighthawk Spirit Award This award recognizes an individual who embodies Nighthawk spirit and who embraces and promotes UNG values. Innovation Champion This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates a “can-do” attitude. He/she consistently initiates and encourages positive change to services and/or programs. Wesley Thomas Distinguished Service Award This award recognizes an individual who embodies the spirit and distinguished service of Associate Dean Wesley Thomas Award of Distinction This award, selected by the Division VP, recognizes outstanding contributions by Division staff members on behalf of UNG and the Division of Student Affairs for their outstanding performance, leadership, innovation, and more. Rookie of the Year This award recognizes an individual with 1-2 years of professional experience who has consistently exceeded the responsibilities of their position in a way that enhances the learning environment for students. Front Line Award This award recognizes a staff member who strives to become knowledgeable about resources, who demonstrates a friendly, inclusive attitude, and who consistently provides outstanding support services to students, families, and members of the UNG community. Good Shepherd This award recognizes a staff member who is seen as a mentor and a role model through their demonstrated outstanding performance and contributions to the Nighthawk community. Staff Excellence Award The highest recognition within the Division. Recognizes outstanding service and exemplary leadership that embodies the following characteristics: gives 110%; goes above and beyond their job responsibilities; fosters an environment of openness and acceptance; maintains a consistent positive attitude; and displays UNG values.
THANK YOU! go.ung.edu/ses sesdivision@ung.edu
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU4Nzgx