Goin' the extra mile . . .

I enjoy the faculty here at IU South Bend. In my position, particularly with New Student Orientation, I get to interact with a bunch of highly dedicated, student-centered, top notch faculty. Today, one of those faculty exemplified all of those attributes.

Today was my rotation into our information center. Dr. Griffin came in with a student that last attended in 1993 and was thinking about coming back. How did she know this? She was talking to her at the bus stop. The student was thinking of returning but wasn't sure when she'd be able to get over here. Well, Dr. Griffin decided that now was the time for the student to come over here and get the ball rolling. So she had this student get in her car (whom she had never met) and brought her over. We checked her records to see how many credits she had, what monies may be owed, and what her next steps were.

We talk a lot in higher education about retention. What programs are needed to make students stick around and the funding that needs to come with it. But the retention program that Dr. Griffin implemented with this student doesn't cost a dime. All it cost her was a little bit of time. I bet this student does indeed follow through and come back. Dr. Griffin is dedicated to the cause of higher education for anyone that wants to pursue it. Like I said, it didn't cost her anything but her time.

Actually, it did cost something. Dr. Griffin also took the student out to breakfast.