Student Affairs Strategic Plan 25 Objective 15. IMPROVE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: Successful engagement of parents and families enhances new student recruitment, supports New Student Programs, and advances student persistence to graduation. 191. Hire an Assistant Director for New Student and Family Programs to advance HOWL, Wolf Pack Welcome, New Student Convocation, and build Parent and Family Programs. 192. Working with Admissions and the Student Success Center, create a 10-message parent drip campaign with an average click-through rate of 5% to engage parents through the enrollment funnel. 193. Create an “Our Grad is heading to Northern” yard sign program for incoming student families. 194. Curate a parent and family experience starting with residence hall move-in, Parent and Family Reception, New Student Convocation, and ending with the Wolf Pack Picnic to ensure families have a memorable experience. 195. Create a Northern Welcome and Exam Care Package Program for families to buy for students. 196. Enhance HOWL programming for parents and families. 197. Implement an accessible “HOWL Hub” within myNSU with at least 90% of pre-HOWL visit information and the HOWL day folder/material, housed in one centralized, mobile-friendly location. 198. Offer a sustainable and campus-wide supported Family Weekend Program. 199. Partnering with the Northern Foundation, create a Parents Emergency Fund supported by an annual GiveNDay request. 200. Create a Parents Listserv to facilitate regular communication with families. 201. Partnering with Communications and Marketing, create and publish a quarterly Parent and Family online newsletter. CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTHERN’S STRATEGIC PLANNING: The Student Affairs Strategic Plan (2025–2030) aligns closely with the Strategic Pathways planning efforts utilized at Northern from 2022 through 2025, reinforcing shared goals and initiatives that promote student success. Designed to be dynamic, the plan will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure alignment with future institutional priorities and the next five-year Northern State University Strategic Plan. Grounded in a strong commitment to advancing student success, we are confident this plan will remain relevant and impactful through 2030. ADVANCING STUDENT LIFE AT NORTHERN PROJECTS READY FOR INVESTMENT: As part of the Student Affairs Strategic Plan (2025–2030), Northern State University has identified several high-impact initiatives that are ready for donor support. These projects are designed to enhance student engagement, wellness, leadership, and academic success—creating a more vibrant and inclusive campus community. Opportunities include: Activating the Lindberg/Seymour Residential Quad with outdoor programming space and commemorative areas honoring former residence halls. Expanding wellness infrastructure by adding locker rooms and showers near the Fitness Center. Hiring key staff to lead academic initiatives, new student programs, and parent/family engagement. Launching themed living-learning communities in Nursing and Criminology. Opening an Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement to foster volunteerism and cross-cultural dialogue. Creating a Leadership Minor to cultivate the next generation of campus and community leaders. Building a new Campus Recreation Facility and renovating the Student Center to support student life and wellness. Establishing a Parents Emergency Fund and endowing a top undergraduate student award to recognize excellence and support students in need. These initiatives are ready to move forward with the right philanthropic partnerships. We invite you to help shape the future of Northern by investing in these transformative projects.
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