icon4 Foster Student Success

The academic strength of our college is one hallmark of its excellence, but true success is only achieved by prioritizing the holistic well-being and development of our students. Aligned with the University of Utah’s Impact 2030 goals, we are committed to increasing enrollment, improving graduation rates, and ensuring that more students secure meaningful and gainful employment upon completing their degrees. These ambitions align closely with our mission to prepare skilled and compassionate practitioners who will serve our state’s unique and evolving communities.

Achieving these outcomes requires a comprehensive approach to student success. We are committed to enhancing recruitment and retention efforts, ensuring that our programs reflect the needs of both our students and the communities they will serve. We also recognize the importance of connections—to peers, mentors, and the broader college community—in fostering persistence and academic achievement. By investing in mentorship opportunities, student organizations, and other relationship-building programs, we aim to create an environment where students thrive both academically and personally.

Finally, experiential learning is a cornerstone of social work education. By tailoring practicum experiences to the unique goals and needs of our students, we will provide them with real-world opportunities to apply their skills and knowledge, equipping them for successful careers long before graduation. Through these efforts, we reaffirm our commitment to student success as central to our mission and impact.

STRATEGIES

GROW THE CSW STUDENT BODY

• Develop student recruitment partnerships with regional high schools and community colleges
• Intentionally recruit students from Spanish-speaking and native populations to appropriately meet the needs of the changing state demographics
• Develop information hub with scholarship and loan-forgiveness opportunities for students

PROVIDE EXCELLENT STUDENT EXPERIENCES

• Develop a formal student and alumni mentorship program, supporting strong connections between current and past students to foster professional and personal growth 
• Expand community-oriented student events and sustain support for student organizations 
• Assess the feasibility of an embedded counseling program within the college, providing standardized patient and other simulationbased training opportunities for students

PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES FOR ALL STUDENTS

• Increase the number of practicum partners to create more opportunities to match students with goal- and interest-aligned placements and experiences
• Facilitate practicum placements for out-of-state and online learners by building and maintaining relationships with out-of-state and in-state practicum partners
• Create and fund a scholarship program to provide stipends to students participating in unfunded practicum experiences

METRICS

• Increased number of practicum partners and placements
  • Growth in the variety of practicum partners (e.g., macro focus, rural areas)
• Positive growth in participation of student programming efforts
• Improved retention of underrepresented students
• Improved placement upon graduation 
• Creation of formal student and alumni mentorship program
  • Positive growth in student and alumni participation
• Increased percentage of students who receive a practicum stipend
• Positive response to identity as a social worker