Did you know that 99% of Americans ages 18-49 own a cell phone, and 81% of consumers say they've signed up to receive text messages from a business or organization? It’s clear that texting is the preferred method of communication for today’s modern learners.
Join Dr. Christina Bridges, Strategic Retention Manager at Michigan State University, as she shares her institution's journey in enhancing student retention efforts through conversational texting. Dr. Bridges will discuss why and how Michigan State transitioned from relying heavily on email communication to implementing texting to improve communication and student action.
Over the past year, the university has leveraged technology to send timely and personalized messages that resonate with students at scale. From enrollment reminders to critical deadline notifications, Michigan State has evolved its messaging strategy to address common barriers to student success and persistence by incorporating everyday language and call-to-action prompts. Dr. Bridges will explore the evolution of their strategy, as well as the lessons learned along the way.
Key Takeaways:
- How conversational texting supplements traditional communication methods and boosts engagement.
- Strategies to use call-response prompts to gain insights into student needs.
- The importance of evolving messaging and exploring automated replies and blended messaging to maintain high responsiveness.
- Building cross-departmental partnerships to integrate texting across student affairs and academic offices.
Presenter:
- Christina D. Bridges, Ed.D, MSW (She/Her) | Strategic Retention Manager, Student Success Assessment and Strategic Initiatives (SSASI) at Michigan State University
Christina Bridges is a Strategic Retention Manager in the Office of the Provost, Undergraduate Education at Michigan State University (MSU). Bridges has over 15 years' experience spanning areas of student success leadership and advocacy at the policy, institutional and direct student support program level.
Before serving as a Strategic Retention Manager, Bridges served as assistant director of the TRIO Student Support Services Program, where she helped propel hundreds of first-generation, students with disabilities and limited-income college students toward academic success and graduation. Bridges, who identifies as a first-generation college student, has deep roots at MSU. She has earned an Ed.D. in the Doctor of Education Leadership program at MSU, and previously earned an MSW and a B.S. in Psychology from MSU as well.