Northwest Partnership Program Northwest Partnership Program Retention

Welcome to the conversation, NPP leaders. Thank you for all you do to lead and care for students.

Can we chat for a bit about staying in relationship with our students, particularly in the transitions between semesters? Bekah and I are noticing that some combination of time elapsed, life events, and perhaps losing touch results in many students not continuing in their NU Partnership path.

This spring and summer we want to find timely, creative ways of reaching out to these students so that they continue with us. Since you have the relationship with these students—many of you see them weekly—we’re hoping to place some ideas and tools into your hands so that you can care for and retain them.

Some ways to keep the relationships active, even in the quieter months.

You see, we believe continuing on the degree path in partnership with you, with the support of your church, will be the best scenario for most of our students going forward. Even more than new students coming in that we might invite into the program, those continuing students are right within our reach.

Bekah, we’re sending our partners some help with this, aren’t we?

You’re right. You can expect an “In Our Reach” kit coming your way with all kinds of tools and prompts for your creativity to help you stay in touch with the students in between semesters.

The package will contain gift cards for student get-togethers and idea sheets for creative summer gatherings with your students. You’ll also get some material to help you think strategically about the recruitment and retention process that we’re all a part of.

We’ll be watching to see who has the secret sauce for keeping these students around so we can celebrate you—and also ask you to share that recipe with the rest of us.

This is what we believe: the students you know and have strong kingdom relationships with are right within our reach.

Together, let’s close the back door in our programs and keep these students, equipping them in the gospel and helping them grow in your own NPP program.

We’re so excited to help you with this and help you reach out to these students so we can have our strongest fall together ever.

Keep an eye out for those packages coming your way May 1st.