At the recent University Innovation Alliance (UIA) National Summit on Student Success Innovation in Tempe, Arizona, leaders from across higher education came together to explore how data, technology, and collaboration can reshape student outcomes. This gathering highlighted critical strategies and real-world solutions for institutions looking to drive student success, reduce inequities, and create more inclusive educational experiences.
From thought-provoking keynotes to hands-on workshops, each session at the summit provided actionable insights into building data-driven, student-centered frameworks that can scale across diverse institutions. Here, we’ll share key takeaways and inspiration from the event that can help your institution advance its student success goals.
The Mainstay Café: Where Conversations Sparked New Ideas
Throughout the summit, attendees were invited to visit the Mainstay Café—a cozy spot designed to foster meaningful conversations. With a menu of customizable lattes, americanos, and espresso, the café provided a relaxing space where participants could engage with peers, share insights, and reflect on the summit’s themes. At Mainstay, we believe in sparking progress through connection, and the café was a small, intentional way to bring this mission to life.
This video provides a quick recap of the National Summit.
Day 1: The Why & What of Student Success
Establishing the Vision
The summit opened with Dr. Bridget Burns, UIA CEO, who emphasized the importance of institutional readiness to “meet the moment” for student success. Her call to action highlighted the role of higher education leaders in creating equitable pathways for students, particularly in a rapidly changing landscape.
Dr. Raj Chetty, a renowned economist from Harvard University, delivered a keynote titled “Cracking the Code: Data-Driven Insights for Unlocking Human Potential.” Chetty’s research underscored the power of data to illuminate social mobility challenges and revealed how geography, race, and economic factors impact educational outcomes. His insights, captured in the “Mapping the Future” infographic below, emphasized using data to identify and address disparities, ultimately fostering upward mobility through targeted interventions.
In a separate session, Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, spoke about “Unlocking National Prosperity Through Collaborative Innovation in Higher Education.” Crow discussed how universities can act as engines of societal progress by addressing systemic inequities through innovative collaborations and adapting to the diverse needs of today’s students.
Day 2: The What & How of Innovation
Day 2 was all about application. Dr. Tim Renick of Georgia State University’s National Institute of Student Success (NISS) presented “The Data-Driven Blueprint for Student Success,” showcasing how predictive analytics and real-time data can proactively support at-risk students. Renick’s session demonstrated how data-driven advising and completion grants could help institutions provide targeted support, enabling students to stay on track and achieve their goals.
Solution-oriented breakouts covered practical tools like chatbots, predictive analytics, and structured support programs. Each session emphasized the need for proactive engagement, illustrating how technology can streamline student support and foster meaningful interactions. These sessions were summarized in the “Scaling What Works” infographic below, which captured the strategies needed to implement and scale data-driven solutions.
The day ended with a keynote from Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, on “From Doubt to Triumph: Driving Bold Change in Higher Education.” Sorrell emphasized the importance of resilience and adaptability in leading change, particularly in institutions that serve underrepresented and economically disadvantaged communities.
Day 3: What’s Next for Higher Education
Bringing Ideas into Action
The final day focused on the future of student success, encouraging participants to take the strategies discussed and put them into action. A morning pitch session allowed attendees to propose innovative ideas to address specific challenges in higher education, such as improving graduation rates for first-generation students and scaling advising solutions.
The summit concluded with a commitment session, where participants pledged to apply their insights to foster a more inclusive, data-driven future in their institutions. Attendees were also invited to an ASU Innovation Immersion session to see firsthand how Arizona State University implements its own innovative approaches.
Infographics as a Roadmap
Each day’s sessions were visually represented in a series of infographics created on-site, capturing the main themes and actionable takeaways from the summit:
Mapping the Future: Emphasizes the potential of data to drive social mobility, including strategies to foster economic connectedness and address disparities based on geography, race, and economic background.
Collaboration Imperative: Reflects insights on leadership and collaborative innovation, underscoring the importance of democratized innovation, adaptive leadership, and equity-minded decision-making.
Improving Academic Advising: Highlights best practices in predictive analytics and proactive advising, showing how technology can be used to create a student-centered, supportive advising framework.
Building a Student Success Architecture: Visualizes the strategic planning required to embed access and experiential learning in institutions, with metrics that guide a collaborative approach to change management.
Scaling What Works: Summarizes the systematic support required to drive student success at scale, focusing on predictive analytics, early intervention, and a commitment
These infographics provide a powerful visual summary of each day’s content, transforming complex ideas into accessible, actionable insights that institutions can draw upon as they build and refine their own student success frameworks.
Building Connections Over Coffee
In addition to sharing insights, the Mainstay Café offered a unique opportunity for summit attendees to pause, connect, and reflect. With each coffee cup branded with our signature “spark” logo, the café wasn’t just about caffeine—it symbolized Mainstay’s commitment to sparking progress through conversation. As we engage in these dialogues, we build a community of practice that supports student success and promotes equity in higher education.
Advancing a Community of Practice for Student Success
The UIA National Summit made it clear that advancing student success requires a collective, data-driven approach. By bringing together thought leaders and practitioners, UIA is fostering a growing community of practice dedicated to supporting every student’s journey through higher education.
At Mainstay, we’re inspired by the work of UIA and the insights shared at this year’s National Summit. We remain committed to supporting institutions in their efforts to harness data, improve student engagement, and create inclusive educational environments. Together, we can make progress toward a future where every student has the support, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed.
Let’s continue to build this community of practice—one conversation at a time.