The College of Arts and Sciences welcomes Katie Raisner, its first full-time director of student success, retention, and recruitment.
Illinois State University is committed to retaining and graduating all the students it enrolls. The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) shares that commitment and understands its unique role given it is the largest college at the university with a large number of classes that touch most students.
Because of her own background in student success work, Dean Heather Dillaway has prioritized a focus on undergraduate student success and retention in the College. “While it is normal for some students to leave ISU before they finish their degrees, we have an obligation to create the conditions within which committed students have the opportunity to persist through graduation,” Dr. Dillaway stated.
To this end, the college has hired Raisner. She is a CAS Dean’s Office employee who reports directly to Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Success Rocio Rivadeneyra, and reports indirectly to Dillaway.
With the hiring of Raisner, CAS joins the College of Applied Sciences and Technology, the College of Education, and the College of Business in having a college-level employee focused solely on student success and retention.
“In working on student success goals, Heather and I knew we needed a college-level, student-facing role that would work with students directly,” Dr. Rivadeneyra said. “Retention and student success are important goals for CAS and the University, and with increasing advising caseloads, we needed someone at the college level for students who might need extra support.
“We also wanted someone who could work with various data to help inform our retention efforts at both the college and department/school level.”
Raisner was hired in June 2024 and has been busy getting to know key stakeholders around CAS and Illinois State. She is already partnering with CAS advisors to develop, update, and implement targeted interventions to increase student persistence, with special attention to the coordination and implementation of initiatives assisting students who may need extra support, such as first-generation students, transfer students, students who are academically underprepared, and students who are either on academic warning or who have falling GPAs.
Raisner will also help the Dean’s Office develop, maintain, and report on quantitative and qualitative performance measures for student success so that the college is data-informed in its approaches to student success work. Finally, she will serve as a liaison to other directors and coordinators of student success across campus, so that CAS efforts are in parallel with the priorities of the Provost’s Office, University College, and other academic colleges.
“Katie Raisner’s hire is just one of many actions we will be taking to bolster student persistence in CAS,” said Dillaway.
The college will be examining data to make sure that students aren’t encountering curricular roadblocks as they progress through their degrees and will be working on providing additional financial support for students who would otherwise have to leave because they cannot afford to continue paying tuition and room and board. Raisner will also parnter with advisors and other offices on campus to help link students to support resources so that students, regardless of background, have the chance to thrive at Illinois State.
Dillaway said: “Many departments and schools in CAS are already engaged in student success work, and I’m impressed at how much effort is already being put into student recruitment and retention. However, there is still considerable work to be done, and with Katie’s hire the college is energized to supplement existing initiatives. I’m excited to think about what we can accomplish with Katie’s hire and a more purposeful focus on student persistence.”
Raisner has many years of experience as a retention expert in higher education. She has worked in various roles in both four-year institutions and community colleges. She has past experience in TRIO and in providing undocumented student support. “Throughout my career in higher education, I have actively sought opportunities to work with students who need extra supports to be academically successful,” said Raisner. “I feel grateful to have joined a very supportive team that is dedicated to student persistence.
“My main goal is to partner with advising staff throughout CAS to support our students who are facing significant challenges while attending our institution.”
Raisner will work with Rivadeneyra to help the college define student success outcomes and metrics for assessment. The pair also plan to develop college-level learning and transferable skills outcomes for students that might help support their career goals.
