How AI-Powered Communication Helped Nicholls State University Increase Retention and Student Success

Like many institutions, Nicholls State University, a 4-year public institution with 5,300 students in Thibodaux, Louisiana, struggled to get timely, actionable student feedback to guide its support teams. Traditional methods, such as surveys and progress reports, had low response rates and delayed feedback, resulting in reliance on lagging indicators. To be more proactive, the university implemented Tillou, an EdSights-powered chatbot, to collect real-time student feedback through automated check-ins and targeted interventions.

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Challenges Prior to EdSights

Difficulty Identifying Specific Barriers: Without efficient communication with students, Nicholls State University struggled to understand the root causes of their issues. Current student feedback methods were dispersed across different platforms and lacked a cohesive way to identify the main challenges impacting various student subpopulations.

Lack of Timely and Actionable Feedback: Traditional feedback methods, such as instructor progress reports, often provided delayed and indirect insights. The absence of timely, actionable data made it difficult to intervene effectively and support students in real-time.

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Introducing Tillou

In January 2023, Nicholls State University partnered with EdSights to launch Tillou, an AI chatbot. Utilizing EdSights' comprehensive framework, Tillou engages with students through regular, personalized check-ins, connecting them to resources and providing answers to their queries proactively.

Each response Tillou gathers is analyzed by EdSights in real-time, allowing Dr. Amy Hebert, Renee Hicks, and their team to quickly identify students who need immediate support and recognize broader trends among the student body facing similar issues.

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Key Metrics:

• 94% Opt-in Rate
• 65% Engagement Rate
• Interventions: 3657
• Opportunities for follow-up: 1050
• FAQs fielded: 800+

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Tillou’s Immediate Impact

During the Fall '23 term, a single persistence check-in conducted by Tillou had a significant impact at Nicholls State University. Tillou identified 69 students who indicated they would not be returning and 85 students who were unsure about continuing. With this data, the Nicholls team was able to intervene, providing timely support and successfully re-enrolling 52 of these students.

This outcome not only demonstrated the effectiveness of timely interventions, with 52 students re-enrolled, but also resulted in a substantial ROI impact, saving the university approximately $136,000 in potential at-risk in-state tuition dollars due to the re-enrollment of these students.

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By leveraging Tillou, Nicholls State University was able to identify several key barriers that their current students faced, including:

• Financial Issues: Many students reported financial hardships that hindered their ability to re-enroll. These cases were directed to financial aid, where GO grants and other resources were provided, enabling them to continue their education.
• Homelessness: Some students faced housing insecurity, which was addressed through the Office of Residential Living and the university's case management services.
• Academic Struggles: Students reported difficulties with their coursework, particularly in subjects like algebra, exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 on their high school education.
• Food Insecurity: Food insecurity was another significant barrier, which was mitigated through campus resources such as Mom’s Pantry.

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Looking Ahead

Building on the success of Tillou’s outreach, Nicholls plans to leverage the data to support accreditation efforts and quality enhancement plans, ensuring they continue to meet and exceed academic standards. Additionally, Nicholls State will utilize EdSights’ Melt Framework to introduce students to Tillou before they start at the university. This early engagement strategy aims to ensure seamless transitions, boost retention rates, and foster a supportive environment from the outset. By continuing to innovate and adapt their strategies, Nicholls State University is committed to enhancing student success and institutional excellence. 

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"EdSights allows us to identify trends and target interventions much quicker. It has become part of our culture. Our first instinct is, 'What can we use EdSights for?' This shift has enabled us to act swiftly on the feedback we receive, reducing the workload on faculty and ensuring that our students get the support they need in a timely manner. The response rates have been great, allowing us to focus attention on individual students and provide effective support quickly."

- Renee Hicks, AVP for Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success

"Never before have I had so much information that I can get my hands on. With EdSights, we get the 'why' behind the data, not just lagging indicators. This allows us to act quickly and support our students effectively. We have been able to do a lot with the data, and it's going to bring us to some other places. My brain is spinning constantly with what we can do with this information."

- Dr. Amy Hebert, Director of Student Success and Retention

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