Our Vision

We envision a campus community where every student thrives and has the support and resources to achieve their academic and life goals.

Our Mission

The Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success provides proactive support and tailored interventions to help undergraduate students develop essential skills, navigate academic transitions, and foster a sense of connection and belonging. Through a data-informed and adaptive approach, we prioritize persistence to ensure students have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. We empower every student to overcome challenges on the pathway to holistic success.

Philosophy

We believe student success is an ongoing, shared responsibility, rooted in a University-wide community of practice. We believe in empowering students as experts of their own experiences and recognize the systemic barriers faced by some students in higher education. Our commitment to student success is rooted in holistic support and a collaborative, strengths-based approach.

Guiding Principles

Our approach to student success is guided by the following principles:  

• Student-Centered Support:  We tailor interventions and support to each student’s unique needs, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to thrive.
• Data-Driven Decisions:  We use data to identify challenges early and guide interventions that promote persistence and success.
• Collaborative Support Network:  We build strong relationships with campus partners to provide comprehensive support and resources, including comprehensive referrals to and from the Center.
• Advocacy:  We address the systemic challenges faced by historically underserved students, shifting from a deficiencies-focused approach to one that emphasizes strengths, resilience, and a growth mindset. We also empower the campus community to adopt these principles in support of all students’ success.
• Community of Practice:  We advocate for student success across the University by providing resources and support to faculty and staff. Through collaboration and the development of a community of practice, we strive to promote a shared commitment to student success and help strengthen the application of best practices across campus.

Student Success Framework

The original framework of the Center was created, in part, by the inaugural director, Denise Poole. Backed in research and best practices, this framework views student success as a shared responsibility, the result of data-informed and student-focused policy, procedure, pedagogy, practice, and programs. The influences of academic, personal/wellness, experiential/environment, and career/life skills thread their way through the student experience and affect student success. This framework continues to inform our work.