In 2010, the average first-year retention rate for colleges in Minnesota was 77.8 percent, according to The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.

Currently, St. Thomas is well above the state average with an 88.4 percent retention rate, but its new goal is to keep 93 percent of first-year students.

Since the majority of students who choose to leave are out-of-state or first generation students, St. Thomas has turned its efforts to target those groups and improve the overall college experience for first-year students.

“I think one of the key ideas around retention is that every single student on campus feels connected to someone,” said Wendy Wyatt, the associate vice provost for undergraduate studies at St. Thomas. “So that if you start to have any struggles … that you feel like you’ve got somebody with whom you can connect and … come up with options or ideas for moving forward.”

One new initiative this year is called the “Twin Cities Experience,” which targets out-of-state students by providing opportunities to explore the Twin Cities, learn how to navigate the Metro transit and participate in on-campus activities together.

From an academic perspective, there was a push from the dean of College of Arts and Sciences, Terry Langan, to have faculty who teach courses for first-year students schedule a substantial assignment or test early in the semester. That way, students can receive early feedback and have enough time to make the necessary changes so they can succeed academically, Wyatt said.

The year-old Living Learning Communities is also a key component. St. Thomas has expanded the program from four LLC options last year to nine LLC options this year. One of the programs they’re continuing is the LLC for commuting students, and while they don’t live together, students still have the opportunity to take a pair of courses together.

“We had a 100 percent retention from those commuter students in that theology course. In fact, this year it’s going to be theology and philosophy in the spring. It’s just another way to get students connected to both faculty and to each other,” said Karen Lange, vice president of student affairs.

So what happens if St. Thomas reaches its retention goal?

“It’s a continuous effort,” Wyatt said. “If we hit 93, we’re going to say let’s aim for 94, you know? Because you always want to do better.”

Danielle Wong can be reached at wong0031@stthomas.edu