Kelly Myers, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences; Candyce Reynolds, director of University Foundations; and Daniel Sanford, executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Boise State University, presented their institution’s approach to supporting first-year students at the 45th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience. The event took place from February 15 to 18, 2026, in Seattle, Washington.
Their session was titled “From Silos to Success: A Shared Leadership Approach to the First-Year Experience.” During the presentation, they discussed Boise State’s efforts to unify leadership across academic and student support units. This strategy aims to move away from isolated initiatives toward a more coordinated and evidence-based approach.
The presenters spoke on behalf of the First-Year Focus Coordinating Council. They shared that Boise State has set an 80% universal first-year retention goal and described the development of its First-Year Focus framework. According to the presentation, aligning leadership across different campus areas has been key in advancing these objectives.
They explained how high-enrollment gateway courses, unified messaging, and common assessment methods are being used to create consistency for students during their first year. The session also included discussions with attendees about ways to build institutional responsibility for retention goals and how assessment can be integrated into first-year programs from the beginning.
