Showcase of Strategies for Student Success

View 2023 Showcase Abstracts

Poster Winners:

Judges Choice:

1st Place: Campus Living Impact by Ed Price | Campus Living
2nd Place: Promoting Math Access through Shorter Math Pathways by Katie Louchart, Robert Daugherty, Marietta Fule, Joseangel Gonzalez, Shannon Guerrero,
Victoria Vakarchuk | Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Peoples Choice:

1st Place: Promoting Math Access through Shorter Math Pathways by Katie Louchart, Robert Daugherty, Marietta Fule, Joseangel Gonzalez, Shannon Guerrero,
Victoria Vakarchuk | Department of Mathematics & Statistics
2nd Place: In-KOGNITO: Student Affairs Student Staff on the Frontlines of Mental Health! by Jermaine Barkley | Health Promotion

Topics included:

Student experiences/activities

Engagement & involvement
Sense of belonging
Building community

Teaching and learning

Teaching and pedagogical techniques
Course design, curriculum design, and assessment

Student development and support

Co-curricular learning and development
Support, needs, and satisfaction

Enrollment and Progress

Access and enrollment
Persistence and degree completion

Poster competition

The awards for best poster includes Judges’ Choice, selected by a panel of judges, and People’s Choice, selected by popular vote.

(19th annual Assessment Fair)

The Showcase of Strategies for Student Success was held on March 28, 2023. This years showcase featured conversation tables and poster presentations.

33 posters
74 poster presenters and co-presenters
3 judges
21 participating programs, offices, and departments
5 conversation tables
- 6 leaders
- 37 participants

Judges’ Choice Winners

1st Place: Campus Living Impact by Ed Price | Campus Living
2nd Place: Promoting Math Access through Shorter Math Pathways by Katie Louchart, Robert Daugherty, Marietta Fule, Joseangel Gonzalez, Shannon Guerrero,
Victoria Vakarchuk | Department of Mathematics & Statistics

People’s Choice Winners

1st Place: Promoting Math Access through Shorter Math Pathways by Katie Louchart, Robert Daugherty, Marietta Fule, Joseangel Gonzalez, Shannon Guerrero,
Victoria Vakarchuk | Department of Mathematics & Statistics
2nd Place: In-KOGNITO: Student Affairs Student Staff on the Frontlines of Mental Health! by Jermaine Barkley | Health Promotion

Conversation Tables

Title: Zooming Out to Focus In
- Host: Traci Gleason | Director
- Description: IMQ strives to be provide intentional programming and services to better meet the needs of students and create a sense of belonging. Join us to hear how we plan programs for the year and share your best practices for intentional programming
Title: Access Programs Work! But How?: Challenges in Communicating Data into Achievements
- Host: Traci Keith Hovis | Director and Tyler Conlon| Community Program Coordinator
- Description: All programs are assessed on a variety of learning outcomes. But what do you do when these measures don’t match what the institution is looking for? Our showcase will focus on how to dive deeper in the quantitative data and communicate how Access NAU programs teach student success skills that result in these positive outcomes.
Title: Strategies for rebuilding student engagement – Back to the Drawing Board we must go!
- Host: Laurie Jordon| Assistant Director
- Description: The impact remote learning has had on our ability as educators and student affairs professionals to engage with students is profound. However, remember that student engagement was not all that easy before the pandemic. What now? Perhaps we need to go back to the drawing board all together. What are some strategies that will resonate with our brand-new college students to our seasoned and non-traditional college students? How do we engage the students that are not the “opt-in” types of students? This table discussion is about sharing what is working, what is not working, and what is so far outside of the box that it may just work!
Title: Best Practices for First Generation Students
- Host: Ayrton Peacock | Student Development Coordinator and Rachael Shapiro | Student Development Coordinator
- Description: Meet with First-Generation Program staff to discuss best practices in supporting first-generation college students and learn about what the department is currently doing to serve this community. Come discuss your department’s work with first-generation students and walk away with tangible strategies directly from First-Generation Programs. Participants will also have an understanding of the different programs within the First-Generation Department.
Title: Meaningful Engagement Network; Sense of Belonging and Engagement
- Host: Dr. Martin Tease | Program Manager
- Description: Meaningful Engagement Network (M.E.N) is an initiative that seeks to work with populations that are under engaged at NAU. MEN seeks to create a belonging by working with these students to help provide resources, support and events

(18th annual Assessment Fair)

The format was changed to a discussion-based showcase.

The theme for the 2022 Showcase of Strategies for Student Success was “Engaging in Deeper Conversations.” Removing the stress of gathering data, designing, printing, and presenting a poster; this year focused on conversations. The event provided a space where colleagues could share best practices, discuss strategy implementation, and learn from one another through facilitated discussion tables.

(17th annual Assessment Fair)

The Showcase of Strategies for Student Success was held on April 9, 2019. The event was attended by over 203 guests, presenters, and co-presenters and included:

33 posters
99 poster presenters and co-presenters
104 guests and attendees
13 judges
41 participating programs, committees, offices, and departments

Judges’ Choice winners

Betsy Buford, Samantha Clifford, & Jeanette Roe, e-Learning Center: Maximizing Student Success with Bb Learn.

Precilla Cox & Joseph Wright, Gateway Student Success Center: Empowering Students Through the Power Of the Internet

People’s Choice winners

Maggie Thom, Mak Smith, Caleb Williams, Carlie Schimmel, Brant Ziemba, Tamara Lee, Sarah Graf, & Theo Trotman, Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid & EMSA Analytics & Assessment: Financial Aid Verification

Melissa Griffin & Mikaela Terry, Education Abroad, Center for International Education, Health Promotion & Campus Health Services: Health and Safety Abroad: NAU Care-A-Van Results from a pilot program in Costa Rica.

16th annual Assessment Fair

The 16th Annual Assessment Fair was on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 3 to 5pm in the High Country Conference Center and included:

28 posters
30 participating university programs, committees, offices, and departments
120 guests and presenters
12 judges

Judges’ Choice winners

Traci Harvey and Kevin Chase, Office of First-Generation Programs. Highlights of First-Year Retention and Student Learning in First-Generation Programs Participants.
Diana Onco and Shepard Tsosie, Native American Student Services and the Commission for Native Americans. Native American Student Services & NAU Goal #3: Commitment to Native Americans.

People’s Choice winners

Lydia Killea, Stephen Hosburg, and Madeline Cairns, Peer Jacks Mentoring Program. Handy Dandy Handbook: A Peer Jacks Look at the Holistic Approach to Student Development.
Nydia Nittmann, Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Financial Aid Funding and Enrollment Growth.

Judges’ Choice finalists

Kelley McKee and Jamie Flood, Campus Recreation. A Room with a View: Applying Innovative Strategies to Meet the Spatial Demands of a Growing Community.
Lydia Killea, Fraternity and Sorority Life. Livin’ Life with Greek Life: The Impact of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement on First-Year Members.

View abstracts from the 2018 fair.

2017 – 15th annual Assessment Fair

The 15th Annual Assessment fair was held Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at the High Country Conference Center, and included:

36 posters
40 participating university programs, committees, offices, and departments
189 guests and presenters
3 roundtable discussions with 20 participants
11 judges

View abstracts from the 2017 fair.

2016 – 14th annual Assessment Fair

The 14th Annual Assessment Fair was held on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at the High Country Conference Center.

42 posters
49 participating university programs, committees, offices, and departments
179 guests and presenters
3 roundtable discussions with 17 participants
8 judges

View abstracts from the 2016 fair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the poster presentation is the showcase. However, a visual is required if you want to present something other than a poster.

Yes, anyone who wants to present their project will need to submit a proposal by the March 1 due date.

Only the proposal is due by March 1. Please ensure your poster is complete by the date of the Showcase event (March 28).

If you are going to create a poster and utilize NAU Printing Services for printing, please make note that the fastest delivery will be 5 business days (you can pay an extra fee for expedited printing). To order a 24x36in poster, follow these steps:

Visit the NAU Printing Services website at nau.edu/printing
Select the “Posters and Signs” category
Select “Rigid Signs”
Select “3/16″ Foam Core”
Select “See Pricing and Purchase”
Select “24×36” in the “Final Width and Height” menu
Upload your print file and check out

When creating your print file, please keep these specifications in mind:

Keep text and important images .5” inside away from the edge to make sure content does not get cut off.
You will need to make your image .25” bigger in width and height to avoid a white border around the edge. (Note: this extra sliver around the edge will be cut off, so the actual image size you send to the printer will need to be 24.25×36.25in.)
Upload a print-ready PDF at a resolution of 300dpi
The cost for this option is currently listed as “$85.02”

If you need to use an external printer, please explore these resources:

Remember, if you are not using NAU Printing Services you will need to complete the right to refusal process

Showcase of Strategies planning committee members: