Abstract
Despite college students having the potential to be more socially connected than ever before thanks to technology and social media, many students still struggle with isolation, loneliness, and a lack of belongingness and community. These feelings and experiences not only increase the risk for suicidal behavior and diminish resilience, but they can also negatively impact student retention. Outreach programming that targets social connectedness will be described. Specific guidelines developed from first-hand experiences with implementing such programming will be highlighted, and readers will be encouraged to consider how similar programming could be implemented by various offices or personnel at their own institutions of higher education.
Biography
Dr. Stephanie Sibley received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Chestnut Hill College in 2016. She completed her post-doctoral training at West Chester University’s counseling center in 2018 and has continued working there as a licensed psychologist ever since.
Dr. Rachel Daltry graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a B.S. and M.S in Psychology and earned her Psy.D. from La Salle University. Dr. Daltry is the Director and Chair of West Chester University’s Department of Counseling and Psychological Services.
Recommended Citation
Sibley, S., & Daltry, R. (2025). Building Resilience One Connection at a Time: A Guide to Developing Retention Programming on College Campuses. Journal of Access, Retention, and Inclusion in Higher Education, 8(1). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/jarihe/vol8/iss1/8