What do you do when you know a First-Year Experience course improves student success, but you don’t have the funding or institutional support to build one? In this episode, we explore an innovative workaround born from a simple idea: Thor’s Hammer of Knowledge.

This conversation covers how Susan Merrill and colleagues from Southern Utah University highlights created a low-cost workshop series designed to connect students with campus resources before they realize they need them. We discuss the power of proactive outreach, building belonging outside the classroom, and how small incentives (food, fun, and community) can drive meaningful engagement.

Join us as we unpack the results, lessons learned, and how this model might inspire new approaches to student success on your own campus.

What happens when financial literacy moves beyond theory and into honest, student-centered conversations? In this episode, we visit with Dr. Alexei M. Marquez and Fred Huang from the University of Arizona about how their “Practical? Possible? Sustainable?” model is transforming financial wellness for first-generation and underrepresented students. By demystifying financial aid, surfacing the real cost of attendance, and helping students ask “Does the math, math?”, this conversation highlights a transparent, scalable approach to financial decision-making that strengthens persistence, confidence, and student success.

How can career centers use data to design programming that students actually need and attend? In this episode, Jon Ambrose from the University of Oregon Career Center walks through a data-informed approach to evaluating past programs, tracking student engagement, and leveraging platforms like Handshake and labor market insights to shape future initiatives. From boosting survey response rates to launching a successful Graduate School Fair, this conversation highlights how thoughtful use of data can close equity gaps, guide smarter planning, and ensure career services meet the diverse goals of today’s students.