I love the epiphany, the moment where you witness something that truly astounds you. That single moment changes the way you think and inspires you to act. It may be the piece of a puzzle that solves a problem you were struggling with. It could be a new idea that opens you up to something entirely new that spurs your curiosity. For me, nothing fires me up more than witnessing a presentation at a conference from a faculty member or other postsecondary practitioner who has implemented a reform that has had an amazing impact on student success. They share the problem that they sought to solve, the innovation they developed and then . . . they click to a slide showing a graph with outcomes that make you sit up in your chair. I remember seeing the following data from Tennessee and at that moment I knew that this is the work I needed to do.
While the graph got my attention, it was the person holding that clicker that inspired me and gave me the hope that we can do incredible things in the world of college student success. They were passionate, determined, and fully committed to doing the work. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of people at colleges and universities across the country working to solve hard problems to help their students. In many cases those innovations result in something truly spectacular, outcomes that pushes you beyond what you previously thought possible. Those that achieve results are no different than me or you. The only difference is that they took a risk to tackle a big hairy problem, they did their homework, tried something, learned from it, made some changes and eventually hit the mark.
Momentum Makers is about those people and their stories.
Through my work at Education Commission of the States, Complete College America, and now as a consultant working with colleges and universities I have encountered many Momentum Makers. Momentum Makers are faculty, advisors, administrators, and postsecondary system leaders who design and implement solutions that result in students generating the momentum they need to pursue and achieve their academic goals. Some Momentum Makers started in a classroom, but eventually moved into administration and senior level roles due in large part to their unwavering commitment to students. In those cases, they have affected change at scale, serving thousands of students and transforming institutions.
The Momentum Makers substack and podcast will explore the reforms being implemented in the field that are making a difference in student’s lives. More importantly, we will connect with the people catalyzing the change to understand their motivations, their expert hacks, and their experiences. Oh, and it will be fun. After all, the work of student success should be joyful.
I hope you will follow along with me on this journey and that you will be inspired, educated, and motivated to be a Momentum Maker.
