The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice | GSE | Rutgers

The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success

    Student success is in every college or university’s mission. Yet barriers to retention, graduation, and employment persist. Only 65% of students feel a sense of belonging while 39% feel frequently overwhelmed and only 24% of students take a career exploration class. How can leaders in higher education work together to help students feel a connection to their communities, connect students with support services, and connect coursework to rewarding careers? Elliot Felix will share insights on these questions from his new book The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success and his work with 100+ colleges and universities helping more than 1,000,000 students.

    Date & Time: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 1:00 - 2:00 PM

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    About Elliot,

    Elliot Felix is a student success author, speaker, and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to create better connected colleges and universities by improving the spaces students learn and live in, the support services they rely on, and the technology they use.

    Over the last 20 years, he has spoken at SxSW Edu, taught courses on innovation, and worked with more than 100 universities including Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia. brightspot, the higher education strategy consulting company he founded in 2011 was acquired by Buro Happold in 2020 where he now leads the higher education advisory practice. Elliot has improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students.

    You can find Elliot’s work in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book How to Get the Most Out of College was published in January 2022 and received a blue star from Kirkus Reviews, calling it “A knowledgeable, enthusiastic guide packed with strategies and encouragement.” His upcoming book The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success is arriving early 2025. He lives in Minneapolis with his son Theo, daughter Nora, and wife Liz.