And Then There Were Thirty-one! More Institutions Join the Gardner Institute’s National Effort to Transform the Student Experience So Every Student Can Thrive
Brevard, NC- October 27, 2025
The John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education (Gardner Institute), a leading national non-profit organization focused on teaching, learning, student success, and completion, is pleased to announce the launch of a third cohort in the national Transforming the Postsecondary Experience initiative. Launched in 2023 with an inaugural cohort of 11 institutions, this effort aims to close performance gaps and improve student success outcomes in ways that move toward eliminating factors such as first-generation status and zip code as the best predictors of who succeeds in and graduates from college.
The effort focuses on the critical first two years of college education. Gardner Institute research shows that at least 76% of all attrition occurs sometime during or immediately following the first two college years. Through a systemic redesign process, institutions participating in the effort develop and implement plans over five years to close student performance gaps, enhance teaching and learning practices, and promote student success, completion, and retention. The plans are supported by applying nearly 30 Gardner Institute engagements in context-specific ways and by coordinating all other student success initiatives at participating institutions.
The initiative has been made possible, in part, through the generous support of Ascendium Education Group, the Gates Foundation, ECMC Foundation, The Greater Texas Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, and The Kresge Foundation. These philanthropic partners share the vision of creating a higher education experience where all students can thrive.
The institutions involved in the Gardner Institute’s third Transformation cohort enroll nearly 100,000 undergraduate students. Nearly 40% of those students receive a Pell Grant; and over one-half are students of color. The institutions include six colleges and universities from Texas as well as institutions from across the United States.. These Texas institutions are participating in the work in conjunction with efforts underway with support from Greater Texas Foundation, The cohort 3 institutions include:
- Austin College (TX)
- Baker University (KS)
- Fairmont State University (WV)
- Midwestern State University (TX)
- Sam Houston State University (TX)
- Sul Ross State University (TX)
- Texas Wesleyan University (TX)
- University of Houston – Main (TX)
- University of Houston – Clearlake (TX)
- University of Oregon (OR)
“What truly moves me is how these institutions are fully embracing the challenge,” said Andrew (Drew) Koch, Chief Executive Officer of the Gardner Institute. “As we launch our third cohort, I’m encouraged by the growing reach of this movement. These colleges and universities recognize that purchasing a tool or launching another initiative won’t shift outcomes on its own. They understand meaningful change requires strategy, long-term commitment, and sustained support. By adopting a whole-institution approach, they are positioning themselves to realize real, durable transformation.”
Over the next five years, the institutions in the third Transformation cohort will collaborate closely with the Gardner Institute to create and execute strategies that close performance gaps and help more students thrive and complete. By the end of this initiative, these institutions are expected to be well on their way to removing family income and first-generation status as the best predictors of who succeeds in and graduates from college.
“As we launch our third cohort and continue to support our first two, we’re also actively recruiting our fourth cohort. There’s room at the table for institutions and systems committed to this work,” Koch added. “We invite anyone interested to reach out and explore how their institution or system can engage and contribute.”
The John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education is a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with colleges, universities, philanthropic organizations, educators, and other entities to increase institutional responsibility for improving outcomes associated with teaching, learning, retention, and completion. The Institute supports postsecondary education’s efforts to ensure that every learner earns a high-quality credential or degree that leads to a meaningful career and a highly fulfilling life. Through its work, the Institute will advance higher education’s broader mission of expanding opportunity and success for all students.