Student Success Summit
Advancing student success through
the charlotte model
Student success is not the responsibility of a single office, program, or moment—it is the result of a coordinated, intentional experience across the full student lifecycle. The Student Success Summit convenes campus leaders, practitioners, and subject-matter experts to engage in a shared conversation about how we collectively support students through The Charlotte Model, UNC Charlotte’s institution-wide framework for student success.
This Summit will introduce and deepen understanding of The Charlotte Model as a common language and organizing structure for how students experience the University from pre-admission through alumni status.
Ultimately, our work will show a clear commitment to advancing student success through thoughtful, measurable actions that create lasting impact.
Why This Summit Matters
As UNC Charlotte continues to serve an increasingly complex student population, it is essential that our systems, policies, and practices reflect how students actually move through the institution—not how we assume they do. This Summit places a particular focus on first-time-in-college (FTIC) students who enter as non-freshmen, including those arriving with 30 or more earned credits through AP, early college, or dual enrollment pathways.
These students often experience accelerated academic progression alongside uneven access to information, engagement opportunities, and skill-building experiences traditionally designed for first-year students. Through the Summer, participants will:
Examine the current student journey across key transition points and institutional processes
Explore the lived experiences of this population through each Charlotte Model lens
Identify strengths, gaps, and misalignments in how our structures and services support their success
March 31st
Agenda
| 8:30 am | Pre-Summit Coffee & Connections |
| 9:00 am | Welcome Remarks Provost Jennifer Troyer & Vice Chancellor Kevin Bailey |
| 9:15 am | An Introduction of the Charlotte Model |
| 9:40 am | Session #1 – Understanding the student profile |
| 10:15 am | Brain Break – 15 minutes |
| 10:30 am | Session #2 – Designing the FTIC/Non-Freshmen Student Journey |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch w/Activity |
| 12:45 pm | Closing Comments & Next Steps |
More information
Who should participate?
The Student Success Summit is designed for campus leaders and practitioners whose work directly shapes the student experience, including those in advising, coaching, enrollment, academic and student affairs, and student success programming. Participants bring:
-Expertise and research-informed perspectives relevant to student success
-Oversight of programs, policies, and services that most impact FTIC non-freshmen students
-A readiness to engage in collaborative analysis and solution-oriented dialogue
To support meaningful engagement, pre-work and selected readings will be provided in advance to establish shared context and maximize the depth of conversation during the Summit.
What is the Charlotte Model?
The Charlotte Model is UNC Charlotte’s institution-wide framework for understanding, designing, and improving the student experience across the full college lifecycle—from pre-admission through alumni engagement. Rather than treating student success as a collection of disconnected initiatives, the Model provides a shared structure and common language that helps campus partners align their work around how students actually experience the University.
At its core, The Charlotte Model recognizes that students succeed when academic progress, skill development, engagement, and navigation of the institution are intentionally connected—not left to chance or individual initiative.
The four “buckets” of the Model
The Charlotte Model organizes the student experience through four interconnected lenses. Together, they allow us to examine not only what we offer students, but how those offerings are experienced over time.
Academic Experience
Focuses on curriculum, instruction, academic policies, and advising structures that support timely progression and meaningful learning. This lens asks whether students understand expectations, pathways, and how their academic choices connect to long-term goals.
Skills & Experience
Centers on how students build career-relevant skills through internships, research, project-based learning, employment, and other experiential opportunities. It emphasizes intentional skill development and the ability to articulate learning beyond the classroom.
Campus Engagement
Examines how students connect to the institution through involvement, relationships, and a sense of belonging. This lens highlights the importance of co-curricular experiences, peer and mentor networks, and access to communities that support persistence.
College 101
Addresses how students learn to navigate the University’s systems, resources, and expectations. This includes understanding policies, timelines, financial planning, and how to seek support—particularly critical for students who move quickly through traditional milestones.
Pre-work information
Coming soon….