Regional public universities are being asked to do more with fewer students, fewer dollars, and less margin for error—making student persistence, timely graduation, and career outcomes central institutional concerns. Under mounting enrollment pressure and a shifting labor market, experiential learning has moved from a “nice to have” to a strategic imperative. Research consistently shows that students who participate in work-based or applied learning are more likely to persist and graduate, and institutions are increasingly being asked to prove that these experiences are intentional, equitable, and scalable. Against a backdrop of demographic decline in the Northeast and Midwest, the stakes are clear: connecting learning to careers is no longer optional—it’s central to institutional sustainability.

So how can a tuition-driven public university design experiential learning that reaches students early, supports retention, and aligns academic and enrollment goals without overwhelming faculty or staff?

That question is at the heart of this episode of Signals in Higher Ed, hosted by Darin Francis. Darin is joined by Dr. John Rindy of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, who shares how the institution has built a data-informed, relationship-driven model to scale experiential and work-based learning as a core student success strategy. The episode explores how organizational structure, early intervention, and a clear “why” can turn experiential learning into a lever for persistence and graduation.

The main topics of conversation…

Early college work-based learning as a retention strategy: How Slippery Rock uses paid, non-credit experiential learning in the first and second years to build context, motivation, and momentum toward 60 credits—a milestone associated with a 94%+ graduation rate.

A three-function student success model: Why the Center for Career & Academic Progress integrates student-facing services, internal consulting, and applied research to move retention and completion metrics.

From “buy-in” to enrollment: Dr. Rindy’s philosophy on leadership, faculty partnership, and why sustainable change depends on enrolling people in ideas rather than selling them.

Dr. John Rindy is a senior higher education leader with deep expertise in student retention, career education, and data-informed persistence strategy, currently serving as Assistant Vice President for the Center for Career & Academic Progress at Slippery Rock University. He has led campus-wide transformations that produced record-setting first-year retention (86%+), scaled work-based and experiential learning, and integrated predictive analytics, internal consulting, and applied research to drive student success and career outcomes. With prior experience as a CEO/COO in healthcare, a dean, a long-serving faculty member, and a career education innovator, Rindy brings a rare blend of executive leadership, academic partnership, and operational execution across education and industry.