Higher education institutions face rising expectations from learners who want more personalized, seamless experiences from the start of their academic journey. Creating meaningful early connections and sustaining engagement throughout the student lifecycle has become essential to ensuring both student success and institutional growth. In this interview, Carrie Phillips discusses the importance of early touchpoints in building student confidence and the role of personalization in fostering belonging.
The EvoLLLution (Evo): Why are early touchpoints so critical in shaping students’ experiences and overall long-term success?
Carrie Phillips (CP): Early touchpoints shape belonging, retention and confidence. Students want a campus that feels like home, and that connection begins with their first interaction. The more connected they feel, the more likely they are to persist and succeed, which benefits both students and the institution.
At UA Little Rock, many learners are first generation and arrive without a support system or role models who’ve navigated higher education. They often carry self-doubt. Early touchpoints allow us to affirm their talent and capability, helping them build confidence and trust that they belong. That encouragement drives long-term academic and personal success.
Evo: What are some challenges that institutions face when creating personalized early touchpoints that not only reach students but resonate with, attract and retain them?
CP: One major challenge in creating personalized early touchpoints is time. These efforts are strategic but often get pushed aside by more urgent tasks. Another challenge is balance. Our instinct is to personalize around a student’s intended major, but most students change their minds—sometimes several times. If all communications focus too narrowly, like sending constant nursing messages, students who shift interests may feel the institution isn’t a fit.
The goal is to personalize without putting students in a box. Show them their chosen path is supported, while highlighting the many related opportunities. That way, even if their plans change, they still see a future with the institution.
Evo: What opportunities do personalized first interactions create for fostering stronger engagement and long-term student success?
CP: Personalized first interactions create opportunities to build trust and ensure students feel seen as individuals, not numbers. We live in an Amazon world where people expect tailored experiences, and students are no different. They want conversations that reflect their interests and identities.
Just as a trusted sales associate want what matters to you, students want that same sense of having a person on campus who understands their needs and looks out for them. For first-generation students especially, that relationship can be transformative, giving them confidence that someone is in their corner. These individualized touchpoints foster stronger engagement, belonging and ultimately long-term success by showing students they matter to the institution from the very beginning.
Evo: How can institutions use early student data to anticipate these needs and deliver timely support to their students?
CP: Early student data allows institutions to deliver timely, tailored academic support in three ways. For high achievers, it helps connect them with high-impact practices like study abroad, internships and co-ops. For students who need extra help, it ensures they’re guided toward wraparound resources like writing centers and tutoring. And for those in the middle—students who did well in high school but struggle with the transition to college—it identifies when they need just-in-time support. Using data this way ensures every student gets the right guidance at the right moment.
Evo: How can early engagement strategies extend beyond enrollment into cocurricular activities and career readiness that students are expecting?
CP: Early engagement shouldn’t stop at enrollment. It should extend into the full collegiate experience. More and more, marketing and communications teams are focused on retention, which means creating a regular cadence of support and reminders throughout the year. That might be weekly social media highlights about clubs, events and activities that help students get involved, or showcasing career services and internships that connect them to networks and future opportunities.
Students experience a highly customized recruitment journey, so institutions must carry that personalization forward once they’re on campus. By working across departments, marcom teams are uniquely positioned to share opportunities in ways that keep students engaged, connected and prepared for their next steps.
Evo: Is there anything you’d like to add?
CP: My biggest advice is don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Marketing and communications teams are uniquely positioned to be change agents on campus because of our relationships across departments.
That gives us an opportunity—and a responsibility—to start this work now. We can always use data to refine, adjust messaging and improve over time, but waiting until everything is flawless risks missing the chance to make an impact.
Progress matters more than perfection, and by acting we can begin shaping stronger student experiences and outcomes right away.
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