Interactive student communication, Scaller™, connects students to existing services within the College              

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – February  11, 2015 - Mohawk College deployed the Vocantas student outreach solution in 2014 in an effort to improve student retention by connecting directly with students  and pointing them to resources available on campus. Students were contacted a few weeks into the fall semester by phone and asked questions relating to areas of concern they might be experiencing in their first semester. By reaching out  to students early in their first semester, Mohawk was able to introduce students pre-emptively to support channels that exist to help students achieve academic success.          

By reaching out early in the first semester, the goal of the Scaller IVR program is to support students who might otherwise have become discouraged and left the college. Students who feel supported by and connected to their campus community are more  likely to stay, increasing retention at the college.The fall 2014 Scaller campaign was a successful one at Mohawk, with 68% of students responding to the call and 44% identifying needs in their first semester.          

“We are pleased with the number of students we reached with the Scaller campaign. It also served as an excellent way for us to capture student  feedback. We used this data as a catalyst to follow-up with students via  personalized e-mail communications and a peer-to-peer call campaign,” said Tim Fricker, Director of Student Success Initiatives.          

“We are pleased that the call campaign helped Mohawk College reach 4413 students this fall. We know that connecting students with existing support channels not only increases retention but improves student morale. The knowledge that their school cares is powerful for students,” said Gary Hannah, CEO, Vocantas.          

The feedback collected by the Scaller campaign will continue to have positive outcomes as Mohawk College implements changes to both programs and processes to meet the needs of students. Student engagement at Mohawk will  increase along with student satisfaction, and Mohawk will have solid data to support the process changes that will improve student experience at the College.          

About Mohawk College 

 Mohawk College’s diverse program offerings are offered at the apprenticeship, continuing education, diploma and collaborative degree level, allowing students to optimize their education. Cooperative education programs give students real-world experience, preparing them for successful careers in their field. Mohawk College is fully accredited and funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and is a member of the Association of Community Colleges of Canada (ACCC).