Wichita State's efforts to recruit and retain students from historically under-served and under-represented areas haven't gone unnoticed. WSU is one of six universities recognized by the 2019 Social Mobility Innovator Awards as a student success leader.

The Social Mobility Index ranks nearly 1,400 four-year U.S. colleges and universities according to how successfully they enroll students from low-income backgrounds and graduate them into promising careers. The goal of the SMI is to help redirect the attribution of "prestige" in the higher education system toward colleges and universities that are advancing economic mobility, the most pressing civic issue of our time.

At a July summit, WSU Provost Richard Muma and Director of Student Success Kim Sandlin provided insights into some of WSU’s student success efforts that include the university’s multi-year and institution-wide commitment to recruiting and retaining students from historically under-served and under-represented populations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Kansas City.

The impact of this innovative practice on the local and regional economy, and the importance of standardizing retention practices and coordination of services to increase the quality of student services, were also discussed.

Individuals from the following universities were also recognized as outstanding student success professionals:

• Winston-Salem State University
• Rutgers University - Newark
• University of California, San Diego
• University of California, Santa Cruz
• New Mexico State University