Southeastern Louisiana University was recently announced as an award winner of the annual Eduventures® Research Innovation Awards Program for next generation enrollment by Encoura®, an industry-leading educational technology, marketing, and research organization. The university was recognized at the Eduventures Summit in Chicago for leveraging dual enrollment programs as a primary admission pipeline.
The Innovation Awards Program honors institutions that exemplify Encoura’s commitment to advancing innovation and improving outcomes in higher education. The organization said this year’s submissions reflected bold, forward-thinking initiatives addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing colleges and universities today.
“This recognition affirms Southeastern’s commitment to meeting students where they are and creating innovative pathways to higher education,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright. “Our dual enrollment partnerships are helping students envision themselves as college students earlier, earn valuable college credit, and accelerate their path to a degree. By strengthening connections with schools across our region, we are expanding access, supporting student success, and ensuring that more students can achieve their educational and career goals. We are honored to be recognized among the nation’s most innovative institutions and remain committed to finding forward-thinking solutions that serve both our students and our communities.”
Now in its 11th year, the Eduventures Innovation Awards Program honors organizations and teams that are shaping the future of higher education. Entries are submitted in five categories and are designed to identify higher education institutions that have demonstrated significant innovation when developing and implementing programs that impact the following: next generation recruitment (traditional students), online or adult learner recruitment (undergraduate or graduate), student success, excellence in AI, and program innovation.
Chief Enrollment Management Officer Kay Maurin, Assistant Vice President for Academic Programs Jeff Temple, and Director of Institutional Research Michelle Hall collaborated to write the award application.
“There were over 60 applications for the award this year, and the judges said our application was one of the strongest they had ever seen,” said Maurin. “They were most impressed with our data references.”
Judges select winners from written applications and, if needed, conduct follow-up interviews. Entries are scored on value to the institution, innovation, and relevance to the mission of the school and are announced in conjunction with the annual Eduventures Summit.
“This year’s winners show what’s possible when institutions stop treating innovation as a separate initiative and start building it into the core of how they operate – from how they recruit students, to how they recognize learning, to how they prepare graduates for an AI-driven world,” said Executive Vice President of Eduventures Research at Encoura Cara Quackenbush. “Each of these institutions saw an opportunity, backed it with data, and proved it works. That’s exactly what these awards are meant to celebrate.”
For more information on Southeastern’s dual enrollment program, visit http://southeastern.edu/dualenrollment.
