At first glance, participating in the Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) seemed daunting. However, that was far from the truth. The Trellis Strategies team made the whole process as smooth as possible. They provided all the information needed and modified documents to satisfy our Internal Review Board (IRB) processes for approval. During this process, Trellis provided the following:
- Marketing Material
- Incentives (Amazon Gift Card)
- Email Verbiage
- Communication Calendar
- Most importantly, all the IRB documentation
Once the IRB was approved and sent to Trellis, they took over and made the communication process with our students easy and smooth. Trellis kept us updated regularly, reminding us to notify our students at appropriate times. Their hands-on approach allowed me to concentrate on other projects, knowing that the survey process was in capable hands.
When the survey closed, Trellis helped us identify the gift card winners for the incentive they provided and the internal gift cards we had for our students. Once the winners were chosen, Trellis informed us of the winners so that we could complete the incentive process.
Following the survey’s conclusion, Trellis provided valuable data and snapshots, enabling us to present the information to the Board of Trustees for Strategic Planning. Another significant benefit of the survey was Trellis’s national presentation of the key findings to our key staff, faculty, and community members. Their insights and suggestions for enhancing our campus resources were invaluable.
How did we utilize this data to our benefit?
Because we were provided with a lot of data about the student’s financial needs and barriers to academic success, we utilized this data to seek out Grants and Scholarships. We also established community partners that provided scholarships to aid students’ academic success. Working at a Private not-for-profit, understanding the financial challenges that our students faced was important in aligning ourselves with conducting the SFWS. This allowed us to seek out grants to help our student population. We were awarded two Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) grants that helped with degree completion and retention. These two grants were essential in assisting our FTIC students with attending their first semester of college. They also helped our stopped-out students continue their education. This successful utilization of the data was a significant accomplishment for us.
My experience working with Trellis in this survey was great and smooth. They quickly answered any questions about the IRB process and sent frequent updates. Their presentations with key stakeholders on campus were beneficial in implementing programming and resources to assist our students. We implemented this survey into our strategic planning, which was to be done every other year so as not to interfere with our NSSE survey planning.
Pedro Tijerina is a dedicated Higher Education Professional and Student Advocate with extensive experience in fostering student success through data-driven strategies and comprehensive support systems. He is passionate about empowering students to overcome financial barriers and achieve their academic goals.
To learn more about how your institution can participate in the Student Financial Wellness Survey, please visit https://www.trellisstrategies.org/sfws/.