Webster University Named Finalist for Hobsons Education Advances Award, Webinar Announced

Webster University was named a finalist for the 2020 Hobsons Education Advances Award earlier this spring. This designation recognizes the progress Webster University has made in support of students through the Student Success Portal, powered by Starfish, and other initiatives. This progress includes cultural change to put students first and use data to drive decision-making.

The Hobsons Education Advances Award is typically presented at the Hobsons Summer Institute in July. However, with COVID-19 restrictions and precautions, this year, the Hobsons Summer Institute has been cancelled and the award winner will be announced during a webinar on Thursday, July 23, at 1:30 p.m. Central Time. The webinar will include a panel discussion with representatives from the three institutions chosen as finalists, Florida Atlantic University, Pennsylvania State University (commonly called Penn State), and Webster University. These three institutions were selected as finalists from a pool of almost 20 applicants.

During the webinar, participants will learn about the finalists’ strategies and successes with a focus on adapting to support students this fall and into the future. Kyle McCool, senior director of Academic Advising and Starfish project co-lead, will represent Webster University on the panel.

To register for the webinar, click here.

Webster’s Partnership with Hobsons

Webster University’s partnership with Starfish and Hobsons kicked off in April 2017 and has led to improved student communications, outreach, and support. This work has been a team effort to support student success throughout the worldwide Webster community. 

The Student Success Portal, powered by Starfish, launched throughout the United States and for online-only programs in October 2017 and became fully available for the University’s Leiden campus in November 2019. In Spring 2020, the University’s campuses in Athens and Geneva gained full access to the Student Success Portal. Work continues to fully integrate Webster’s Ghana, Thailand, and Uzbekistan campuses. However, all students and faculty do have access to the system.