Staff and faculty meet regularly to discuss ways to continue creating a culture of care on campus, including using students’ preferred names and learning personal information about them to establish relationships. Given that many Hinds students are first-generation or come from low-income backgrounds, Dr. Vacik emphasized the importance of ensuring students feel recognized and supported, which is essential for their continued success and persistence.
“Until students know you’re invested in their lives, they’re not going to invest themselves,” Dr. Vacik said. “We want every student to feel like they’re part of the Hinds family.”
Hinds has also implemented student success centers to complement its work through Caring Campus, further helping to increase student retention, persistence, and success rates.
Looking ahead, Hinds Community College plans to continue building on the successes of Caring Campus, ensuring that faculty and staff remain committed to a culture of care.
“Hinds Community College is a great example of what it means to institutionalize Caring Campus,” Caring Campus founder and CEO Dr. Brad Phillips said. “Their dedication to fostering personal connections ensures students feel valued and supported, which is key to their success.”
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