Message from the Co-Chairs
Welcome to the Orientation, Transition and Retention Knowledge Community (OTR KC)! Through this community, we strive to create a collaborative environment for student affairs professionals to share resources, network and discuss ideas centered on new and emerging trends in orientation, transition and retention in higher education.
As a community of professionals vested in the Orientation, Transition, and Retention (OTR) functional area, the Knowledge Community will provide opportunities for NASPA members to network, share knowledge and research, and discuss new and emerging trends for the enhancement of OTR.
Vision: The Orientation, Transition, and Retention Knowledge Community (OTR KC) strives to be recognized as the national resource for NASPA members to understand our collective roles and responsibilities in supporting students as they transition into, through, and out of college.
The OTR KC values:
- Education and Knowledge
- Inclusion and Community
- Collaboration and Support
Definition of Terms:
- Orientation: is a collection of events, programs, experiences, and services designed to support new students as they acclimate to higher education.
- Transition: is any event or non-event that results in change throughout a student’s collegiate journey beginning with pre-college preparation in high school through degree completion, and pursuit of advanced degrees.
- Retention: is the collective effort of both the student and institution to ensure continued persistence to graduation/degree completion.
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The NASPA Orientation, Transition, & Retention Knowledge Community invites you to submit a nomination for one of our annual awards, which are officially open. Self-nominations are also strongly encouraged! The awards recipients will be recognized in our OTR KC Business Meeting at the Annual Conference in March. We are seeking nominations for the following areas:
• Excellence in Research Award – Recognizes excellent completed research in the field of OTR. In addition to the recognition, the awardee will be able to collaborate with the OTR KC to disseminate the research findings more proudly through print and web-based publications, conference presentations, and/or webinars.
• Research Grant – Recognizes new and ongoing research in the field of OTR. The recipient will receive $500 to support their research. In addition to the recognition, the awardee will be able to collaborate with the OTR KC to disseminate the research findings more proudly through print and web-based publications, conference presentations, and/or webinars.
• Collaboration Award – Recognizes an exemplary partnership across the institution(s) and/or externally. The successful recipient(s) will demonstrate use of cross-functional collaboration, the ability to address a problem/issue, increase efficiencies, and/or inspire innovation to provide unique support for orientation, transition and/or retention efforts.
Use this form to see the nomination requirements and submit for any of the above categories. All award nominations are due October 9, 2024, by 11:59pm PST. We hope that you will consider submitting an award application and share this opportunity throughout your networks so we can acknowledge the great work that is being done in orientation, transition, and retention. Thank you!
Recent Award Winners
Excellence in Research Award
- 2023 - Dr. Sherell D. Wilson, Assistant Professor, National Louis University; An Exploratory Study of First-Year, Low-Income Students with High Academic Achievement
- 2022 - Dr. Leslie Jo Shelton, University of Arkansas; Undocumented College Students: Sense of Belonging from Orientation, Transition, and Retention Experiences
- 2024 - Kimberley Kushner, University of Missouri - Kansas City; Jewish undergraduate student sense of belonging (SOB) within U.S. higher education
- 2023 - Jaime Miller, Director, Academic Support, Auburn University; Autoethnographic study examining peer leadership in the field of higher education
- 2022 - Kelly Brochu, Regis College; Wearing Multiple Hats Towards Graduation Gap: Navigation Role Conflict through a Master’s Degree In Higher Education
- 2024 - CommUNITY Lab, Kent State University - Submitted by Amanda Paulus
- 2023 - First-Year Experience, Bates College - Submitted by Jimmy Riley
- 2022 - Cal Poly Humbolt – Submitted by Dr. Eboni Ford Turnbow