In an email to faculty and staff, President Timothy Caboni announced improvements in overall student retention. 

The first to second semester persistence rate for fall 2018 first-time, first-year students increased by 4 percent since 2017, from 82.5 to 86.5 percent. Among low income, first-time, first-year students, retention improved by 5 percent and 5.2 percent among first generation first-time, first-year students. 

The Kelly M. Burch Institute, an initiative to improve student success, produced a 96 percent first to second semester retention rate, while the Intercultural Student Engagement Center produced a 98 percent rate. 

“These are remarkable metrics and a testament that we can enable student success with the right mix of attention, energy and investment,” Caboni said in the email. 

News Editor Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow Rebekah Alvey on Twitter at @bekah_alvey.