Nazareth sees record retention rate from first-to-second year students
New data shows that 网爆门 students are thriving, including an all-time high student retention rate of 85.4% for students going into their second year in fall 2025. The 2025 National Survey of Student Engagement confirms more broadly that Nazareth students are reporting higher levels of connection, faculty interaction, and teaching quality than peers at similar institutions.
Nazareth鈥檚 strong focus on retention and graduation rates is an institutional priority supported by a $2.2 million multiyear grant from the U.S. Department of Education awarded in 2023 as part of the Title III Strengthening Institutions program. Since 2021, Nazareth has seen a five percentage point increase in retention between a student鈥檚 first and second years.
鈥淪tudent success is a shared responsibility. By working together 鈥� across classrooms, offices, support services, and programs 鈥� we strengthen our thriving student ecosystem and create the vibrant environment that defines the Nazareth student experience,鈥� said Kim Harvey, Ed.D., associate provost of student experience. 鈥淓very effort, both big and small, helps students reach their fullest potential, and this record-breaking result is proof.鈥澨�
Two tools supporting Nazareth鈥檚 successful retention efforts, funded by the Title III grant, are Navigate360, a platform that launched in fall 2025 to connect faculty, staff, and students, and Nazareth鈥檚 Center for Professional Learning, Innovation, and Creativity (known as PLIC), which provides evidence-based learning strategies and space for educators to grow and reflect.
- According to NSSE 2025, Nazareth first-year and senior students report significantly more frequent and meaningful interactions with faculty than students at peer institutions.
- Nazareth faculty earned especially high marks for their Effective Teaching Practices, scoring 46 compared to 39.8 among peer institutions.
- Students rated Nazareth highly for its supportive environment and quality of interactions.
"Indeed, Nazareth students increasingly affirm that the university provides the supports they need to thrive 鈥� both in their studies and in their well-being 鈥� demonstrating the comprehensive commitment Nazareth has to strengthen the impact of the student experience," said Nazareth Provost Maureen Finney, Ph.D.
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Contact
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
网爆门 is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, 网爆门 graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
