Special promotional content provided by Madison College
A new initiative at Madison College is taking a direct, personal approach to improving retention rates among male students of color—by simply picking up the phone.
For the past three years, the Call to Retain Initiative, led by Madison College Community Impact Manager Dr. Jimmy Cheffen, has enlisted faculty and staff volunteers to call first-year students of color to check in, offer support, and connect them with resources.
“It’s called Call to Retain, and what sets ours apart in such a remarkable way is that faculty and staff from across campus reach out to first-year students with a simple yet powerful question: “How are you doing?” Cheffen said.
The initiative’s goal is straightforward: help students stay enrolled into their second semester, a key indicator of their long-term likelihood to complete their degree.
“Studies show that if students can make it to spring semester, then they’re most likely to stay in school and get their degree,” Cheffen explained.
A Simple but Effective Strategy
The program was inspired by Dr. Luke Woods, now President of Sacramento State, who introduced a similar retention strategy in a workshop Cheffen attended. Dr. Wood emphasizes that as a college, we must be willing and prepared to intervene proactively and intentionally when we see our students struggling. The concept struck a chord for Cheffen, leading him to launch Call to Retain at Madison College, designed specifically for first-year male students of color.
“Listening to Dr. Woods discuss the small yet impactful ways we can help retain our students really stuck with me,” Cheffen said. “It made me reflect on how intrusive we, as a community college can be in supporting student success and what intrusive practices look like. When I attended an HBCU for a year, I experienced firsthand how professors would go the extra mile—sometimes even finding me in the cafeteria to ask why I wasn’t in class. That experience made me wonder: how can we apply intrusive practices as simple as making a phone call.”
Cheffen emphasizes the importance of supporting male students of color in higher education, regarding help-seeking behaviors.
“Research shows our male students of color are significantly less likely to seek help in college. This reluctance stems from fear of being perceived as weak or not feeling seen or supported. By being proactive and calling students, we can normalize help-seeking behaviors, creating an environment where students feel comfortable reaching out for assistance without the fear of judgment,” Cheffen said.
The Call to Retain initiative is part of the action research proposals led by the Institute for Equity & Transformational Change at Madison College. This project builds on Gilani’s 2022 study, where a team of college members called students weekly to boost short-term student engagement.
Who Makes the Calls?
Volunteers make the calls—part-time and full-time faculty and staff—who reach out two to three weeks into the semester. Participants typically commit to calling four to six students each, with the entire process taking only about 10 to 15 minutes per student.
Beyond just offering support, the initiative also provides faculty and staff with deeper insights into the challenges students face.
“This study is exciting in two ways,” Cheffen said. “First, it’s incredibly important that we retain our students. But what really makes this special is how it impacts the callers. I often hear heartwarming stories about how a student didn’t answer at first, but then one day, they called for help. Or even better, some callers proudly share that students are still reaching out for help long after the initiative has ended. It’s truly transformative.”
Addressing Barriers to Success
During these calls, students frequently express concerns about financial aid, academic support, and technology issues—barriers that might otherwise push them to leave school.
“If you need advising, coaching, a writing center, tutoring, financial aid, counseling, you want to be active—what about student life?” Cheffen said. “Or if you have a disability and don’t know how to address it, or even if you have technology problems… we can call their success coach and say, ‘Hey, you need to get on it. They’re having problems.’”
The program doesn’t take a deficit-based approach to student outreach but focuses on offering support and connection.
“(The call volunteers) don’t come from a deficit mindset,” Cheffen said. “They don’t say, ‘Do you need anything?’ They’re like, ‘Hey, how you doing? I’m so-and-so. I just called to check on you, to welcome you to Madison College.’”
Results and Future Expansion
Since its launch three years ago, the program has shown positive retention trends.
“While we are still processing this year’s numbers, the trends mirror last year’s,” Cheffen said. “Out of 150 students, 73 responded—but what truly matters is that every student knows we are here. Some reach out later when they need support, and that connection makes all the difference.”
Through careful triage, students are connected with essential resources—academic advising, tutoring, writing support, and financial aid—needs that reflect national trends.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts across campus, 120 out of 150 students returned for the Spring 2024 semester. And this year, we see a similar story unfolding—one of persistence, support, and impact,” Cheffen said.
The initiative’s next phase will examine how many of these students complete their degrees.
“We’re in Phase B, where we’re trying to see—do they get their degree? Do they get their certificate? That’s the process we’re in right now,” Cheffen said.
Ultimately, Cheffen envisions a campus culture where faculty and staff routinely check in on students, extending beyond the Call to Retain Initiative. His goal is to institutionalize this practice, making proactive student support a fundamental part of Madison College. This aligns with Madison College Vision 2030’s strategic commitment to remove historic barriers to college access and student success by continuously reviewing and updating systems, policies, and practices to ensure equity for all students.
“I always think about, what would it be like if it was institutionalized to call our students… to check on our students, to make sure they’re okay?” Cheffen said.
While many colleges nationwide struggle with retention among students of color, Cheffen believes the solution shouldn’t be complicated.
“One simple way to help enhance retention is by simply calling them,” he said.
