While many have sought to uncover the SEM silver bullet, it has remained elusive. This is because there is no single approach that works for all institutions. Each institution faces unique challenges and opportunities related to their region, institutional mandate, and the students they serve. This issue of SEM Quarterly speaks to how current SEM practitioners are increasing our understanding of how SEM can be applied in a diverse postsecondary educational environment. It increases our understanding of faculty SEM perspectives, the impact of entrance awards on student enrollment, the use of SEM at community colleges, the enrollment planning to implementation barriers, the pitfalls of onboard digital platform implementation, and transfer student engagement and transition.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which required students, staff, and faculty to study and work remotely is well known; however, it is believed that perspectives vary among campus stakeholders. Jennifer Passenti and Luke Schultheis conducted a qualitative study involving faculty members to learn a faculty perspective on enrollment and retention success during the pandemic. It followed a prior study that presented the perspective of administration. Three emergent themes were identified related to enrollment, retention, and institutional strategies.

Student financial aid entrance awards are frequently used to enhance yield rates among postsecondary institutions, sometimes focused on specifically targeted student populations. Alexander Ondrus and Ashmita De examined the impact of entrance awards on yield rates in a business program. They found that, after adjusting for model bias, the observed yield among students who were offered a merit-based entrance award significantly exceeded predictions.

Enrollment management approaches to enrolling and supporting postsecondary students is increasingly becoming more common place. Joseph Mews describes shifts in the enrollment outlook for community colleges, and explores enrollment management opportunities for these institutions, emphasizing strategies that expand access and improve student success. He also highlights the critical role of community partnerships and workforce development, aligning enrollment management strategies with institutional mission and local labor market needs.

Institutions who are beginning their SEM journey often experience difficulty in moving from planning to implementation of their SEM plans. Josh Hibbard and Ediz Kaykayoglu examine effective strategies for transitioning from SEM planning to execution by exploring the essential components of effective SEM implementation, from planning and project organization to measurement, leadership, and budget alignment.

Much of the literature on student engagement and transition focuses on the experiences of first-time, first-year students. Tessa Benedict-Philipp and Jaclyn Leigh Thalassa Duerr describe an approach developed at UC San Diego, called the Triton Transfer Hub, that created an adaptable mentorship program focused on engagement in a way that met transfer students’ individualized needs and built their sense of belonging.

The pitfalls of onboarding digital platform implementation are well known to most of us in higher education. Amanda Coltri and Ane Turner Johnson, using a university case study, lay out some of the most frequently encountered struggles surrounding new technology implementation and highlights key opportunities for addressing these issues. They suggest that the success of a digital onboarding platform relies on a well-designed and executed implementation and adoption plan.

We also include one book review. Tammy Johnson introduces us to SEM Core Concepts: Leading Toward Learner Success and Campus Enrollment Health (2024), which is the latest book in AACRAO’s SEM planning trilogy. The authors, Jody Gordon and Stanley Henderson, present the theoretical tenets and practical applications essential for campus enrollment health and learner success. It is a must read for those new to SEM.

As the SEM community addresses today’s challenges while planning for the needs of a new generation of learners, we must continue growing our scholarship and sharing best and promising practices. Hopefully, this SEMQ edition will provide research and insights to help us achieve student success and institutional health.

Happy reading.