Project Win-Win Could Provide Pleasant Surprise to Former NSU Students

Northwestern is among three University of Louisiana System institutions taking part in Project Win-Win, a subset of the national Access to Success Initiative led jointly by the National Association of System Heads and The Education Trust. McNeese State University and Nicholls State University are also part of the program.

In Project Win-Win, universities will check the records of students who left school after earning 60 or more hours. They will determine if the former student enrolled at another college or university or received a degree elsewhere. If not, they will do a final transcript analysis to see if the student is eligible to receive an associate degree. Northwestern officials have gone back to 2000 and have found approximately 1,000 students who may be eligible for an associate degree. Nearly 500 students are lacking a small number of hours to receive a degree.

“One if the main purposes of this program is to give students an incentive to return and finish their bachelor’s degree,” said Northwestern State Registrar Lillie Frazier Bell. “When students learn they have earned an associate degree, it often gives them incentive to return to school and get a bachelor’s degree.”

Project Win-Win will also help institutions learn why students leave college after earning more than 60 hours and if these students have common characteristics. They will also learn if there are university or state level barriers to students completing a degree.

Northwestern is contacting students who are eligible under the program and are inviting them to enroll this fall.

There is no cost to students. So far, 165 students who were notified have returned an Application for Degree and 35 students have indicated they will participate in the Fall 2010 Commencement Exercises.

For more information on Project Win-Win at Northwestern, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357-6171.