Beyond the Classroom: Reimagining Student Success Through Community and Care
- Ad Astra Research Institute
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Featuring Dr. Cynthia Bice | Future Insight Podcast, Episode 13
Hosted by Dean Cantu
In today’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape, student success requires more than effective lectures and well-designed curricula. It demands a culture of care, innovative environments, and meaningful community partnerships.
In a recent episode of the Future Insight podcast, Dr. Cynthia Bice, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Missouri Valley College, shared her vision for academic leadership—one that places the student experience at the center of every decision.
Here are three key lessons from her approach.
1. The Power of “Grow Your Own” Partnerships
One of the most persistent challenges in education is teacher retention, especially in urban districts. Dr. Bice’s work demonstrates that universities cannot thrive in isolation—they must be deeply connected to their communities.
Drawing on her experience with Yale University’s School Development Program, she implemented models in which student teachers committed to specific districts for up to five years in exchange for high-quality training and mentorship.
Later, at Lindenwood University, she helped launch a “Grow Your Own” initiative that identified future educators while they were still in high school. Through dual credit programs and structured mentoring, students gained a clear pathway into the profession.
These cyclical partnerships do more than fill vacancies. They create long-term stability for K–12 students and sustainable career pathways for aspiring teachers.
2. Reimagining Campus Spaces
Environment shapes behavior. When Dr. Bice was tasked with transforming an abandoned warehouse in Miami, she didn’t simply create classrooms—she created a professional workplace.
“We’ve got to make sure that when students leave here, their employers don’t see them as first-year employees,” Bice explained. “They should look like experienced professionals.”
The renovated space resembled a modern corporate campus, complete with glass walls, maker spaces, podcast studios, and technology labs. The result was a dramatic increase in student engagement.
Even during the pandemic, students continued coming to campus—not out of obligation, but because the environment inspired creativity, collaboration, and belonging.
3. From “Boot Camp” to “Success Spa”
Traditional academic intervention programs often focus on remediation, which can feel discouraging or punitive. Dr. Bice takes a different approach.
When Florida introduced a required civics literacy exam, her team created “Success Spas” rather than study halls. These programs combined intensive academic preparation with wellness activities such as yoga and meditation.
While other institutions favored “boot camp” models, Dr. Bice insisted on “spa” branding to reinforce a supportive, empowering atmosphere.
She also pioneered an early-intervention “triage” system. By identifying learning challenges in the first week of class, students could be placed into late-start courses with enhanced support.
Instead of failing silently, students were given a second chance—resulting in a 100% pass rate for participants.
The Takeaway
Dr. Bice’s leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: “Make the place better than I found it.”
Whether through experiential learning spaces, mentorship programs, or holistic academic support, her work reminds us that education is fundamentally about human connection.
Institutions that succeed in the future will be those that see students not just as learners, but as whole people—deserving of care, opportunity, and belonging.
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