Persistance Plus

WHAT WE DO Persistence Plus brings the idea of the nudge to higher education to increase retention. Grounded in behavioral science, our nudges help students achieve academic goals, reframe obstacles, seek help from campus resources, and navigate the path to graduation. With Persistence Plus, students receive personalized, interactive nudges over text message to support them on the path to success. Nudges are personalized to the student's profile, the college context and the real-time responses that the student shares about their goals, challenges and college experience. The end result is that Persistence Plus delivers the right nudge to the right student at the right time. OUR SERVICES We design and deliver behavioral nudges that increase college persistence for specific student populations. Here are just a few examples – talk to us about your student support priorities. FIRST YEAR Ease the transition for new and first-generation students. NEAR COMPLETERS Support students late in college to the finish line. STEM Keep students on the path to STEM degrees and careers. ONLINE STUDENTS Help online learners feel connected to college. Read the JFF report on how our nudging model is increasing persistence and closing equity gaps across four community colleges. OUR PARTNERS Our partners include community colleges, four-year colleges, online institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Here's a sample of them. ClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClientClient WHAT STUDENTS SAY We love what we do, but we think our students describe Persistence Plus best. “I love it! It pushed me to stay on top of work and to talk to advisors. It was very encouraging. I liked knowing about registration dates and hearing about other students’ stories.” Jessie Estevez, community college student “I think it was a great motivator. It was nice to know that I wasn’t alone in trying to figure out this whole online school experience. I really think it exceeded my expectations. I study more than I used to.” Skylar Stuckey, online learner “I feel like I have someone to help me out who cares, and that the school puts forth the effort to get this info to me. It acts like a little counselor to get you through and motivate you.” Irina Prishko, four-year university student Read our peer-reviewed paper in AERA Open on how P+ nudges resulted in a 10 percentage point gain in STEM persistence. TEAM The Persistence Plus team combines expertise in higher education, behavioral science, and technology and shares a passion for increasing equity and economic mobility. JILL FRANKFORT Co-founder & President Linkedin link Jill helps colleges transform how they support, engage and motivate students to completion. Previously a director at Jobs for the Future, Jill holds degrees in education from Brown University and Wake Forest University. SERENA FAHNBULLEH CRAIN Senior Manager of Partner Success Twitter linkLinkedin link Serena works with partner colleges to implement the Persistence Plus model. In her prior work in college admissions, she helped community college students transfer and earn STEM degrees. A first-gen college goer, she holds a M.S.Ed from University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. GREG KIRKPATRICK Senior Developer Linkedin link Greg leads the development of a scalable, robust and intelligent technology platform that can support millions of students to college completion. He has been developing ed tech and gaming startups for 20 years. CECILIA LE Managing Director Twitter linkLinkedin link Cecilia works with colleges, nonprofits and foundations to scale student success. She has worked on the national and community level to increase college completion at Jobs for the Future, Match Education and Youth Uprising. ROSS O’HARA, PH.D. Behavioral Researcher Linkedin link Ross develops nudging interventions to foster the mindsets and behaviors that lead to college success. He earned his Ph.D. in social psychology from Dartmouth College and has served as a researcher, professor, and undergraduate mentor. BETSY SPARROW, PH.D. Behavioral Researcher Linkedin link Betsy’s work in data analytics informs our approach to student success. A first-gen college goer and former professor at Columbia University, she earned her Ph.D. in social psychology from Harvard University. SHAHRUKH TARAPORE Technologist in Residence Twitter linkLinkedin link