InsideTrack's five-year coaching program across 39 HBCUs produced re-enrollment rates 2.5 times the national average

A fresh analysis from InsideTrack, the nonprofit focused on student success coaching that has assisted more than 3.6 million learners in the last twenty years, shows that a five-year initiative at 39 Historically Black Colleges and Universities enabled stopped-out students to return at 2.5 times the national average and maintained an 83.8 percent fall-to-spring retention rate for actively enrolled participants. The findings indicate that thousands of students re-enrolled, stayed on track, and ultimately earned degrees thanks to personalized coaching delivered through these campus partnerships.

"Strong collaboration with HBCUs begins with appreciation for the history, culture, and leadership already thriving on each campus," noted Henri A. LaSane, Ed.D., associate vice president of HBCU programs at InsideTrack. "Our contribution was to expand capacity in ways that reinforced existing institutional ties rather than supplant them. These outcomes illustrate how such an approach can help more students remain linked to the support, progress, and community that make degree completion attainable."

HBCUs represent only 3 percent of U.S. colleges and universities yet account for nearly 20 percent of Black graduates. These schools have drawn growing interest and donor backing lately, with many reporting higher application volumes and, in select cases, record enrollment figures.

The report titled "Empowering Student Momentum at HBCUs" covers results from Fall 2021 through Spring 2026, a period in which InsideTrack coaches aided more than 43,800 students at the 39 campuses. This group included 23,886 individuals who had previously stopped out and 11,815 currently enrolled students facing obstacles such as work-family balance, financial pressures, or the shift to college life.

Among those contacted by a coach, 1,343 stopped-out students returned to campus, and more than 2,300 have since graduated, based on data confirmed via the National Student Clearinghouse. Participating schools realized an estimated 26.9 million dollars in recovered and retained tuition income as a result.

The multi-year effort directed significant outreach toward groups often missed by standard retention strategies, including adult learners who comprised nearly 40 percent of those coached and Black male students who made up roughly one-third. At a subset of 13 public HBCUs, Black male students who met with a coach re-enrolled at a 15.1 percent rate, which was 10.8 percentage points above peers from the same group who did not meet with a coach.

The five-year project was supported by a group of funders and partners that included Blue Meridian Partners, UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Ed Advancement. The coaching was carried out by a dedicated InsideTrack team of seven partnership directors and 28 trained success coaches, nearly all of whom were HBCU alumni.

"HBCUs serve as strong drivers of social mobility. By assisting these institutions with resources such as re-enrollment coaching from InsideTrack, we have enabled more students to enroll, continue, and complete their studies," said Jim Runcie, co-founder and CEO of Ed Advancement. "Consequently, more students are advancing toward economic opportunity, and more institutions have developed internal ability to support re-enrollment."

InsideTrack is now focused on sustaining this coaching support past the five-year project. Through a related Coaching Development and Training program, 233 staff members and leaders at 21 HBCUs are strengthening their own coaching skills, with training scheduled to conclude in late 2026.

"The national discussion about HBCUs has appropriately moved toward acknowledging their substantial role in student achievement and economic mobility," stated Julian Thompson, senior director of UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building. "The following phase involves ensuring these institutions possess lasting capacity to address evolving student needs while staying aligned with the mission that has guided them for generations. The results in this report illustrate the difference that can be made when HBCUs are supported to build upon those strengths."

Read the full report, "Empowering Student Momentum at HBCUs."

About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit that leverages the transformative power of coaching to advance learners along their educational and career pathways. Our expert coaches leverage our evidence-based methodology to build personalized relationships with learners, helping them develop the knowledge, skills and beliefs they need to complete their credentials and obtain quality jobs. We also partner with institutions to train and upskill their leaders and staff to utilize the transformative power of coaching, creating a ripple effect that impacts even more learners. Since 2001, we've served more than 3.6 million students across 425 institutions. We believe everyone should have access to quality coaching as a catalyst to fuel equitable social mobility. InsideTrack is a division of Lemnis, a public charity dedicated to expanding learning for all. To learn more, visit www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn @InsideTrack.

SOURCE InsideTrack