One Model. One ECU.
A National Model
Student-Centered Transformation
At East Carolina University, our mission for student success is to ensure that every student who chooses ECU is successful – academically, personally, and professionally – and graduates prepared for meaningful lives, career mobility, and impactful participation in the workforce.
As a public university committed to access and opportunity, we center student success in every decision, every system, and every experience. Transfer students and first-time students alike are fundamental to who we are. Throughout the life cycle of an ECU student, we create clear pathways, remove barriers, and align institutional resources so that all learners can navigate their journey with confidence and purpose.
Student Success
Our #1 Priority
At ECU, student success is a shared responsibility and the foundation of everything we do. Guided by principles of student-centeredness, accountability, excellence, clarity, collaboration, and transformation, we create an environment where every learner can navigate confidently, achieve their goals, and emerge prepared to lead, serve, and make a lasting impact locally and globally.
O
Optimizing
…ensuring resources and supports are intentionally designed and continuously improved.
N
Networks
…of emphasizing coordinated partnerships across academic, advising, career, and community systems.
E
Enablement
…focusing on removing barriers and providing timely access to tools, guidance, and opportunities for…
E
Empowerment
…enabling students to take ownership of their learning and goals. This empowerment translates directly into…
C
Career Readiness
…through skill development, experiential learning, and professional pathways, ultimately driving…
U
Upward Mobility
…by positioning students for success beyond graduation as the embodiment of regional transformation.
The OneECU Model
Conceptual Framework
The OneECU Student Success Conceptual Framework is a student-centered model that guides how East Carolina University supports students throughout their entire educational journey. Built around six interconnected domains, including academic success, financial stability, well-being, student experiences, learning environments, and career readiness, the framework recognizes that success is shaped by multiple factors working together to help students thrive.
Grounded in a Culture of Care, Data-Informed Practices, and Strategic Communication, the framework aligns faculty, staff, and campus resources around a shared commitment to student achievement. By breaking down silos and fostering collaboration across the university, OneECU creates a coordinated, holistic approach that empowers students to succeed, belong, graduate, and make a lasting impact beyond ECU.
OneECU Student Success Model
Foundational Commitments
Culture of Care
- We support students with compassion, respect and responsiveness.
- Care shapes how we interact, make decisions and serve students.
- Students experience support, not just transactions.
Data-Informed Policies and Practices
- Decisions are guided by evidence and focus on continuous improvement.
- Data helps us understand student needs and identify challenges early.
- Successful approaches are evaluated, refined and expanded.
Strategic Communication
- Students receive timely, accurate and consistent information.
- Coordinated messaging reduces confusion and builds trust.
- The right information reaches students when they need it most.
Core Domains
Academic Success
The Academic Success domain encompasses high-quality instruction, advising, academic support and degree progress.
Financial Stability
The Financial Stability domain reflects the institution’s responsibility to reduce economic barriers to persistence.
Student Well-Being
The Student Well-Being domain includes mental, physical and emotional health.
Student Experiences
The Student Experiences domain fosters engagement beyond the classroom, campus connections, leadership development, and a sense of belonging.
Learning Environment
The Learning Environment domain focuses on the physical, digital, and instructional spaces that support learning.
Professional and Career Readiness
The Professional and Career Readiness domain focuses on preparing students for meaningful careers and lifelong adaptability.
The OneECU Approach
Governance Structure
The OneECU Student Success Model is guided by the ECU Student Success Steering Committee, a cross-functional leadership group that aligns strategy, resources, and decision-making around shared student success goals. Reporting to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the committee ensures a coordinated, data-informed approach that advances student achievement, removes barriers, and fosters a campus-wide Culture of Care.
The model is brought to life through six Networks of Enablement and supporting Work Groups that connect strategy to action. Together, these collaborative teams coordinate efforts across the student lifecycle, from onboarding and wellbeing to academic progression, communication, coordinated care, and career readiness. This integrated governance structure ensures that student success remains a shared institutional responsibility and that support is delivered in a seamless, scalable, and student-centered way.
-
Learn by Doing
Student Snapshot – ECU's Blacksail Fund; Readying students for the world of finance
-
Academic Excellence
Talent Cultivation – Chancellor's Scholars; Supporting student through scholarship, leadership, and engagement.
-
Graduate School Excellence
Learning through partnership – Wake County's MPA program; A major municipality chooses ECU to lead.
