Unleashing Student Potential Starts with Engagement
Imagine a day on a modern college campus. Students hurry to class. To practice. To study. And the quiet moments in between the hustle and bustle are often filled with screen time rather than in-person connection. Every step of the way, today’s students are on their own personal journeys, with unique backstories, dreams, and goals. But in such a busy landscape, it’s far too easy for them to feel isolated and alone. Thankfully, colleges — and the partners who support them — are taking action.
Growing Engagement Through Adaptation
The latest chapter of President to President explores how the right balance of tradition and innovation can support a student experience that truly uplifts and inspires. In “Breathing with Double Lungs: A Vision for Thriving Higher Education,” Belmont University President L. Gregory Jones, Ph.D., reimagines the role of the modern college campus. He shares strategies for combining time-honored and cutting-edge teaching methods to promote peak engagement and prepare students to take on the world as empowered graduates.
This adaptive approach doesn’t just boost student satisfaction. According to Dr. Jones, it’s the key to long-term institutional resilience, and it empowers campuses to overcome today’s challenges in higher education, emerging revitalized and prepared for long-term success.
Understanding Student Expectations
As Dr. Jones demonstrates, adaptation is key to ensuring a campus thrives today, tomorrow, and beyond. Today’s students are eager to participate in shaping the college experience. While previous generations may have been satisfied by traditional programs and methodologies, Gen Zers highly value customization and innovation. What’s more, they’re open to shifting the status quo to fit their needs. Clearly, understanding these evolving expectations is vital to promoting enrollment, improving retention, and achieving student satisfaction.
One major way Sodexo supports campuses in building a comprehensive view of the higher education landscape is by using our broad lens to create actionable insights through data, like the 2024–2025 Student Lifestyle Survey. This in-depth, biennial report examines students’ expectations at every step of the academic journey. For the first time in 2024, we extended our survey to parents, whose important perspectives influence students every day. The Student Lifestyle Survey examines the real-world factors that impact enrollment, retention, and — most crucial to students’ ultimate success — a sense of belonging.
Through this research, we learned that campuses across the U.S. have made significant changes during the past two years to address these critical issues. From optimizing academic programs to promoting mental health to supporting overall well-being, colleges are working hard to ensure students feel more engaged and supported. This work is crucial because students clearly prioritize mental health and wellness. In fact, the 2024–2025 Student Lifestyle Survey reveals that 70% of students are seeking a sense of community on campus.
Fortunately, the efforts of campus leaders and their partners have been effective over the past two years, with 65% of students now reporting that they feel like they belong.1 This reinforces our dedication to creating a dining experience that fosters organic conversation, friendship formation, and personal growth on every campus.
Data shows that at colleges and universities, the most important hub of social activity is the dining hall. It plays a critical role in fueling students’ sense of belonging. In fact, it’s the number one driver of engagement on campus, with every meal offering an opportunity for connection, shared experiences, and community-building.2
Fueling Tomorrow with Moments That Matter
Every day, students seek welcoming spaces on campus where they feel seen and heard. They’re busy. Tired. Anxious. But they’re also on a thrilling adventure, with each step leading them toward becoming who they want to be. This adventure is powered by a thriving campus community that prioritizes respecting what works and adapting to evolving student needs. With our partners, we’re uniquely positioned to uplift these communities. And when we work together to do that successfully, we can unleash student potential, propelling them to flourish and discover who they are.
References: 1. 2024-2025 Student Lifestyle Survey. Sodexo Campus, 2024. 2. Ibid.