“A long December. And there’s reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last.” — Counting Crows
The days are short, the deadlines are long and the holiday season has a way of stacking pressures faster than most of us can clear our desks. December is a month of competing demands, wrapping up the calendar year while gearing up for spring activities.
But December is also a month of perspective. As you map out strategies for admitted-student yield, sophomore/junior search or next year’s budget, be sure to pause to evaluate how far you and your team have come in the last 12 months. In a field as demanding as higher education, reflection is necessary for sustaining both the work and the pace. Let this be a time for gratitude, reflection and, dare I say it, pride.
Maybe your admissions team exceeded new student enrollment goals this fall. Maybe not. Either way, there is a cohort of new students on your campus whose lives are changed forever because of your collective efforts to assist them in their pursuit of education and a better life.
Maybe you were able to retain 100% of your staff from last academic year to this one. Or maybe you’re dealing with a combination of career changers, and you’ve had to hire and train a whole new crop of team members. Whatever your path this year, your work has shaped the lives of students in meaningful ways, and that deserves recognition.
Here at AccessU, we’re reflecting too. Here are just a few things on our list:
- On average, our higher education partners saw new student enrollments increase by double digit percentages and, in some cases, have seen their largest first year cohort in close to a decade!
- We’ve launched new websites for several partners that have resulted in greater visibility for their institutions and an overall increase in their market engagement and enrollment.
- We brought national media recognition to a brand new workforce development program and have helped the institution reach its enrollment goals for two consecutive terms.
- We’ve celebrated weddings, graduations, pregnancies and births throughout our team!
So what’s on your institution’s list of wins and gratitude for 2025? Ask your team, and celebrate what went right. These moments have a way of building momentum for next year’s planning, rather than increasing stress.
And as you look ahead to 2026 and beyond, AccessU is here whenever you need a strategic partner. Share your goals and your hurdles for the year ahead. Together, we’ll build strategies that are creative, sustainable and designed for results. We’d be honored to help make your 2026 successes part of next year’s celebration.