2025 Badge Summit

This session explores the combined impact of gamification and financial incentives on transfer student success through the Transfer Envisioning Network (TEN) Program Badge. By integrating academic support, career readiness activities, and monetary rewards into a gamified structure, TEN provides a comprehensive approach to improving student engagement, retention, and career outcomes. The Transfer Envision Network (TEN) program leverages gamified learning combined with financial incentives to enhance the success of transfer students. Participants will learn how this dual approach fosters higher engagement and persistence among transfer students, leading to improved academic and career outcomes. The presentation will include preliminary data on the program's effectiveness, highlighting student engagement levels, retention rates, and successful career placements. The session will also explore the broader implications of integrating these strategies within higher education institutions. The session will begin with an introduction to TEN’s gamified structure and incentive model powered by Suitable, providing an overview of the program’s design and objectives. Special focus will be placed on the unique needs of CSU Channel Islands’ transfer student population and the program’s intentional alignment with those needs. This will transition into a discussion on the power of combining gamification and financial incentives to drive engagement, particularly within a diverse and often nontraditional transfer student demographic. Attendees will then learn about the measurable impact of the TEN program on student retention and career success. Preliminary data will showcase improvements in student outcomes, such as GPA increases, enhanced engagement, and higher retention rates. The session will also highlight successful career placements and demonstrate how incentivized, structured support contributes to students achieving tangible academic and professional goals. To encourage deeper reflection, the presentation will include an interactive discussion on the future of incentivized learning in higher education. Participants will engage in conversations about the applicability of gamified learning and financial rewards within their own institutional contexts, sharing ideas and exploring new opportunities to foster student success. Implemented in Spring 2024, the TEN program has already shown promising results in increasing student engagement, retention, and career readiness. Data reveals measurable improvements in these areas, underscoring the effectiveness of a dual approach that addresses both motivational and practical barriers to success. The session will also address challenges faced during implementation, such as time constraints due to students’ work and family responsibilities, and the strategies used to mitigate these challenges. This session is designed for academic administrators, student success coordinators, faculty, and student affairs professionals who are interested in exploring innovative, data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes. The Transfer Envision Network demonstrates how integrating gamification and financial incentives can holistically support students, with particular attention to the transfer population, whose needs often differ from traditional students.