Auburn University marks year two of AUBURNACHIEVE with Digital Impact Report

Auburn University has successfully completed the second year of its five-year Quality Enhancement Plan, AUBURNACHIEVE, an initiative designed to strengthen student success beyond graduation. Proposed to the university’s institutional accreditor, SACSCOC, the plan sets both mid-point and five-year benchmarks tied to outcomes associated with graduates’ post-degree pathways. Auburn is strategically investing in return on investment by connecting with recent graduates to take action and enhance post-graduation outcomes.

At the heart of AUBURNACHIEVE is a dynamic seed grant program, which invests approximately $200,000 annually into faculty and staff-led projects that pilot strategies to enhance student achievement. These efforts are designed to test, refine and scale practices that help Auburn students thrive.

Each year, the Office of Academic Insight releases a Digital Impact Report, providing a clear window into the university’s progress toward these goals. With year two now complete and year three underway, Auburn has already implemented a wide range of seed grant interventions. Many of these initiatives are currently undergoing reassessment, while new projects are being funded in the present fiscal cycle. Together, these efforts are propelling Auburn toward its milestone of 35 completed projects by 2028-29.

Encouragingly, measures of post-graduation success have stabilized across the institution, signaling positive momentum while also highlighting opportunities for continued growth. Looking ahead, AUBURNACHIEVE will sharpen its focus on strengthening students’ articulation skills — both written and oral. Research consistently shows these abilities are most strongly linked to interview performance and, ultimately, to career success.

As AUBURNACHIEVE enters its next phase, the initiative remains steadfast in its mission: to cultivate graduates who are not only prepared for their chosen careers but also equipped to stand out in the job market and succeed in graduate and professional school pursuits.