AACUSS Annual Conference 2025

The landscape of higher education in Atlantic Canada has been shaped by decades of tradition, with student services models primarily designed for on-campus, full-time undergraduate students. However, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift toward online learning, flexible education models, and a greater emphasis on work-life-school balance. As institutions adapt to the changing needs of adult learners, online students, and non-traditional populations, conventional approaches to student engagement, advising, and support must evolve.

This session will explore how Yorkville University’s disruptive higher education framework—with fully online, flexible, career-focused programs—offers lessons in student service innovation that can be applied across institutions. With more students juggling education alongside careers and personal responsibilities, advisors, student affairs professionals, and institutional leaders must rethink student support beyond traditional brick-and-mortar campus models.

We will discuss strategies for improving engagement, retention, and success for students who may never set foot in a classroom, while addressing the increasing need for holistic support that considers students’ professional and personal obligations. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and best practice sharing, participants will leave with practical strategies to apply at their institutions as they gear up for the next era of student services in Atlantic Canada.