INVOLVING GRADUATE ASSISTANTS IN STUDENT RETENTION EFFORTS

This article describes the efforts of five graduate students at Bowlin g Green State University (BGSU), Bowling Green, Ohio, to design, devel op, and implement a student retention training program that involved g raduate assistants in retaining students. The training program became a pilot program for the Graduate Student Professional Development Prog ram (GSPDP), which is offered each fall before the semester begins. Tr aining session format, sequence, materials, costs, evaluation, and pos t-session activities are presented This training program can be modifi ed and used in all areas of the university to retain students, assist with stabilizing student enrollment, and increase the effectiveness of the institution.