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TargetX Outreach Plan: Bellevue College

Contents of This Document

What is the TargetX Outreach Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Outreach Plan Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Recommendations for Successful Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Communication Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16

Contents of the TargetX Outreach Plan Folder in SharePoint

Timeline

Communication templates for specific student populations

Captioned videos in two formats: 1) YouTube links and 2) .mp4 and .srt files

“Who Are Advisors?”

“Intro to Education Planning”

“English and Math at Bellevue College”

“Choosing Your BC Pathway”

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What Is the TargetX Outreach Plan?

The contents of the TargetX Outreach Plan folder represent the collateral—strategic plans, timelines,
email and text message templates, and videos—needed for the Bellevue College Academic Advising
team to conduct proactive outreach to BC students with historically lower completion rates than their
peers. Specifically, these materials center on students who have been flagged in TargetX due to any of
the following concerns:

• Their cumulative GPA is 2.5 or below and trending downward,

• they do not have an Education Plan after two quarters,
• they have not selected a BC Pathway after one quarter, or
• they have not completed college-level Math or English after three quarters.

Each of these flags aligns with an Achieving the Dream (ATD) Leading Indicator.

This outreach plan also addresses students enrolled in evening classes, with the intent of alerting them
to BC’s newly-available extended advising hours.

Goal: To focus advising efforts on students most in need of support, thus increasing completion rates,
furthering ATD student success priorities, and enhancing a culture of access and equity at BC.
 BELLEVUE COLLEGE ADVISING
Students We Want to Reach
Cumulative GPA Below 2.5 No Education Plan on File
and Trending Downward After 1 Quarter

Calls to Action Calls to Action

1. Schedule an appointment 1. Sign up for a group advising session
2. Watch video: Who Are Advisors & How Can 2. Watch video: Intro to Education Planning
They Help?

Haven't Completed College Math or Haven't Selected a Pathway

English After 3 Quarters After 2 Quarters

Calls to Action Calls to Action

1. Get placement if not already done 1. Sign up for a group advising session
2. Schedule an appointment 2. Watch video: Choosing Your Pathway
3. Watch video: Math & English Placement

Enrolled in Evening Classes How We Do It

Pre-written email and text
message templates

Calls to Action Pre-made videos

1. Watch video: Who Are Advisors & How Can
They Help? Reports generated in TargetX
2. Schedule an appointment if needed

This working plan aligns with BC's Achieving the Dream framework and student
success priorities, and draws on evidence-based practices for fostering equity.
 BELLEVUE COLLEGE ADVISING
Outreach Timeline
INITIAL OUTREACH (BEFORE THE QUARTER BEGINS):
KEE W

Students with cumulative GPA below 2.5 and trending downward (1A)

INITIAL OUTREACH:
KEE W

Students in evening classes (2A)

FOLLOW UP:
KEE W

Students with cumulative GPA below 2.5 and trending downward (1B)

INITIAL OUTREACH:
KEE W

Students without an education plan after 1 quarter (3A)

Students who haven't selected a pathway after 2 quarters (4A)
FOLLOW UP:
Students with cumulative GPA below 2.5 and trending downward (1C)
KEE W

Students without an education plan after 1 quarter (3B)

Students who haven't selected a pathway after 2 quarters (4B)

FOLLOW UP:
KEE W

Students who haven't selected a pathway after 1 quarter (4C)

INITIAL OUTREACH:
KEE W

Students who haven't completed college Math or English after 3 quarters (5A)

FOLLOW UP:
KEE W

Students who haven't completed college Math or English after 3 quarters (5B)

FOLLOW UP:
KEE W

Students who haven't completed college Math or English after 3 quarters (5C)

Numbers in parentheses correspond to email/text message templates that can be found on

SharePoint under "Student Communications."
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Process
This outreach plan and its accompanying materials were developed by the Graduate Intern for Student
Success Initiatives, Sabrina Wise, in Summer 2020. Development was informed by the following:

• One-on-one needs assessment meetings with every advisor on the Academic Advising team.
Meetings lasted 30-60 minutes and unfolded organically, but addressed the following:
1. Do you currently conduct outreach to students? If so, how often and what does it look like?
2. What tends to compel your students to schedule appointments with you? What are the most
common needs or concerns they bring in?
3. Of the students you work with, which population(s) (e.g. evening students, students struggling
academically) do you wish would engage with advising more frequently?
4. What tend to be your busiest points in the year in terms of student traffic?
5. What do you see as the most important milestones or checkpoints for a BC student during the
academic year?
6. What do you wish more students knew before they came in to meet with you?
• Conversations with stakeholders outside Academic Advising, including Counseling Center staff
and First Year Seminar faculty.
• Review of previous mass communications from Academic Advising to students, as well as the
results of those communications.
• Research into the TargetX Student Success Center and its early alert, outreach, and tracking
capabilities.
• Research into promising practices for outreach and proactive advising at two- and four-year
institutions.
• Review of other institutions’ advising outreach materials and strategies (available via conference
presentations, online reports, etc.).
• Periodic consultation with Emily Kolby, Director of Academic Advising, to fine-tune direction and
approach.
• Presentation of draft materials to the Academic Advising Team, followed by a ten-day window
for advisors to share feedback.
• Incorporation of advisor feedback and suggestions to refine the materials presented here.
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Recommendations for Successful Outreach

Harness TargetX and SignalVine. The emails and text messages shared in the “Communication
Templates” folder are designed to be set up as templates in TargetX (emails) and SignalVine (texts). This
will allow advisors to reach large groups of students at the click of a button while still addressing each
student by name, and to track open and click rates with ease.

Make it personal. The more these emails and texts feel like personal notes from the advisor to the
student, the better. Instead of formatting messages like institutional announcements (banner at the top,
highly designed, etc.), consider formatting them more simply so they look like direct, individual
communications. Emails would be signed from a specific advisor rather than “The Advising Team” as a
whole. Look for opportunities to embed thumbnail pictures of advisors as a way of introducing them to
students and humanizing the advising process.

Center strengths; avoid punitive or deficit language in outreach communications. This goes without
saying but is especially important when reaching out to students who have been flagged due to a
concern. Keep emails/texts upbeat and supportive while still providing students with the facts.

For example: “Let’s make a plan to complete college-level Math and English” instead of “You
haven’t completed college-level Math and English.” “Let’s work on a plan to keep your GPA well
above 2.0, keeping in mind that any student whose GPA goes below 2.0 will be placed on
academic probation,” instead of “We are concerned that you may soon be placed on academic
probation.”

Normalize meeting with an advisor. Rather than encouraging students to opt in (e.g. “We hope to see
you soon” or “We recommend setting up an appointment”), use language that presents advising as a
standard piece of the student experience (e.g. “It’s time to schedule your appointment with me”).

Keep it short. Lead with a call to action and use short sentences, short paragraphs, and short messages
overall. SignalVine, BC’s new texting platform, allows texts up to 1600 characters, but it is best to stay
well below that number. Some U.S. carriers will split messages into 160-character segments; others will
split long messages and then deliver them out of order.

Implement an online scheduling system. Embedding a direct link to a scheduling page is more effective
than directing students to the Advising homepage for instructions. The fewer steps between receiving
an outreach email/text and scheduling an appointment, the better.

Utilize group advising. Consider planning a series of group advising sessions focused on pathway
selection and education planning midway through each quarter. In messages to students who do not
have an education plan and/or a pathway, direct them to sign up for one of those sessions. Not only
does this make outreach more sustainable for the advising team, it allows students to learn from each
other’s questions and concerns.

Track who schedules. In collaboration with the Frontline Squad, develop a system for tracking which
students schedule an appointment and/or sign up for a group session after receiving a targeted
communication. This enables advisors to send follow-up reminders to students who may have missed
the first outreach.
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Address multiple ways of knowing/learning. When possible, include an audio-visual component (e.g. a
video) in outreach messages. Review the videos created for this outreach plan and consider posting
some of them to the BC Advising website as an alternative way for students to process information.

Meet students where they are. While this TargetX outreach plan centers on email and text
communication, it is important to recognize the limits of the “We’re here, come see us!” model of
outreach. In a holistic model, students come to us and advisors go to them. This might manifest as
classroom or student club/org visits, tabling in high-traffic areas on campus, or phone campaigns
modeled after the ISS Early Alert process.

Assess and adapt. In the “Rationale” document within each folder, you will find suggested methods for
assessing the effectiveness of this outreach plan for different student populations. What you have here
are the raw materials; they are meant to be adapted and adjusted over time to best meet your needs
and the needs of the students you serve.

Next Steps
In the course of developing this plan, several questions have emerged that can only be answered as the
TargetX rollout continues. It will be important to discuss the following topics:
• Can TargetX filter for only those students who are degree-seeking?
• Do all BC students, including those who are only taking one or two classes, need to select a BC
pathway?
• How soon will it be possible to pull the following student reports in TargetX: cumulative GPA 2.5
or below and trending downward, no Education Plan after two quarters, no Pathway after one
quarter, no college-level Math or English after three quarters, enrolled in evening classes? These
are planned as criteria for early alerts in TargetX, but have yet to be established in the system as
of Summer 2020.
• Is there a way to ensure that outreach messages are only sent to students who should in fact be
meeting with an advisor in this office? In other words, is it possible to exclude Running Start
students, Bachelor’s students, and others when running a report in TargetX?
• How can we best manage overlap between various contact lists? For example, there will likely
be many students who do not have an educational plan and have not taken college-level Math
or English. We will need to filter for the overlaps in some way so as not to send two sets of
messages to the same student.
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Communication Templates
Highlighted = insert custom text
Red = embed link or video

1) CUMULATIVE GPA BELOW 2.5 AND TRENDING DOWNWARD

Who Students with a cumulative GPA below 2.5 and trending downward
When The week before each quarter begins

Why Intervene before a student is placed on Academic Concern; proactively address

persistence issues. Meeting early in the quarter allows students to make schedule
adjustments or implement new strategies with visible results. Students are also
more likely to be receptive to those new strategies when they are starting out in
new classes and don’t feel bogged down or “already behind.” By the first week of
the quarter, students will have their syllabi and can realistically plan for the
quarter ahead.
Messaging Normalize meeting with an advisor; emphasize that we care about the multiple
factors (personal, financial, academic) that can influence grades; position ourselves
as ready to listen and provide individualized support.
Calls to Action 1. Schedule an advising appointment within the next three weeks.
2. Watch short video about the role of an academic advisor and how advising fits
in with the other free academic support resources at BC.
Assessment Compare the percentage of students placed on academic probation in 21WQ with
the percentage placed on academic probation in 20WQ.

Contact 1A (Email)
Send To: All students who fit the above criteria.

Hi [First Name]!

My name is [Advisor Name] and I am your academic advisor here at Bellevue College. I’m reaching out
because it’s time for you to schedule your advising appointment with me. Before [date three weeks
out], please call 425-564-2212 or click here to schedule. I am available to meet by phone or video chat.
Advisors’ schedules fill up quickly, so I recommend signing up soon!

One reason I wanted to reach out to you personally is that my records show your GPA is below a 2.5
right now. I know there are a lot of factors (personal, financial, academic, you name it) that can impact
grades, and that these are challenging times in many ways. I’d love to hear about your experience at BC
so I can support you in reaching your goals and making the most of your hard work.

Before we meet, please watch this short video from our office. It covers some of the ways we can help,
and also some great free resources available at BC.
[“Who are Advisors and How Can They Help?” video]
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Make your appointment with me by calling 425-564-2212 or scheduling online. I look forward to
meeting with you soon!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]

Contact 1B (Email)
Send To: Students who did not schedule an appointment within one week of receiving
Contact 1A.

Hi [First Name] – How’s your quarter going so far? This is a friendly reminder from me, your academic
advisor, to set up your advising appointment! Today, please call 425-564-2212 or click here to pick a
time that works for you.

I’m here to help you meet your goals at BC. As part of that, let’s work on a plan to keep your GPA well
above 2.0, keeping in mind that any student whose GPA goes below 2.0 will be placed on academic
probation. (Note that you are not currently on probation, but you can read more about the GPA
requirements here.)

Set up your appointment by calling 425-564-2212 or scheduling online. I’m looking forward to meeting
you!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]

Contact 1C (Text Message)

Send To: Students who did not schedule an appointment within one week of receiving
Contact 1B.

Hi [First Name], this is the BC Advising Office reminding you to schedule your advising appointment.
Your advisor will help you reach your goals and make sure you’re on track. Call 425-564-2212 today to
schedule!
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2) STUDENTS IN EVENING CLASSES

Who Students enrolled in one or more evening classes.
When Week 1, Quarterly

Why Alert students to the existence of evening advising hours as early in the quarter as
possible so they can take advantage of this option.
Messaging Normalize meeting with an advisor; emphasize that evening, phone, and video
chat appointments are available.
Calls to Action 1. Watch short “How to Schedule an Appointment” video.
2. Schedule an appointment if needed.
Assessment In appointments, ask all evening advisees how they found out about evening
hours, or send a post-appointment survey asking the same question.

Contact 2A (Email)
Send To: All students who fit the above criteria.

Hi [First Name],

My name is [Advisor Name] and I’m an academic advisor here at BC. I hope your quarter is off to a good
start! I’m writing to let you know that we now have evening advising appointments available if you
would ever like to chat with an advisor outside usual business hours. We’re happy to meet by phone or
video, whichever works best for you.

To schedule an appointment, call 425-564-2212 or click here. This term, our hours are as follows:

Monday-Wednesday 7:30am-9pm
Thursday 7:30am-5pm
Friday 8am-12pm
Sunday 10am-12pm

Check out this short video about why and how to schedule an advising appointment:
[“Who Are Advisors and How Can They Help?” video]

Advisors are here to help you with educational planning, choosing or understanding your academic
pathway, registering for classes, troubleshooting roadblocks to success, and just navigating BC. We love
helping students meet their goals, and we look forward to working with you this quarter and beyond!

Best,
[Advisor Name]
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3) NO EDUCATION PLAN ON FILE

Who Students who do not have an education plan on file after 1 quarter.
When Week 3, Quarterly, once First Year Seminar is up and running for all students.

Why Catch students before the registration rush and at a point in the quarter when they
might be less overwhelmed by schoolwork (and more likely to sign up for group
advising). This outreach takes place concurrently with the pathways push (reaching
out to students who have not identified a pathway after 30 credits), as there will
likely be overlap and students can attend the same group advising session.
Messaging Normalize having an education plan; emphasize the need to make sure all of your
classes are getting you where you want to go.
Calls to Action 1. Sign up for an online group advising session or make an appointment if none of
the group times work for you.
2. Watch a short video about education planning resources.
Assessment Compare the percentage of students without education plans at the end 20FQ
against the percentage of students without education plans at the of 19FQ

Contact 3A (Email)
Send To: All students who fit the above criteria.

Hi [First Name],

My name is [Advisor Name] and I am your academic advisor here at Bellevue College. I’m reaching out
because it’s time for you to submit your Education Plan. Your Education Plan is your unique roadmap for
your time at BC—and if you’re not sure what this looks like or how to map it out, that’s okay! We’re
here to make it as easy as possible. Please click here to sign up for one of the following group advising
sessions for help creating your Education Plan.

• [Date & Time Option #1]

• [Date & Time Option #2]
• [Date & Time Option #3]
• [Date & Time Option #4]

If none of the times listed above will work for you, please schedule an advising appointment instead. To
schedule, call 425-564-2212 or click here. Phone/video and evening appointments are available.

Creating an Education Plan is an important step in your BC journey: it’s how you make sure your classes
are actually getting you where you want to go. Before your group advising session, please check out this
super-short video about the planning resources available to you.
[“Intro to Education Planning” video]

I’m looking forward to working with you on your plan!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]
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Contact 3B (Email)
Send To: Students who did not sign up for group advising or schedule an appointment
within one week of receiving Contact 3A.

Hi [First Name],

It’s your academic advisor checking back in! Our Education Planning group sessions are filling up, so I
want to make sure you’ve signed up for a time that works for you. This session will cover the key info
you need to create your Education Plan, which is due this quarter.

Click here to sign up for an upcoming group advising session.

If you are not able to attend a group session, please schedule an advising appointment instead.
Phone/video and evening time slots are available. To schedule an appointment, call 425-564-2212 or
click here.

Talk with you soon!

[Advisor Signature]
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4) HAVEN’T SELECTED A PATHWAY

Who Students who have completed 2 quarters at BC but have not yet selected a guided
pathway.
When Week 3, Quarterly

Why This outreach takes place concurrently with the education plan push (reaching out
to students who do not have an educational plan after 1 quarter), as there will
likely be overlap and students can attend the same group advising session. Makes
the most of advisors’ time and avoids the busyness of the registration period.
Messaging Make sure your classes and other experiences at BC are all helping you reach your
goals—and if you don’t know what your goals are, that’s okay! We’re here to help
you figure it out.
Calls to Action 1. Sign up for an online group advising session or make an appointment if none of
the group times work for you.
2. Watch short video about choosing a pathway.
Assessment Compare the percentage of students who have not chosen a pathway at the end of
21SQ with the percentage who have not chosen a pathway at the end of 22SQ (but
acknowledge the confounding variables at play, including the fact that pathways
will be more engrained in BC culture—and therefore more familiar and accessible
to students—by AY 21-22).

Contact 4A (Email)
Send To: All students who fit the above criteria.

Hi [First Name],

My name is [Advisor Name] and I’m an academic advisor here at Bellevue College. I’m reaching out
because it’s time for you to choose your Pathway. Your Pathway is your area of focus: it shapes what
classes you take and when, and it gives you a roadmap for reaching your long-term goals. Whether you
know exactly what those goals are OR you have absolutely no idea, you’re not alone! Please click here
to sign up for a group advising session about choosing your Pathway at BC.

Before your group advising session, please watch this super-short video about the different Pathways
you can choose from.
[“Choosing Your BC Pathway” video]

First things first, sign up for a group advising session. Then, for additional support thinking about your
Pathway, we also highly recommend our friends in the Counseling Center and the Center for Career
Connections. I’m looking forward to chatting with you about your questions and goals!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]
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Contact 4B (Email)
Send To: Students who did not sign up for group advising or schedule an appointment
within one week of receiving Contact 4A.

Hi [First Name],

It’s your academic advisor checking back in! This quarter’s group advising sessions are filling up, so I
want to make sure you signed up for a time that works for you. Click here to sign up. This session will
guide you through choosing your BC Pathway.

All Bulldogs need to choose a Pathway by the end of their second quarter. My records show you haven’t
chosen yours yet, and that’s okay—it’s not too late to get on track!

If none of the group advising times will work for you, please schedule an appointment instead. To
schedule, call 425-564-2212 or click here.

Talk with you soon!

[Advisor Signature]

P.S. Wonder what a BC Pathway is or why it matters? Check out this short video.
[“Choosing Your BC Pathway” video]

Contact 4C (Text Message)

Send To: Students who did not sign up for group advising or schedule an appointment
within one week of receiving Contact 4B.

Hi [First Name]! This is your BC academic advisor reminding you to sign up for a group
advising session before [date]. Sign up by calling 425-564-2212 or clicking on this link:
[sign-up link]. See you soon!
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5) HAVEN’T COMPLETED COLLEGE MATH OR ENGLISH

Who Degree-seeking students who have completed 3 quarters at BC but have not yet
taken college-level Math or English. If a student has taken one but not the other,
they are not included in this outreach.
When Week 6, Quarterly

Why Reach out midway through the quarter so the subsequent advising conversation
can inform registration choices for the following quarter, if possible. Provide
tailored support to students in transitional math and English classes (recognizing
that, nationally, first-time, full-time, bachelor’s degree-seeking students in
development courses are 74% more likely to drop out than their non-
developmental peers.1) Ensure that students are on track to reach their degree,
certificate, or other academic objective.
Messaging College Math and English, numbered 100 or above, are required for your major. As
you plan your classes for next quarter, make sure they are getting you where you
want to go and you have the tools you need to succeed.
Calls to Action 1. Schedule an advising appointment within the next two weeks.
2. Watch a short video that provides a walk-through of the Math & English
Placement Chart.
Assessment Compare the percentage of students without college Math or English at the end of
20FQ against the percentage of students without college Math or English at the
end of 21FQ.
1
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/education-strategies.pdf

Contact 5A (Email)
Send To: All students who fit the above criteria.

Hi [First Name],

My name is [Advisor Name] and I’m your academic advisor here at BC. I’m reaching out because it’s time
for you to schedule your advising appointment with me. Before [date two weeks out], please schedule
an appointment by calling 425-564-2212 or clicking here. Advisors’ schedules fill up quickly, so I
recommend signing up soon!

When we meet, let’s talk through your Math and English plans. Your program of study requires you to
complete certain Math and English classes at the college level. A class is “college level” if the course
number is 100 or above. Students who make a plan to fulfill Math and English are more likely to
graduate and more likely to graduate on time, saving tuition dollars. So let’s do this!

Before our meeting, please do the following:

• Click here or call 425-564-2212 to schedule an appointment with me.

• Obtain your Math and/or English placement if you haven’t already. This can be done in a range
of ways explained here.
• Watch the short video below to learn more about BC English, Math, and which classes will get
you where you want to go.
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[“Math and English Placement” video]

I look forward to meeting with you and helping you reach your goals here at BC!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]

Contact 5B (Email)
Send To: Students who did not schedule an appointment within one week of receiving
Contact 5A.

Hi [First Name] – This is just a friendly reminder from me, your academic advisor, to set up your advising
appointment! Today, please call 425-564-2212 or click here to schedule a time that works for you.

I’m here to help you meet your goals at BC. As part of that, let’s chat about your English and Math plans.
I see that you haven’t yet completed college-level English or Math, which are required for your program
of study, so now’s the perfect time to make a plan together. (Fun fact: mapping out your Math and
English sequence can sometimes save you tuition dollars in the long run.)

Advisors’ schedules tend to fill up fast, so please set up your appointment today. I look forward to
meeting with you!

Best,
[Advisor Signature]

Contact 5C (Text Message)

Send To: Students who did not schedule an appointment within one week of receiving
Contact 5B.

Hey [First Name], it’s time to schedule your academic advising appointment. Please call 425-564-2212
today to set this up! Your advisor wants to check in about your English/Math plans and help you reach
your goals at BC. Talk with you soon!
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6) STUDENTS WE WANT TO CELEBRATE

Contact 6A (Email)
Send To: Students who shared a success with us.

SUBJECT LINE: Congratulations!

Hi [First Name],

I just want to congratulate you [again] on [accomplishment]. That’s such an [exciting

accomplishment/milestone/win] and I know how much hard work and determination you put into it.
[Optional line specific to the accomplishment.] Thank you so much for letting me know about your
success—I’m cheering from my desk! Keep up the great work, keep me posted, and let me know how I
can be of help.

Cheers,
[Advisor Name]

Contact 6B (Email)
Send To: Students we want to congratulate, but who didn’t share with us directly.

SUBJECT LINE: Congrats from Your Academic Advisor!

Hi [First Name],

It’s [Advisor Name], your academic advisor, here! I just want to congratulate on you on
[accomplishment]. That’s such an [exciting/impressive accomplishment/milestone/win] and I can only
imagine how much hard work you poured in. I hope you’re feeling proud.

Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with me if I can ever be of help. You can easily schedule an
advising appointment by calling 425-564-2212 or using our online scheduling system. Congrats again and
keep up the great work!

Best,
[Advisor Name]