REACH

The REACH (Retention Effort for All in Coming Huskies) initiative is supported by Orientation & First-Year Experience with financial support from the Office of Student Academic Success. REACH aims to provide resources, information, and advice to aid in Northern Illinois University first-year students’ adjustment and transition to the campus. Through the REACH program, trained upper-division students call first-time, first-year NIU students who have potential characteristics that would put them at risk of leaving the university before the second year. The students called were selected because they were not formally involved with another significant program, such as the UNIV 101/201 course, Student-Faculty Links, the University Honors Program, ROTC, Intercollegiate Athletics, the CHANCE program, or they had low placement test scores, therefore making those students more susceptible to academic and social pressures. The REACH program was created based on the recommendation of the Early Alert Task Force in July 2003 as an approach to increase the retention of NIU new students.

REACH Callers are paid undergraduate student positions with our targeted calling campaign aimed at new students to assist them in locating resources, connecting with student organizations, and making a successful transition to NIU. Callers will talk to students about their transition and recommend resources to help them as they continue in their first semester at NIU. Calling runs Sunday - Thursday from 4:00-8:00 p.m.

We are currently hiring for the Fall 2013 REACH Coordinator position.

Please call 815-753-0028 or e-mail REACH@niu.edu with any questions!