WSU Honored for Transformational Change Initiative Projects

University recognized for efforts to boost student success and retention across multi-campus system.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Washington State University was one of two universities to receive the ACE/Fidelity Institutional Transformation Award from the American Council on Education for its Transformational Change Initiative, a multi-faceted program launched in 2016 to improve student engagement, retention, and degree completion across the WSU system.

Why it matters

The Transformational Change Initiative represents WSU's deliberate commitment to expanding academic excellence and opportunity for its students. By taking a research-informed, human-centered approach, the program has strengthened student resilience and retention, aligning with the university's public service mission.

The details

The Transformational Change Initiative is comprised of three core programs: Letting Go and Staying Connected, which supports parents sending their children to college; Launch, which helps students find and engage with experiential learning opportunities; and Lift, a longstanding program that assists faculty in enhancing their classroom techniques using evidence-based interventions and collaboration.

  • The Transformational Change Initiative was launched by Washington State University in 2016.
  • WSU received the ACE/Fidelity Institutional Transformation Award on March 2, 2026.

The players

Washington State University

A public research university located in Pullman, Washington, that launched the Transformational Change Initiative in 2016 to improve student success and retention across its multi-campus system.

Betsy Cantwell

The president of Washington State University, who stated that the ACE award honors the university's 'deliberate commitment to expanding academic excellence and opportunity' through the Transformational Change Initiative.

Ted Mitchell

The president of the American Council on Education, which presented the Institutional Transformation Award to WSU and California State University Monterey Bay for their innovative approaches to addressing student success challenges.

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What they’re saying

“This recognition honors Washington State University's deliberate commitment to expanding academic excellence and opportunity. Through our Transformational Change Initiative, we have furthered our public service mission by increasing retention and degree completion across the WSU system and by building sustainable practices to carry this progress forward for the next generation.”

— Betsy Cantwell, President, Washington State University

“Each year, this award celebrates institutions that confront real challenges with creativity, discipline, and a deep commitment to student success. Washington State University's research-informed, human-centered approach has strengthened student resilience and retention across a complex, multi-campus system, while Cal State Monterey Bay's decisive leadership and equity-driven reforms delivered meaningful gains in completion and social mobility. These institutions exemplify how intentional strategy and sustained focus can translate into lasting impact for students.”

— Ted Mitchell, President, American Council on Education

What’s next

The Transformational Change Initiative at Washington State University will continue to enhance its offerings, driven by empirical research and data, to ensure students receive the support they need along their educational journeys and emerge ready for impactful careers.

The takeaway

Washington State University's Transformational Change Initiative demonstrates how a research-informed, human-centered approach to student success can yield tangible results in retention, degree completion, and preparing graduates for meaningful careers, even across a complex, multi-campus university system.