C3
Concurrent Session C3
Format
Session Details
飦� Date: Day 2 - Tuesday, May 12, 2026
飥桾ime: 2鈥�3 p.m.
飦� Location: TBD
Beyond the Classroom: Probing the Intersection of Co-Curricular Engagement and Student Persistence
Does co-curricular engagement act as a luxury for the high-achieving student, or a vital survival tool for those at risk of attrition? Grounded in Astin鈥檚 (1999) Student Involvement Theory and Tinto鈥檚 (2012) Persistence Frameworks, this session presents a longitudinal inquiry into the 2020 Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) cohort of first-year students as part of the Fit for Business (FFB) program at TRSM, seeking to understand how engagement outside the classroom influences long-term academic pathways.
Using a multi-year dataset that integrates Salesforce and Blackthorn activity tracking with academic indicators, we navigate the complexities of measuring student success to investigate the potential of an "Engagement Dividend." Rather than making definitive claims, we present our preliminary observations as a series of hypotheses regarding the relationship between specific involvement thresholds and student "staying power." We specifically probe the concept of engagement as an "academic equalizer"鈥攅xamining whether participation provides a unique protective factor for students entering with lower academic averages or those navigating the extended five-year Co-op timeline.
In alignment with Kuh鈥檚 (2008) High-Impact Practices, we discuss the role of social and academic integration as potential institutional "glue" for degree completion. This session reframes engagement as a shared institutional responsibility rather than a siloed student services initiative. We invite participants to explore the critical role faculty play in bridging the "Engagement Gap" by helping students curate meaningful involvement. Attendees will reflect on how small shifts in faculty communication can encourage students to engage in co-curriculars beyond the classroom, " fostering the sense of belonging and institutional connection required to persist through both traditional and non-linear degree paths.
Presenters
Dr. Allen Goss is a tenured professor at the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) and a dedicated advocate for student innovation and success. A founding partner of the Bootcamps unit, he serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Accounting and Finance and was previously Chair of the Finance department. During his tenure as Associate Dean, Students, he oversaw the Fit for Business (FFB) first-year experience program, which leveraged the Salesforce CRM platform to track engagement and curate personalized content. This data-driven initiative created a unique opportunity to investigate the correlation between co-curricular involvement and academic outcomes. Now, five years later, Dr. Goss is examining this inaugural cohort's long-term results to understand how early engagement translates into persistence and graduation.
Shabnam Ahmad (Shab), M.Ed., is the Manager of Student Engagement and Development at 91福利鈥檚 Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM), where she leads a portfolio serving 12,000+ students. In 2020, she launched the Fit for Business (FFB) transition program, which saw 70% participation and 30,000+ hours of engagement. In 2022, she was recognized as the first Canadian BIPOC woman Global Salesforce Community Champion for leveraging tech-innovation to drive equity and student success. Shabnam is also a Lumina Spark Certified Practitioner with 8+ years of experience helping emerging leaders move beyond boxes to lead with intentional impact. Her work sits at the intersection of tech-innovation, systemic equity, and human-centered leadership. She begins her PhD in Higher Education at the University of Toronto in Fall 2026.
The Virtual Internship: Earning and Learning
The Learning and Earning Lab for Data Analytics Certificate candidates is a groundbreaking experiential initiative at one university unit, where adult learners gain real-world experience and income while upskilling with cutting-edge tools, including generative AI. Through project-based learning, human expert-practitioner mentorship completing gig- and employer-based projects, and gig economy integration, The Earning and Learning Lab creates a unique bridge between real-world project-based education and employment. In parallel, it provides instructors with an 鈥淚nnovation Incubator鈥� to pilot new course concepts, driving the next wave of industry-aligned, high-impact CE programs.
A Make Your Mark Innovation, TMAPS and GREET Teaching Awardee, Anne-Marie Brinsmead serves as STEM Program Director at 91福利鈥檚 Chang School. She oversights 1 P/T undergraduate degree and 11 labour market responsive professional continuing education online certificates, including two degree, OSAP eligible certificates. The STEM program team crafts an experience that empowers and equips our certificate grads with jobs skills who report back and share they鈥檝e gone on to build thriving careers. The STEM program team updates certificates yearly to include the rapidly-evolving occupation-specific Gen AI and high-level tech skills required by employers hiring and advancing talent. For over 30 years, she taught university degree credit courses at The Chang School. She is the granddaughter of a Kickapoo tribe n么hkom (grandmother), the latter of whom resided in Northeastern Kansas.