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Our Research

Each member of the SSTAR Lab team is leading a research project oriented toward student success. SSTAR works under the supervision of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) authorized by the Office of Research Compliance. Oversight on research and data collection comes from the auspices of that office.

Research topics covered by the IRB include, but are not limited to:

  • Innovative retention initiatives
  • Deconstructing student success
  • Academic performance both inside and outside of the classroom
  • Academic standing
  • Division of Undergraduate Education programs

 

Innovative Approaches to Humanities and Social Science Retention

This project investigates the impact of various hands-on learning experiences on first-year students’ retention to sophomore year, particularly among those in certain humanities and social science majors. Theoretically, the study incorporates a “moral economy” framework as a novel approach to explore retention with three primary goals in mind:

  1. To promote reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationships with faculty, instructors, and/or mentors,
  2. To provide academic support and skill building, and
  3. To bolster students’ economic and social safety to promote more equitable retention outcomes.

Lead Researchers: 
Richard Tomczak, PhD, Director of Faculty Engagement
Jennifer Rodriguez, Associate Director, U-RISE
Tiana De Jesus, Lead Academic Success Advisor and Retention Specialist, U-RISE

Relevant References:

  • Crowe, J. A. (2021). Creating a departmental climate that increases a student’s sense of belonging, perceived faculty support, and satisfaction with the major. Innovative Higher Education, 46, 95–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09530-w
  • Scott, J. C. (1976). The moral economy of the peasant: Rebellion and subsistence in Southeast Asia. Yale University Press.

 

Exploring Professional Development and Training Experiences to Promote Student Success

Developing knowledgeable, skillful, and supportive staff/faculty can play a key role in promoting undergraduate students’ success and retention. The purpose of this study is to examine staff/faculty perceived learning gains and development of new skills or practices as a result of participating in collaborative professional development or training program(s) oriented toward student success.

Lead Researcher: Jennifer Rodriguez, Associate Director, U-RISE 

Relevant References:

 

Employment Enrichment

This research explores how and to what extent on-campus employment with no minimum GPA requirement influences a students' perception of their college experience and academic outcomes.

Lead Researchers: Robert Drago, Associate Director, U-RISE
Lead Collaborator: Michelle Hassman, Student Employment Manager, Career Center
Relevant References:

  • Burnside, O., Wesley, A., Wesaw, A., & Parnell, A. (2019). Employing student success: A comprehensive examination of on-campus student employment. NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED605714.pdf 

Please contact Robert.Drago@stonybrook.edu regarding presentation materials.

Investing in Students: Early Alert Mini-Grant Programs

This research explores how and to what extent engagement with elements of a scholarship program influences a students' perception of their college experience and academic outcomes.

Lead Researchers: 
Robert Drago, Associate Director, U-RISE 
Danielle Dailey, Lead Academic Success Advisor and Retention Specialist, U-RISE

Relevant References:

  • Smith, A. R., Garton, B. L., Killingsworth, J. L., Maxwell, L. D., & Ball, A. L. (2010). Does prior college credit matter? A longitudinal investigation of academic success, retention, and degree completion. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(3), 76–87. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2010.03076
  • Tampke, D. R. (2013). Developing, implementing, and assessing an early alert system. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 14(4), 523-532. https://doi.org/10.2190/CS.14.4.e

Please contact Robert.Drago@stonybrook.edu regarding presentation materials.

Academic Hope for At-Promise Students

Research indicates a statistically significant positive correlation between hope and academic performance. This project aims to explore hope as a central function of student success after academic difficulty.

Lead Researchers: 
Michelle Setnikar, Associate Director, U-RISE 
Billy Martin, Lead Academic Success Advisor and Retention Specialist, U-RISE

Relevant References:

  • Snyder, C. R., Shorey, H. S., Cheavens, J., Pulvers, K. M., Adams, V. H., III, & Wiklund, C. (2002). Hope and academic success in college. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(4), 820–826.
  • Wong, W. L., & Cheung, S. (2024). Hope and its associations with academic-related outcomes and general well-being among college students: The importance of measurement specificity. BMC Psychology, 12(398). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01859-7 

 

Past Projects

  • Defining Student Success

    Defining Student Success: This research investigates first-generation students’ perceptions of academic success using a counterstorytelling framework to deconstruct existing narratives and elevate students' voices.

    Lead Researcher: Jennifer Rodriguez, Associate Director,  U-RISE

    Relevant References:

    • Evans, R., Stansberry, D., Bullington, K. E., & Burnett, D. (2020). First in college: A qualitative exploration of experiences of first-generation students. Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges, 23(1), 7–38. Retrieved from https://commons.vccs.edu/inquiry/vol23/iss1/5
    • Weatherton, M. & Schussler, E. E. (2021). Success for all? A call to re-examine how student success is defined in higher education. CBE Life Sciences Education, 20(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-09-0223
  • Academic Warning Messaging With The Growth Mindset Framework

    Academic Warning Messaging With The Growth Mindset Framework: This research explores how academic warning messaging designed with the growth mindset framework influences students' experience in a program intended to promote improved academic performance.

    Lead Researcher: Robert Drago, Associate Director,  U-RISE

    Relevant References:

    • Buchanan, T. M., Brown, A., Chirco, P., Klein, D., & Purgason, A. M. (2022). Messaging matters: The impact of advising micromessages on student affect and behavior across diverse university campuses. NACADA Journal, 42(2), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.12930/nacada-22-04
    • Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
    • Kyte, S. B., Collins, E., & Deil-Amen, R. (2020). Mindset messaging: Fostering student support and confidence through micro-messaging in advisor communication. NACADA Journal, 40(1), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.12930/nacada-19-08 

    Please contact Robert.Drago@stonybrook.edu regarding presentation materials.

  • A Focus on Assets

    A Focus on Assets: Students’ Experience of Academic Probation: This project aims to shed light on the experiences and stories of students who have experienced academic probation and identify key characteristics, strengths, resources, strategies, and supports that can be applied on a larger scale to improve outcomes for more students during the academic probation process.

    Lead Researcher: Michelle Setnikar, Associate Director,  U-RISE

    Relevant References:

 

Publications and Presentations

Publications
Drago, R., & Setnikar, M. (2023). Where to start? Asset-based approaches for practitioners in higher education. The Vermont Connection, 44(1).

Setnikar, M. (2023, September 1). From setbacks to superpowers. MASK The Magazine (The Power of Prevention Issue), Volume 13, 71-72.

Tomczak, R. (2024, July). Are these truths self-evident? Students recreate the Second Continental Congress. Perspectives on History, The American Historical Association.


Conference Presentations

Bjertnes, B., Hall, K., Poma, J., & Rodriguez, J. (2023, March). Supporting students through transitions [Conference session]. CELT Annual Teaching and Learning Symposium, Stony Brook, NY.

Drago, R. (2023, October 15-18). Influence of messaging designed with the growth mindset framework on student behavior [Conference session]. NODA Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Drago, R., & Dailey, D. (2025, February). Investing in students: Designing an early alert mini-grant program for college students [Presentation]. SSTAR Lab Town Hall, Stony Brook, NY.

Drago, R., & Rodriguez, J. (2023, April). Developing a comprehensive winter session support program to promote credit momentum among first-year students [Conference session]. SUNY Student Success Summit, online.

Germana, R., & Setnikar, M. (2025, January). Holistic student success for at-promise students: Stony Brook University Summer Academic Resilience Program [Conference presentation]. UERU National Conference, Washington, D.C. 

Rodriguez, J. (2023, November). Understanding the Gen Z student [Roundtable session]. LICSPA Annual Conference, Garden City, NY.

Setnikar, M., & Martin, W. (2025, February). Summer academic resilience program (SARP) study [Presentation]. SSTAR Lab Town Hall, Stony Brook, NY.

Tomczak, R., Rodriguez, J., & De Jesus, T. (2025, February). The moral economy of retention: An innovative intervention for humanities and social science majors at risk for attrition [Presentation]. SSTAR Lab Town Hall, Stony Brook, NY.