Where Engagement Meets Accessibility
How Lansing Community College Transformed the First Day
How member groups, custom content, and pre-built modules helped Lansing Community College reduce payment drops, lighten staff workload, and prepare diverse learners for success
As Dean of Student Affairs at Lansing Community College, Ronda Miller dreaded the week following class start. Without fail, her office would fill with students who had been dropped for non-payment, drowning her staff in paperwork and frustrating students who missed critical educational opportunities. She knew that she had to make a change.
The Payment Crisis
With 11,000 students across four campuses, Lansing Community College (LCC) serves a diverse population: adult learners juggling work and family, military veterans, traditional students fresh out of high school, and neurodiverse learners. Before partnering with Advantage Design Group, LCC offered two orientation options, but neither worked. Students either clicked through an online D2L module just to remove their registration hold or sat through lengthy in-person sessions where information went in one ear and out the other.
The result? Students didn't know about payment plans or critical campus resources. Drop rates for non-payment were high. Ronda's staff spent hours trying to reach students before the drop deadline. And when students were dropped, they couldn't get back into their classes due to waitlists.
Ronda needed a solution that would engage students and ensure they had the information they needed to succeed.
Personalization for Every Student
How do you create one orientation that speaks to an 18-year-old traditional student and a 40-year-old adult learner? Member groups.
Using Advantage Orientation©'s member group functionality, LCC created separate pathways within a single platform. Adult learners and traditional students get personalized hosts that speak directly to their needs.
"This was huge for us because we have such a diverse student body. You can see how the experience feels different for each group."
The impact? Students feel seen and supported from day one, creating an immediate sense of belonging that sets the tone for their entire college experience.
Solving the Payment Crisis: Custom Content Where It Counts
For LCC, the custom payment plan video became the star of the show.
The video features LCC-specific information and an LCC student, embedded directly into the orientation so students can't miss it and strategically positioned before they register for classes. Parents can also access it as guests, ensuring the entire support system understands the payment process. As Ronda put it, "Students cannot say 'I didn't know about the payment plan.'"
The impact was immediate. LCC saw a substantial decrease in first-time students dropped for non-payment. Panicked calls to Ronda’s office from dropped students dramatically decreased, and students stayed in the classes they needed—no more waitlist battles to get back into courses.
Add-Ons That Reduce Administrative Work
Beyond the custom content addressing LCC's unique challenges, Ronda leveraged two key add-on resources to round out her orientation without creating more work for her team.
The Advantage Learning Module for Title IX provided the mandatory, customizable solution LCC needed. Embedded directly into the Campus Safety section of her online orientation, the module serves both first-year students during onboarding and returning students for their mandatory annual training. The platform generates clear compliance reports with a single click—a game-changer for the LCC's Office of Student Compliance, which previously struggled with low participation and labor-intensive tracking.
"Before ADG, we had no way to track any of this efficiently," Ronda shared.
The Advantage OnDemand Video Library offered ready-to-go content that LCC could add instantly. These pre-built videos allow LCC to cover additional topics without having to create content from scratch. Plus, the engaging video format facilitates student attention and retention as compared to a written article.
Together, these add-ons create a powerful combination: one mandatory and customized for institutional compliance, one flexible and pre-made for comprehensive topic coverage—all without overwhelming staff.
A Quiet Start to the School Year
The transformation extended far beyond reduced payment drops.
For Ronda's staff, the administrative burden shifted dramatically. Instead of drowning in crisis management during the first week of classes, her team could focus on proactive support. Progress tracking showed exactly where students paused in orientation, enabling targeted outreach before students fell through the cracks. Data on student interest areas gets shared with Student Life and clubs for early connection opportunities.
"This cafeteria of options for interests helps us connect students early. Not every student has the same interests, so targeted follow-up is powerful."
For students, the benefits were equally significant. They stay in the classes they need and utilize resources like tutoring, success coaches, and safety services much earlier in their journey. They arrive on campus more informed and asking better questions, and because the orientation is accessible 24/7 on any device, students can complete it at any time that works with their schedule.
"There is a reduction in the number of students bypassing resources like tutoring, not knowing that tutoring is available and free, not understanding that they have success coaches. Engagement levels are higher. We also have seen a decrease in the number of first-time students that are dropped for non-payment."
LCC’s Advantage Experience equates to a strong, prepared cohort of students on their way to success and a student affairs office that can focus on support.
Creating Your Own One-Stop Orientation
Lansing Community College's transformation offers valuable lessons for any institution facing similar challenges:
- Use member groups to create a personalized welcome for diverse student populations
- Leverage custom content to directly address your unique pain points
- Add pre-built modules for compliance training and additional topics without adding to staff workload
- Focus on data for proactive intervention, identifying students who need support in time to make an impact
If you're facing high drop rates, administrative burden from preventable issues, or struggling to serve diverse student populations with a one-size-fits-all orientation, Lansing Community College's story shows what's possible. Request a live tour of Advantage Orientation® to discover how member groups, Advantage Learning Modules, and the Advantage OnDemandTM video library can transform your student experience and lighten your team's load.