WARWICK, R.I. – Jason Moniz knows what it's like to navigate college – he was a CCRI student himself. His trajectory and experiences allow him to refine his perspective on what our CCRI students need to succeed and to recognize the barriers and roadblocks that make academic success challenging.

The Knight Success Hub, which Moniz led, directly supports one of the college's Achieving the Dream (ATD) initiatives: increasing faculty use of early alerts.

In this edition of Thinkers, Doers & Achievers, Knight Knowledge spoke with Moniz to learn more about his career, the Knight Success Hub, and how we can continue to provide strong support services to our students. 

Knight Knowledge: Can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to CCRI?

Moniz: My connection to CCRI began as a student. I came here at a point when I needed a fresh start academically, and CCRI gave me the opportunity to reset, build momentum, and move forward. That experience stayed with me and ultimately shaped my decision to build my career here.

I’ve now been at CCRI for nearly 20 years and have had the opportunity to serve students in a variety of roles and capacities. My own experience as a student continues to influence how I think about our work today and the importance of creating an environment where students have the support, relationships, and clear pathways they need to persist, complete their goals, and move forward with confidence.

Knight Knowledge: How does the Knight Success Hub differ from Starfish?

Moniz: Functionally, the Knight Success Hub and Starfish share many similarities. Both are designed to help faculty and student support staff identify student needs, connect students with resources, and coordinate support.

Where the Knight Success Hub really stands out is the user experience. It has a more modern and intuitive interface that makes it easier for students, faculty, and staff to navigate and take action. The easier it is for faculty to raise an alert, for staff to respond, and for students to connect with support, the more effectively we can work together to help students stay on track.

Knight Knowledge: The Knight Success Hub is a driving force for one of the Achieving the Dream focuses, increasing faculty use of alerts. How does using an alert system help student success?

Moniz: Faculty are often the first to recognize when a student may be experiencing difficulties. An alert creates an opportunity to turn that observation into meaningful action.

When faculty raise alerts early, success coaches and other student success professionals can connect with students before a challenge takes them off course. That might involve attendance, academic performance, navigating a college process, or helping a student connect with the right resource. The same principle applies when things are going well. “Kudos” give faculty a way to recognize progress, reinforce positive behaviors, and help students see that their efforts are being noticed.

This is an important part of our Achieving the Dream work because student success is a shared responsibility. Faculty bring an important perspective from the classroom, while student support professionals can help students address barriers and determine next steps. When we connect these efforts, we are better positioned to help students persist, complete their courses, and continue progressing toward their goals.

Knight Knowledge: What other initiatives or technology is being utilized for advising, or student services in general?

Moniz: There is a lot of work happening across CCRI to make the student experience more proactive, coordinated, and easier to navigate. In addition to the Knight Success Hub, we are expanding academic planning tools, strengthening how students connect with advising and other services, and using technology and data more strategically to identify needs earlier and provide more personalized support.

Element451 is another important part of that work. It gives us additional ways to communicate with students, automate outreach, and make information and support easier to access. Over time, there are opportunities to bring tools like Element451 and the Knight Success Hub together as part of a connected student support ecosystem.

We are also working across departments on several initiatives connected to Achieving the Dream, including early alerts, first-year experiences, and the continued expansion of seven-week courses. These efforts all contribute to the same larger purpose of reducing barriers, strengthening collaboration, and creating an experience that helps students persist and achieve their goals.

Knight Knowledge: How can a student incorporate the Knight Success Hub for college success?

Moniz: Students can use the Knight Success Hub as one of their primary tools for staying connected to their support network at CCRI. They can schedule appointments, communicate with their success coach and other student support services, access academic planning resources, and respond when someone from the College reaches out.

I would also encourage students to use the Knight Success Hub proactively rather than waiting until something goes wrong. Building relationships early, understanding your academic plan, and asking questions before small challenges become larger ones can help keep students on track. The Knight Success Hub makes it easier for students to stay engaged with the team of staff who are here to support them.

Knight Knowledge: How can faculty learn more about the Knight Success Hub?

Moniz: Faculty can learn more about the Knight Success Hub by visiting our online instructional manual, which provides step-by-step guidance on the core faculty functions, including raising alerts and commendations, communicating with students, and navigating the platform. The Early Alerts team, which includes Beth Anish, Liz Del Sesto, Rachel Rogers, and other colleagues from across the College, is also developing demonstrations and additional resources to support faculty use and continue strengthening the platform.

Faculty do not need to become experts in every part of the Knight Success Hub. What matters most is sharing what they are seeing in the classroom. From there, success coaches, tutors, and other members of the student services team can work with the student to determine what support is needed. That connection between faculty insight and coordinated follow-up gives us a practical way to share responsibility for student success and work together to help students stay on track, build momentum, and ultimately complete what they came to CCRI to accomplish.