Evaluation of 2,100 students at San Diego-based National University finds peer support led to increased gateway course success for non-traditional, working, and military students
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National University (NU), a nonprofit, Veteran-founded institution serving more than 50,000 nontraditional, working, and military students annually, today announced results from an evaluation of its Academic Peer Navigator(APN) program, a pilot designed to help harness the power of peer mentoring to improve success rates among its online undergraduates. Early evaluation findings of the pilot show promising results, including double digit percent increases in course completion and progression to their next course for students in gateway GE courses.
"This is about meeting today's hardworking students wherever they are," said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, NU's president and CEO. "Our peer navigator strategy is designed for what we call our ANDers™ — students who are working and parenting, serving and studying, caring for families and pursuing degrees. It gives them not just academic support but also a culture of connection and community, regardless of how and when they access education."
Gateway courses are often the single biggest determinant of student success. Students who struggle in foundational classes—particularly first-year writing, math, and introductory communication—are far more likely to fall behind or stop out. According to the Community College Research Center, failing or withdrawing from these courses reduces the likelihood of completion by as much as 40%. With an average undergraduate age of 37, NU students—most of whom are transfer students who take most of their courses online—mirror today's shifting demographics of higher education. Perhaps not surprisingly, given their complex schedules, an internal survey of NU's students found that their top unmet need was a stronger connection to peers.
To help close the gap, the university launched the Peer Navigator Network in January 2024 with the support of the federal Postsecondary Student Success Grant program. Academic Peer Navigators (APNs) are students further along in their studies who assist classmates in high-enrollment general education courses to close gaps in academic support, mentorship, and course wayfinding. Dedicated Peer Navigators answer questions about classes, send reminders about assignments, share study tips, and connect peers with campus resources. In a twist on traditional peer-to-peer support, these Navigators are also nontraditional students who understand the unique pressures of balancing college with jobs, family, and service — all in an online learning environment.
"Today's learners—most of whom are balancing work, family, and service commitments—face a dual challenge: a need for stronger peer support and pressure to succeed in the critical early months of their degree program. On their own, each is difficult. Taken together, they can create a high-stakes balancing act in the courses that are most essential for long-term success," said Dr. Nicole Polen-Petit, dean of NU's School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. "This is about harnessing the power of peer connection to enable students to learn from those who have walked similar paths, ultimately helping them gain the confidence they need to stay on track to achieve their academic and career goals."
The APN pilot serves approximately half of the sections across four of NU's highest-enrolled general education courses: Public Speaking, Effective College English, Advanced Composition, and Information Literacy for College Success. Academic Peer Navigators supported sections for a total of 2,121 students, with 182 (9%) engaging directly with a navigator. Preliminary results are promising:
- Encouraging persistence trends: Students who engaged with a navigator generally achieved higher pass and progression rates across all courses, although grade patterns varied.
- Dramatic gains in Effective College English: Students who engaged with a navigator in Effective College English achieved a 16% higher pass rate (83% vs. 67%) and a 17% higher progression rate (93% vs. 76%) compared to classmates.
- Stronger outcomes in Public Speaking: Students with a peer navigator in Public Speaking saw 8% higher pass rates (73% vs. 65%) and 10% higher progression rates (88% vs. 78%).
- Higher success rates in Information Literacy. Students in sections supported by a peer navigator achieved stronger pass rates and higher overall grades compared to peers in sections without navigator support, suggesting a climate effect of peer navigation as opposed to only for students who engage in the intervention.
"When students see themselves in their peers, it changes what feels possible," said J.B. Robinson, dean of Students at National University. "Our navigators know what it's like to work full-time, raise children, or serve in the military while pursuing a degree because that's the reality for our students. Having peers who understand those challenges isn't just a nice-to-have. It can change the odds for students looking to better their education and career."
In the coming months, NU plans to release additional findings from the evaluation and expand the peer navigator program to additional courses and reach more students.
NU's Peer Navigator Network is an extension of its Whole Human Education model that offers an array of support services to meet the needs of military-affiliated, working and non-traditional students. Earlier this year, NU launched the NEST, a first-of-its-kind student support hub that combines co-working-style space with wraparound academic, career, military, and family support—including childcare access—to help nontraditional, working, and military students balance education with life's demands.
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As one of the largest private nonprofit universities in the U.S., NU offers over 150 online and on-campus programs with on-ground, online, hybrid, metaverse, four-week and eight-week classes, and group and individual models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 250,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University's new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu.
Media Contact
Ashleigh Betz, National University, 760-889-3494, [email protected], https://www.nu.edu/
SOURCE National University
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