Students Receive Curated Text Messages Intended for Growth Mindset

April 3, 2024

Students Receive Curated Text Messages Intended for Growth Mindset

Personal outreach turns digital learning from distant to dependable.

Serena Fahnbulleh Crain

About

5 min read

Drawing on nudging theory, Persistence Plus messages encourage reflection, planning, and academic persistence at key moments.

Students receive customized texts about study habits, stress, and resources—with serious responses routed to campus care teams when needed.

With over 90% of undergraduates on the platform, MyOHIO Advice demonstrates how empathetic technology can foster connection and belonging at scale.

Ohio University’s MyOHIO Advice program, powered by Persistence Plus, uses personalized, behavioral-science-based text messages to help students build resilience, maintain motivation, and access support. Expanded during the pandemic, the initiative sends individualized messages promoting growth mindset, academic planning, and well-being. Most students (92%) remain subscribed, finding the check-ins encouraging and humanizing, while emergency protocols ensure safety and connection for those in distress.

Read how Ohio University and Persistence Plus are transforming student support through compassionate, data-informed digital nudges.

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Serena Fahnbulleh Crain

Senior Director of Partner Success

Serena oversees Persistence Plus’s partnerships, collaborating with college administrators and staff at Ohio University, Stark State, and others to increase student success and retention across settings, contexts, and student populations. She frequently presents to college audiences and she has led workshops about addressing student challenges using behavioral science since 2017. A former admissions director at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, she received her Master’s of Science in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.