EASE OF GETTING COURSE MATERIALS

Students tell us accessing print and digital course materials is a streamlined process.

86% of students agree First Day Complete saves time in shopping for course materials because they are all in one place

84% of students say they find it convenient to have course materials bundled and delivered to them through the program

“The program makes it easy and affordable to get your course materials at the start of each semester so that you don’t have to add textbooks as something to stress over. It saves time and money.”  –S�DZ��dz��ǰ��� at Providence College

“Everything was on one page, all you had to do was select either pick it up at the bookstore or get it shipped to you. Very simple.” –Graduate Student at Gardner-Webb University

“Super easy and not difficult at all. All I had to do was select how I wanted to pick it up, and they did the rest for me.” –Junior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

EASE OF CHOICE

Students want cost savings and value the flexibility to participate in the program or opt-out each academic term.

85% of students who initially opted out of the program and chose to opt back in found it easy to do so

“With the click of a simple button I was able to opt out & same with opting back in. I loved the free choice of opting out or in whenever.” –S�DZ��dz��ǰ��� at Wake Technical Community College

“It was more convenient than trying to order from different websites or stores.” –S��Ծ��ǰ� at Mississippi State University

“The cost of purchasing my materials each separately was more expensive than participating in the Shark Bundle.” –S�DZ��dz��ǰ��� at Hawaii Pacific University

EASE OF PICKING UP PRINT MATERIALS

Students picking up print materials in store receive an email when their order is ready. All they need to do is go to the campus store and show the email with their barcode, and their bundled materials will be brought out to them.

85% of students said the in-store pick up experience was easy

“My bookstore had all materials ready for me when I arrived. Total time it took was 5 minutes; extremely helpful and convenient.” –Sophomore at SUNY Adirondack

“I just had to show a QR code & I was able to pick up my books, on time” –Freshman at Saint Mary’s College

“I waited in line for my name to be called. Once I was called, I got all my materials and went on my way. Fast and efficient process.” – Freshman at Florida International University

Spotlight: Transitioning to First Day Complete at Caldwell University

In the survey, 70% of students at schools that transitioned to First Day Complete in spring 2024 agree it was somewhat or much easier to get their course materials. Over half say it was “much easier.” Students at Caldwell University shared how the program impacted their preparation for the semester.

Access

“[Before the program] I usually wouldn’t have all my materials on time or all at once.” –S�DZ��dz��ǰ���

Affordability

“My first semester I had to spend a lot of my time looking for the books and seeing how I was gonna be able to afford it.” – Freshman

Convenience

“They were all picked out for me. I probably would not have bothered to buy any textbooks otherwise.” –S��Ծ��ǰ�

To learn more about First Day^{®&�Բ�����;}Complete from the student perspective, – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.

The post First Day® Complete Improves the Student Experience appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Through strong, long-lasting relationships and innovative and world-class academic and retail solutions, we support our partner institutions in achieving their highest-priority goals. At the local level, we build a deep understanding of each school we serve, which allows us to customize a strategy for each campus store to meet the unique needs of the school and honor their history, mission and values.

We’re proud that our commitment to service stands out. In an independent survey* of administrators at 334 colleges and universities across the country, Barnes & Noble College was voted highest in satisfaction among national bookstore providers across several categories of customer service and support.

• Overall satisfaction for campus store services (+7 pts)
• Overall course material program/support (+12 pts)
• Inclusive and equitable access programs (+6 pts)
• Emblematic and general merchandise assortment (+11 pts)
• Retail innovation (+11 pts)
• Ecommerce and mobile experience (+9 pts)
• Marketing programs and in-store events (+11 pts)

The following are five ways we equip our store managers and teams to be effective partners to our clients – and provide the services and experiences that deliver better outcomes for students, faculty, and the entire campus community.

*Source: Hanover Research, National College Bookstore Partner Satisfaction Study, 2022

1. ENSURE A DEDICATED STORE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR EACH STORE

BNC believes in having a dedicated campus store team focused on the unique needs of each campus community. We ensure every BNC campus store is efficiently staffed with an experienced management and support team who are hands-on and work collaboratively with the institution to deliver exceptional customer service to all customers at all times. At each campus store, the store management and trained store team members are responsible for that store and that store alone.

Each store is also supported by an experienced regional management team, which includes a Regional Manager, Director of Stores and Territory Vice President. This layer of regional support ensures our partner institutions experience all the advantages of a locally operated campus store, while benefiting from BNC’s resources and decades of academic retail and digital expertise.

2. GIVE STORE LEADERS A ROADMAP TO SUCCESS ON DAY 1

At BNC, all campus store managers, along with general and assistant managers, participate in an Operational Manager Training Program. This includes being paired with a mentor and having access to a certified trainer and other valuable onboarding guides and resources. They receive specific training in all areas of our business, including manager fundamentals, course materials, trade books, general merchandise, café operations, human resources, inventory management, finance, marketing and campus outreach.

3. BUILD A TEAM WITH STAYING POWER FOR EACH CAMPUS STORE

The average tenure of our campus store managers at BNC is greater than the industry average. We credit the talented individuals serving in those roles – and the team we build at each store. Creating store teams with staying power requires so much more than ensuring all the shifts are filled. From student employees to store and regional managers, we cultivate an environment of continuous learning and development to keep all staff engaged and invested.

The result is a team of education innovators and retail experts, campus advocates and trusted resources for each campus community. With such a deep bench, we’re able to promote 60% of our store managers from within the company.

4. SERVE AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

BNC campus store managers and staff become a true part of the campuses we serve. They take the time to understand the students, faculty and staff at each school, building deep relationships that address ongoing needs. Our store teams also are active, valued members of the campus community, getting involved in a variety of ways from serving on committees and boards to hosting events and advocating for affordability and other institution priorities. Each store team is well positioned to align the campus store’s merchandise, products and services to the school’s unique needs.

5. CONTINUE EMPOWERING STORE TEAMS TO DELIVER A CUSTOMIZED EXPERIENCE

Empowerment is a highly valued aspect of BNC’s culture, and it’s the cornerstone of our training and development programs. All store employees are equipped—throughout their careers at BNC–with the tools and support to advance their own development into next-generation leaders as well as to enhance the campus store experience. They are empowered at the local level to deliver a customized experience rather than a standard transaction.

BNC also regularly reassesses our training programs to better understand each campus store’s staff, so we can customize our training curriculum to meet their specific needs and learning styles. This personalized approach helps each member of the team understand the direct impact they have on the client partners they work with and the entire campus community. We also gather their feedback to ensure our programs stay current. This allows store managers to focus on driving the customer experience – and sales – at their stores.

BNC’s approach to customer service ensures that the campus store is a destination and a resource for the entire community. Our experienced, dedicated store teams build strong relationships on campus and a deep understanding of their school, allowing them to stay on top of its unique needs. Then, using their localized knowledge as well as BNC’s extensive national resources and expertise, store teams create a customized store experience that supports student outcomes on their academic journey, engages retail customers, drives store traffic and revenue, and enhances the school brand.

This is just a snapshot of how we honor our commitment to serving our campus communities with the best campus store services in the industry. To learn more about how BNC can transform your campus store experience and build a strong bench to provide exceptional service to your institution, contact us.

The post 5 Ways BNC Campus Store Teams Deliver Better Service and Outcomes for Our School Partners appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Three university leaders sat down to discuss their First Day® Complete equitable access programs and how they worked across departments and teams to inform all stakeholders about the benefits of the program and how it works. Watch the full conversation and read the highlights below.

Communicating with Students about the Value of First Day Complete Is Imperative

“We had a town hall at the invitation of our Student Government Association. And we went in there expecting contentious conversation. The students asked questions, we explained, and they shrugged their shoulders. They’re like, “Okay, we understand now.” And that was really, I think a key thing we can now refer to. We made ourselves available, we answered the questions, we faced anyone… It was open to all the student body, anyone could come. It was really not a bad event at all, and I think that really… store management went out and met with individual groups as well. It really was I think a partnership.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

Communicating with Faculty and all Departments Helps Ensure Success for Students

“I think that the biggest component was just working really closely with the store to make sure that we understood how to communicate some of the information. And with Barnes & Noble College from a technical perspective, making sure that I’m crafting answers to things in a way that is both correct and also user-friendly and easy to understand. Working with Barnes & Noble College is definitely a huge component of that. And then again, working with offices to ensure that they are then also sharing correct information with their students.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

“We have offices like the Academic Support offices we worked really closely with. So we wanted to frame our program really as an academic resource, an academic support resource. And so in addition to the FAQs, we were able to add some information about any academic resource information to that page. So that’s almost a one-stop shop for all of your larger academic questions or needs, has academic calendar on there, just links to things to make it a little bit more convenient for students. We worked with a lot of departments to be able to pull that all together.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

“I’d like to echo what Monika said, the biggest, not ‘obstacle’ but what I had to do was the faculty training and the campus training, all around the campus. And it got to a point where I had to explain what not to do, not so much what to do here. And then all my PowerPoint presentations, for instance, altogether are now uploaded and they’re accessible through our university website. So again, the training aspect of it was very important.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“We met with Faculty Senate Department, Department Chair and Department Deans, as well as our Student Senate. And we had actually a very similar experience. We went into it thinking with the students that there’s going to be a lot more pushback or some questions voiced that were more negative and really there wasn’t. So, we had a really similar experience. It was a very positive meeting.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

Working with Barnes & Noble College Will Set You Up For Success

“And I like to add that Barnes & Noble College was a huge help. This plan, this program is well organized. And I mentioned about PowerPoints, I mentioned about QA, and I mentioned about training. All those PowerPoint slides, QAs, if you will, they were all provided by Barnes & Noble College. We met regularly for a few months, actually weekly meetings that we had. So as far as what to do, how to market, how to train your faculty, who to approach and things of that nature, Barnes & Noble College is well-prepared to steer your way for a successful campaign.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

To learn more about First Day^{®&�Բ�����;}Complete from the student perspective, – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.

The post Partners in Implementation & Communication appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Equitable access is good for the student and the institution. Participating students save between 35-50% on the cost of course materials, are more prepared by having convenient access to textbooks and digital materials before the first day of class, and experience greater academic success. Institutions benefit from higher enrollment and retention, and differentiation in the marketplace.

Three university leaders sat down to discuss how their First Day® Complete equitable access programs aligned with their highest priority goals and mission. Watch the full conversation and read the highlights below.

REDUCING COSTS TO WELCOME MORE STUDENTS
Equitable access to course materials levels the playing field. All participating students have access to their required print and digital materials before the first day of class, and save between 35-50%. Whether they select to pick up materials or have them delivered, students are taking advantage of this low-cost and more convenient option for getting the course materials they need for success.

“At USI, student cost [affordability] was the primary driver. That’s been our model for a number of years, since our inception really, to be budget conscious. We attract a lot of first-generation students and so we’re striving to make the cost both affordable and predictable. Many families come from a public-school environment and aren’t used to paying for education. We found many families struggling with that process, and so we really wanted to make the pricing predictable and affordable and make it available to as many students as possible.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“Over 90% of our students receive some type of financial assistance from the government, and if the cost of course materials hindered their ability to complete courses and to graduate on time, as a Chair of the Math Department, it was my responsibility to look into that and to investigate and try to come with a solution.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“Our strategic plan is focused on expanding our research and expanding the students that are coming to our campus and to our university. So, the equitable access program definitely played a big role. We’re starting to get students from a lot of different backgrounds coming, which we welcome and which we’re trying to increase. This was definitely a good step to take.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

DIFFERENTIATING THE INSTITUTION + IMPROVING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Students have many options about where to continue their education. Improving their opportunities for success by offering an affordable, convenient way to access their required course materials before the first day of class, improves their confidence and preparation to succeed. They have an opportunity to start each semester with everything they need.  That advantage can make a difference when selecting an institution to attend.

“I actually had friends who had students both here and other universities, and they would call me or text me and say, “Hey, other schools are just starting to do what you guys are doing.” We felt good about the fact that it gave us a little bit of a competitive advantage for a bit to be in that space, to have that behavior established. I really do think it’s helped us in terms of our recruiting and having something we can have as a selling point to students differentiate us from campuses who aren’t doing this.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“We began our program in fall of 2022 and our enrollment has gone up from 5,300 in two short years to a little over 6,000. We are at 6,045 here. I would love to sit here and claim that it was all due to the SAIL (Spartans All Inclusive Learning) program and that was the number one initiative on our campus. It certainly was not, but I can assure you that it had a positive impact because of the number of compliments that we received from the parents especially. It certainly did help both the uptick in our population and also the retention rates.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“If students have a lot of options available to them, you want to distinguish yourself.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

To learn more about First Day^{®&�Բ�����;}Complete from the student perspective, – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.

The post Getting Students What They Need to Succeed appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Does equitable access really save students money? YES.��
Is it more convenient? YES.��
Does it improve access to course materials for all students? YES.��
Are faculty still able to select the print and digital course materials of their choice, including OER? YES.��
Are students more prepared for class? YES.��
Can students opt-out if they chose? YES.��

Three university leaders sat down to discuss their institution’s First Day® Complete programs, its positive impact on students, and and dispel common misconceptions.  Watch the full conversation and read the highlights below to clear up questions about the value of equitable access programs. 

FACULTY DO MAINTAIN FULL ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Faculty expect academic freedom to adopt print, or digital or OER course materials so they can teach the way they want to teach. Administrators want the most affordable and most convenient access to course materials for their students. First Day Complete meets both these needs.

“I want to emphasize also the academic freedom here. We do not dictate to the faculty what to use or what not to use. This is not our position at all. They make a decision and we, with our partners at Barnes & Noble College, we make it happen. Nothing is exempted. Lab components are all included in the program with the same rate, flat rate.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

STUDENTS DO BENEFIT BY HAVING EVERYTHING THEY NEED BEFORE DAY 1

Students want an easy, convenient, and lowest-cost way to be prepared before the first day of class and the flexibility to participate in the program or opt-out each academic term. Providing them with everything they need, all in one place, ensures they can focus on academics as soon as classes start.

“The Store Manager said, “We have all these people buying early, this huge shift in the demand curve up earlier in the semester.” And what that leads to then, as Monika said, students are prepared for the first day of class, which is the whole reason for this program. So not only is it convenient, but because of the convenience it’s driving better outcomes academically. It’s those two things coming together. So, I was super pleased because I never succeeded in that myself as a self-operator, nor just doing the inclusive access did we succeed in that. It was going to the equitable access model that shifted that behavior for the students to have them be better prepared.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“I’ll just add, the flexibility of this program is really fantastic because there are students who the program might not benefit that semester. We see the bigger benefit is maybe for some of the students in the first year and the sophomores where they have more of the required courses, have the big-ticket items, your Calculus One books and all those. The flexibility of it is simply if it doesn’t benefit you that semester, you opt out and you make a decision again the following semester.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

“97% of the students surveyed said that the program saved them time because they picked it up all in one spot. And Monika mentioned earlier, and remember, I was the Director of the self-operated store, as you said in the intro, I didn’t think you could airdrop people in there and make them change their behaviors, but we did. And we noticed a significant shift. I saw people carrying the… We had a branded bag, we had everybody pick up the materials in and people walking around very early. I thought, “What is going on? Why are people here so early? It’s the summer. Why are they here?” And I saw more and more of that. I saw people coming out of the store with pleased looks on their faces, and just having a good experience.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“We saw similar convenience data in that students are thinking that this is a much more convenient option. We did partner with our mail center, which is on the second floor of our store for the distribution of all the physical materials, which was really helpful. And we definitely have ways to even streamline it even further going into spring and fall semester. So that convenience factor was key.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

EQUITABLE ACCESS MAKES EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE. PARENTS ARE TAKING NOTE.

Parents want their student’s academic journey to be as successful, cost effective, and convenient as possible. These are all factors they consider when helping their student select a school or considering options for continuing their education. They appreciate the convenience of First Day Complete.

“The parents really are the ones who liked this program. They’re the ones who often are footing the cost of education.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“The parents simply will not allow NSU to forego this program. This program today is part of the culture and it’s here to stay for a long time to come.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“And so that to me was huge just from the feedback that we got, and a number of parents who went out of their way to tell us how much they appreciated [the program]. And we were one of the first adopters in our area. And so that was a big key as well because then some of the competing universities around started adopting.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

THE IMPACT OF EQUITABLE ACCESS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

Implementing a new program can be challenging on any campus, with many different stakeholders weighing in on their unique priorities. Change can be difficult to navigate, but the results will pay off once stakeholders experience the benefits firsthand. Our implementation blueprint guides the way.

“That program [inclusive access] automatically becomes the culture on your campus. After that, you do not need the office of the Provost or the backing of the faculty [to expand to equitable access], mainly because the students will take over and they will not allow for the program to fade and for them to go back to the old way of business.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“The lesson that I learned quickly was just to stay the course. You’re going to have folks who are not going to understand and who are going to push back. But as Dr. M. said, the program’s going to speak for itself. It’s going to sell itself. You don’t have to go to a hard sale and go to combat with everybody. If you just stay the course and you’re confident in decisions you made the program that you built, in the end… We saw a 10% improvement one year over the next in our opt-out rate. It becomes part of the culture and students decide this is convenient, it’s affordable, and this is the best way to do things. And you just have to be confident in your original decision and the people who helped you make that decision and stick with it even when maybe some people don’t understand it and aren’t as supportive.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

You’ve got to see the long view and not get caught up in the bumps and understanding that just like anything else you do on campus, you’re going to have some people object. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re doing the wrong thing.
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“And I like to add that Barnes & Noble College was a huge help. This plan, this program is well organized. And I mentioned about PowerPoints, I mentioned about QA, and I mentioned about training. All those PowerPoint slides, QAs, if you will, they were all provided by Barnes & Noble. We met regularly for a few months, actually weekly meetings that we had. So as far as what to do, how to market, how to train your faculty, who to approach and things of that nature, Barnes & Noble is well-prepared to steer your way for a successful campaign.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

To learn more about First Day^{®&�Բ�����;}Complete from the student perspective, – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.

The post Common Questions (and Answers) About Equitable Access appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Be Well. Be You.™ by Barnes & Noble College is a thoughtfully curated collection of wellness products designed to calm and recharge the mind and body, available through our campus stores and ecommerce sites. We sat down post-launch with institutional partners and wellness experts from the University of Maryland, the University of Tampa, Lifelines and Rae Wellness to discuss how BNC campus store teams are using Be Well. Be You. as a springboard to talk about and share tools for well-being.

Watch the full discussion and read on to learn 5 innovative ways campus stores can play a meaningful part in supporting students’ well-being journey from our five speakers:

——-

1. CREATE FRESH OPPORUNITIES TO START THE WELL-BEING CONVERSATION

“I count on the campus bookstore, which is full of colleagues who are part of our caring community. They began to think about Be Well. Be You. as a way to start a conversation with customers. It wasn’t just about ‘buy your spirit gear’ – which is still important – but it was also about ‘how are you doing, and have you seen these tools.’ I think those nudges to think about how you’re doing is sometimes what a student needs, what a colleague needs, what a faculty member needs to even engage in that course.

The Be Well. Be You. merchandise says that it’s okay to take care of yourself. No one’s perfect. We’re all searching for an answer about how to feel better or even how to feel different.”

Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, PhD: Director, Adele H. Stamp Student Union – Center for Campus Life, Division of Student Affairs, University of Maryland

2. GIVE STUDENTS TANGIBLE TOOLS TO GET STARTED

“Sometimes students need something tangible as they start their wellness journey, to get them involved and started learning about what wellness approaches are right for them. It’s very personal.  

When I found out about Be Well. Be You. and really started to learn more about the different products and solutions that were featured, I immediately thought about our Live Well UT students who are holding events that they deem to be important and educational for their peers. The types of products or giveaways they’re using to engage with their fellow students are these exact types of things. That is what students want and are looking for and need.”

Tiffany Nelson, Assistant Director of Wellness Services, University of Tampa

3. MAKE TOOLS FOR WELL-BEING ACCESSIBLE FOR STUDENTS

“Wellness should be for everyone. It does not have to be expensive or a full-time job. And that’s why it’s critical that students understand that they can build a well-being toolbox. They can grab one tool one day and something totally different the next. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can take as little as a minute and a half to execute on some of these things that they need so desperately throughout the day.

The goal is getting students to focus and thrive in the now so that they can get beyond the now into the future that they’re creating in college. Taking a multifaceted yet personalized approach to well-being is how we can support the next generation. They are going to conquer the world.”

Angie Tebbe, CEO/Co-Founder, Rae Wellness

4. DEVELOP WELL-BEING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS FOR ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT

“Barnes & Noble College has a mission to support students’ academic success. That’s what drives our decisions and how we curate the products in our stores – and it’s why we had to do something meaningful to support the well-being of our campus communities. Our Be Well. Be You. wellness collection provides tools and ideas to help people identify what they need in their own body and soul to stay healthy, then start to meet those needs.

We didn’t want to just put products on shelves. The most important thing for us was engaging with our college and university partners to support the well-being journey of students and everyone on campus. It’s about what we can do to really become part of the solution, including workshops, speaking engagements and one-on-one interactions.”  

Celeste Risimini-Johnson: Chief Merchandise & Operations Officer, BNC

5. PICK PARTNERS ALIGNED WITH YOUR PRIORITIES AND VALUES

“We have had thousands and thousands of partners in our experience running Melissa and Doug, and there has been nothing even remotely close to the extraordinary Barnes & Noble College team. And I get truly emotional when I talk about them. BNC acknowledges that Be Well. Be You. is more than just product, but that doesn’t even touch on the soul that they all put toward this effort and how much they truly care. It is beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”

Melissa Bernstein, Co-Founder, Melissa & Doug Toys; Co-Founder, Lifelines

Learn more about Be Well. Be You. – and contact us to discuss how BNC can support well-being and create differentiated retail experiences for your campus community.

The post 5 Innovative Ways to Support Student & Campus Well-Being appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Bookshelf^® CoachMe™, powered in partnership by VitalSource, is now available for students at BNC partner institutions, and it’s one of the innovative ways BNC continues to make the campus store more relevant and impactful for students and faculty.

The tool takes the guesswork out of studying, with a study coach built into students’ e-books that uses AI-generated questions to help them prepare, focus, practice, stay on track and build confidence.

Increased Convenience, Improved Academic Outcomes

Bookshelf CoachMe is a new power feature within Yuzu^®, BNC’s learning platform that delivers an enhanced digital reading experience. The tool is convenient and easily accessible for students, providing practice questions and knowledge checks right in the margins of their e-books. It’s a valuable resource to help them determine what they already know, then focus on what they still need to learn. These learning activities are not graded – they are solely for students’ use while studying.

BNC helps improve academic outcomes with innovative resources like Bookshelf CoachMe that empower students to study fast and study smart by leveraging AI and other cutting-edge technologies. .

Contact us to learn more about how students experience this study tool, and to discuss all the ways BNC can support the academic journey on your campus.

The post BNC Offers Innovative Tool: Access to Free Study Coach Through Bookshelf® CoachMe™ appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

Take a look at the biggest takeaways from the 2023 First Day® Complete Student Success Survey,��and how these results are driving rapid growth of the First Day Complete program.��Each year this survey is conducted to obtain valuable student feedback on the impact of the equitable access course material program on their academic success.��

Learn more about the Equitable Access webinar and the data shared here.

The post Positive Student Feedback: First Day Complete�� appeared first on Barnes & Noble College.

POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS

First Day Complete removes barriers from higher education by improving access, affordability and convenience. Students receive their required course materials, in both physical and digital formats, before the first day of class. Costs for those course materials are bundled as part of tuition or a course charge, saving students an average of 35-50%.

Students consistently provide strong feedback about First Day Complete and the positive impact on their academic success. Recently, Barnes & Noble College conducted an online survey of students who participated in the program during Spring 2023. Nearly 4,000 students across 110 campuses responded, representing four-year public and private institutions, and two-year state community colleges.

Driving Academic Success

• 86% of students said they were better prepared for the academic term with First Day Complete
• 83% said the program had a positive impact on their success this term
• 75% said the program helped them achieve better grades this term

“I believe that this program helped me to achieve better grades because it ensured that I had the correct books and versions of the books that I needed for each of my classes. The program helped to ensure that I had access to all the information needed for my course, which set me up for success and in turn achieve better grades.”

–Student, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

 Greater Convenience and Affordability

• 92% said First Day Complete saves time shopping for course materials
• 91% said it was convenient to have their course materials bundled
• 83% said the program has provided more affordable course materials

“Textbooks are expensive. Having a discounted bundle is helpful. Not only does it save you money, but it also gives you materials needed to excel in class.”

–Student, Hawaii Pacific University

High Student Satisfaction

• 90% of students said they would participate in First Day Complete again
• 89% said they would recommend the program to other students
• 78% said the program increases the likelihood they will continue their education at their school

“The idea that I didn’t have to worry about getting the right books and they were substantially cheaper helped my stress which helped me focus on school.”

–Student, Onondaga Community College

RAPID PROGRAM GROWTH

First Day Complete continues to experience rapid growth in institutional adoption, as more and more higher education institutions recognize the benefits, including lowering the cost of education, improving student outcomes and reducing stress. A total of 157 campus stores are implementing First Day Complete in Fall 2023, a significant increase from 111 stores in Fall 2022. And, while the initial participants in the program largely were undergraduate students, their endorsement has prompted a number of postgraduate programs to participate as well.

In total, nearly 800,000 students nationwide will have access to First Day Complete by the fall, and more schools are signing on for the spring to bring the program’s benefits to their students as soon as possible.

BNC partners with institutions of all sizes to help them achieve their highest priority goals, including lowering the cost of education, improving student outcomes, and reducing stress. First Day Complete offers valuable benefits in each of these areas, helping students be more prepared for the academic term, enhance their overall experience and improve their academic outcomes.

“As important as textbooks are, most students delay purchasing them because of cost, and many avoid purchasing them altogether. That can have a serious impact on their chances of success. We want to give students every advantage, so we’re excited to launch the Eagle Advantage program.”

–Dr. Scott Ralls, Wake Tech President

For additional perspectives on First Day Complete, to see how students experience the program. Contact us to discuss how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus.

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Students are seeking out tools to help with these issues and ways to create paths to greater self-care. The most recent BNC COLLEGE 2030™ report revealed that students have developed a variety of coping strategies over the last several years, including “making time to unwind/for my interests” (69%) and “taking care of my body” (51%) through actions such as eating healthy and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.

To address this growing need, BNC has launched an innovative retail collection that aligns with the coping strategies students are exploring. Be Well. Be You.™ by Barnes & Noble College is a thoughtfully curated collection of wellness products for mind and body that are now available through our campus stores and ecommerce sites. Launched in June 2023, the collection features products designed to calm and recharge the mind and body of students.

DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO GEN Z

Be Well. Be You. by Barnes & Noble College encourages a holistic approach to wellness and self-care, with products to promote calm, sleep and energy; reduce anxiety; and relieve aches and pains. BNC carefully selected brands to collaborate with for the collection, prioritizing a variety of items that are modern, relevant, priced for accessibility and appealing to Gen Z.

We are also excited to introduce an exclusive line of products as part of this initiative. Co-founded by Melissa Bernstein, Co-Founder, Melissa & Doug Toys, Lifelines’ Sensory Immersion™ products are a groundbreaking, science-backed collection of tools to help users live with less stress and more joy. Lifelines is available only at BNC stores in the college retail market.

Lifelines’ collection of tools is designed to switch on the body’s most effective stress relievers: the senses. After spending 30 years inspiring children to discover a sense of wonder through play, Melissa Bernstein created Lifelines to help adults relieve stress through rediscovering that childlike sense of wonder.

Bernstein and the Lifelines team will participate in a series of events and workshops to help students “build their well-being toolkit” and promote the collection on campuses in the coming months.

“College students are dear to me, and my partnership with Barnes & Noble College is designed to help them thrive. Our Lifelines collection uses the latest research on the relationship between stress, hormones, and the brain to help you work with your body to unleash the power of your six senses. By sharing wellness-focused content, as well as offering tangible tools and products, we can help students and the entire campus community feel more calm, content and joyful,” said Bernstein. 

“The Be Well. Be You. collection transcends simple product – it’s about meeting human needs.”

PRODUCTS TO RECHARGE, RESTORE, AND RELAX

Students, faculty, and all those served by BNC campus stores have access to Be Well. Be You. and can create a personalized approach within the collection to meet their individual wellness needs*. Featured brands and products include:

• – A collection of tools designed to switch on the body’s most effective stress relievers: the senses.

Available only at Barnes & Noble College stores in the college retail market.

• – Supplements that support calm, sleep and energy.
• – Wellness and nutrition vitamins that inspire lifelong health habits.
• – Powders and supplements that empower everyone to live a full, vibrant life.
• – Ergonomic technology solutions that support well-being.
• – Meditative light and sound therapy calming products.
• – Weighted and microwavable plush items scented with French lavender to provide a positive sensory experience.

*Products vary by store

Through initiatives like Be Well. Be You., BNC is creating better, more personalized in-store and online shopping experiences for students and customers. The nationwide rollout will be complete by Fall 2023.

“Supporting the well-being of students, faculty, and all those served by the campus bookstore is one more way we support the highest priority goals and objectives of our college and university partners,” said Jonathan Shar, President, Barnes & Noble College and Executive Vice President, BNED Retail. “With the launch of the Be Well. Be You. collection, we are helping meet our mission of serving the evolving needs of the education system and a new generation of students.”

Contact us to learn more about the collection, as well as how BNC can support well-being and create differentiated retail experiences for your campus community.

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