Berklee Receives $1.8 Million Donation to Fund Innovative Student Success Initiative

Berklee has received a $1.8 million donation to fund the ongoing development of the Berklee Bridge, a bold new model for student success that connects every student with a dedicated success advisor and team of specialized advisors and services, customizing each student’s experience for their own unique learning, artistic, and career journey.

“We know that if our students can access the right supports at the right time and develop strong relationships with staff who know and care about them, it increases their ability to succeed and thrive at Berklee,” said Dr. Betsy Newman, interim executive vice president and senior vice president of student engagement and enrollment. "This donation is a catalyst for the expansion of the technology that supports the Berklee Bridge, and we appreciate the generosity of our donor partner who, like our team, believes this vision and new platform can become a model for student success across higher education. I am also extremely grateful to the many in our community involved in the development of the Bridge whose dedication led to a successful launch and rollout and helped secure this essential grant.”

Gifted by an anonymous foundation, this donation will enable Berklee to create a more sophisticated data and technological infrastructure to support the Bridge, pulling various data systems across the campus community into a centralized location for a more cross-functional and comprehensive view of the student experience. Communication between students and advisors will be improved through instant alerts for important tasks, with the goal of simplifying and enhancing the experience for everyone involved. Other upgrades include better data connections and analytics, streamlined information sharing, and an expanded advisor dashboard and case management system.

Since launching the Bridge as a pilot in fall 2022, Berklee has seen significant increases in students’ engagement with the student success advisor and specialty advising teams, who work together to put them on a path to graduation and beyond.

To learn more about how the Berklee Bridge is transforming the student experience at Berklee, please visit berklee.edu/bridge.