During my years working alongside peer educators in higher education, there was one reflection I heard time and again:
"I feel like I have a purpose here because of this role."
That sense of purpose isn’t incidental. For many students, becoming a peer tutor, facilitator, or SI leader is the first time they see themselves not just as recipients of education, but as contributors to their campus communities. These roles offer more than résumé lines or supplemental income—they offer meaning.
And according to new research, that kind of meaning might be exactly what students need most.
What Students Say When They Leave
A new study from the University of Washington Tacoma, in collaboration with Tacoma Community College and local nonprofits, explored the reasons why students leave college and what might bring them back. Researchers interviewed over 50 stopped-out students and identified seven key categories influencing their decision to leave.
Among them, one stood out: a lack of purpose and belonging.
Over half of participants shared that they didn’t feel like they fit in on campus or couldn’t see how college connected to their future goals. For some, it was the absence of strong peer relationships. For others, it was the uncertainty of why they were even there in the first place.
The report underscores what many student success professionals have long known—supporting basic needs is critical, but it’s not enough on its own. To truly help students persist, we must also nurture their long-term aspirations, identity, and connection.
Why Peer Education Is Part of the Answer
That’s where peer education comes in.
When students take on roles like peer tutor, peer mentor, or supplemental instruction leader, they experience a powerful shift. They’re no longer navigating college alone. They become helpers, leaders, and models for others. Their contributions are visible. Their presence matters.
These roles offer:
- A sense of purpose, as students support their peers through shared academic challenges
- A sense of belonging, as they become embedded in communities of learning and support
- A stronger identity, shaped by helping others and being recognized for it
These aren’t soft benefits. They are retention strategies in action.
We see it at Knack all the time: tutors who once questioned whether they belonged in college find clarity and confidence through peer support roles. Many go on to become advocates, ambassadors, and campus leaders.
A Shift in Perspective for Institutions
As institutions grapple with declining enrollment and persistent equity gaps, it’s time to broaden how we define support. Yes, we need flexible financial aid, academic recovery policies, and coaching. But we also need to ensure students can see themselves in their campus story.
That means making peer education central to our student success strategies.
It’s not just a program. It’s a practice of purpose.
Creating a Culture of Belonging
The University of Washington Tacoma is already acting on these insights by embedding career-connected learning and purpose development into high-impact practices. Other institutions can do the same—by investing in peer learning programs that are visible, well-supported, and tied to student leadership development.
If we want to re-engage the millions of students who have left college, we need to offer more than credits and credentials. We need to offer them a reason to believe they belong.
Roles. Relationships. Purpose.
That’s what keeps students on the path to graduation.
Reach out to our team to explore how peer learning can become a high-impact strategy on your campus.
