One of the most urgent issues facing institutions of higher learning in the United States today is the problem of college student retention. The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretically and empirically supported argument for stating that there is one potent force for retention of college students that has been as yet largely unmined: communication centers. Relatively new to the field of academia, communication centers have the goal of enhancing communication, which is arguably one of the most important skills for career success and civic participation. Communication centers can play a significant role in all of the variables found to impact college student retention, namely communication competence, academic performance, interaction with students and faculty, and involvement in campus activities.
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