Anne Kooiker / Winonan

With the start of spring semester, students and professors are once again emerge on the Winona State University campus to tackle new courses.

For some students, motivation after a break comes from their own sense of mentality.

“I just keep focusing on my grade, the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and how proud my family will be when I tell them how good my grades are.” Kristen Fiske, a student at Winona State, said.

But for others, it is not that easy.

Sorin Schade dropped out of Winona State his first semester and said college is not for everyone.

“Not everyone can succeed in college even with hard work. Some people just don’t have the mental fortitude to withstand the pressure,” Schade said.

There are numerous reasons for students to not continue education at Winona State including dropping out, transferring, taking a year off, graduating early and many other causes.

Looking back at the statistics of retention, Winona State’s enrollment, according to Institutional Planning, Assessment & Research, the number of incoming first-year students in fall semester 2011 was 1,873 students. However, the enrollment rate has slowly been decreasing the past couple of years. In fall 2012 there were 1,787 students, fall 2013 there were 1,650 students, fall 2014 there were 1,648 students and this year in fall 2015 there were 1,642 students.

Fall semester 2013 there were 1,650 “new entering freshmen,” but only 1,254 of those students returned for their sophomore year. This means only 76 percent of students chose to continue into their next year at Winona State.

“I think students end up leaving after their first semester because they might have had a horrible experience with their roommate(s) or college is just not what they expected,” Fiske said. “They might have failed a few classes and thought they weren’t cut out for college.”

Schade, who was pursuing an English degree at Winona State, said motivation is key to success.

“I had no motivation to do class work because I don’t think you need a college degree to be a good writer. You just need your mind and a good editor,” Schade said.

Fiske said Winona State is helpful for students.

“I feel like Winona State University has done a good job when it comes to encouraging students with their academics,” Fiske said. We’re here because we want to be here. That should be encouragement enough.”

When it comes to engaging students, some professors also said they have their own ways for offering encouragement.  Professor June Msechu said, for her classes, the varying levels of motivation depend on the class itself.

“If I have a large group, I vary in the ways I encourage students to participate,” Msechu said. “When they make a choice to pay attention in class I will make an effort to help them further their education unless they show resistance…It’s possible I would push them more than others because they are showing a willingness to work harder.”

Msechu said if students made a choice by themselves to take a course, the student may push themselves harder.

“I think that the culture in the school has a lot to do with how students approach classes. If they make a choice to take a class that isn’t required they tend to strive harder because they made that choice, and subconsciously they feel like this is on them so they push themselves,” Msechu said.

Abby Loeffler a Winona State who made the dean’s list this past fall Winona State offers a lot to its students already to help students do their best.

“Winona State University should do nothing more. They offer free tutoring and open offices. This is college, not middle school. The school should not try to help you any more than it does,” Loeffler said. “We’re all adults who can make ends meet ourselves.”

For students who may be considering dropping out of Winona State because of a lack of motivation, Fiske said to not give up and to keep trying.

“Don’t do it. You might think it sucks right now, but it might be better next semester. The only true failure is when you stop trying,” Fiske said. “I definitely think everyone has the capacity to succeed in college if they’re motivated enough to work hard, and if they’re doing it for no one else but themselves.”