A New, More Comprehensive Approach to Student Success

UGA’s latest innovation translates student skills to help them succeed

Whether interviewing for a job, applying for a graduate program, or pursuing other opportunities, students need to effectively communicate their skills to succeed. The University of Georgia has pioneered a new way to do just that: the Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR).

For decades, students have been limited by the standard academic transcript, which shows academic performance but fails to capture ‘soft’ skills—like critical thinking and leadership—despite their growing importance in today’s post-graduation landscape.

To solve this, UGA has developed the CLR, an innovative tool that assigns uniquely practical credentials to academic experiences and other activities, showcasing students’ excellence in a way that’s never been done at such a scale.

Students walk along the sidewalk and on the steps during a class change at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Building I on south campus.

By helping students recognize and articulate what they’ve learned, we’re not just enriching their education — we’re giving them a powerful advantage in the job market.
Marisa Pagnattaro, Vice President for Instruction & Senior Vice Provost for Academic Planning

Screenshot showcasing the new user interface for the University of Georgia's Comprehensive Learner Record experience search tool.

Documenting Holistic Growth

To create the CLR system, Vice President for Instruction and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Planning Marisa Pagnattaro and other administrators partnered with faculty and staff across campus to uncover the skills students were learning that might not show up on academic transcripts. At the same time, they engaged employers to find out what qualities they were looking for in new graduates.

Based on those discoveries and conversations, UGA identified six Institutional Competencies that students should strive for: Critical Thinking, Analytical Thinking, Communication, Social Awareness & Responsibility, Creativity & Innovation, and Leadership & Collaboration.

Screenshot showcasing the new, shareable, student credentials dashboard for the University of Georgia's Comprehensive Learner Record system.

With the CLR, a student who’s interested in improving in particular competencies can search for courses and other experiences (such as projects or leadership roles) associated with them. After completing those experiences and earning the associated competencies, the student can select which qualifications they want their CLR to showcase, tailoring their report for unique post-graduation needs.

“This credential helps them tell a clearer story of their strengths, preparing them to stand out and succeed beyond graduation,” said Pagnattaro.

Screenshot showcasing the new user interface for the University of Georgia's Comprehensive Learner Record student portal.

First Into the Fray

UGA is the first university to implement such a system on a large scale, thanks in part to Pagnattaro’s passion for instruction.

As a first-generation college student, she learned firsthand how higher education can open doors. As vice president of instruction at UGA, Pagnattaro wanted new, practical ways to empower students in developing their careers—like the CLR.

Part of a Bigger Picture

But the CLR isn’t the only way UGA and the Office of Instruction have set the stage for our students to succeed. In conjunction with other efforts like UGA’s Active Learning and Experiential Learning initiatives, the CLR represents one piece of a larger endeavor to make students’ higher education experiences uniquely transformative.

Through these sorts of programs, Pagnattaro and her peers continue to establish UGA as a hub for innovative instruction—a touchstone for institutions around the nation and around the world.

“We keep hearing about the increasing difficulty college graduates are having finding jobs in their fields,” Pagnattaro said, “and higher education needs initiatives like this to tackle that challenge.”