In 2009, American University shifted the bulk of its financial aid from merit- to need-based, leading to a more diverse student body. Concurrently, academic performance rose but student sense of belongingness diverged by race. Support services were plentiful, but not necessarily well matched. In 2015, with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, AU explored an integrated approach to student support. Re-inventing the Student Experience (RiSE) involved faculty, students, administrators, and staff in workshops, retreats, surveys, and examinations of best practices in higher education as well as innovative approaches outside the university, all aimed at uniting the entire campus in supporting student well-being. After the grant, AU continued to fund RiSE internally. Major outcomes included new required first-year courses; a new role for some faculty as “guides,” who both teach and serve as primary contacts for accessing university services; a greatly revised core curriculum; and improvement in student engagement.