Best Practices: Points
Points lets you reward students for attending events and engaging in campus life. A well-designed Points Program can:
Gamify campus engagement
Motivate student participation in meaningful activities
Reinforce institutional priorities (retention, belonging, career readiness)
Recognize and celebrate student involvement
This guide provides best practices to design a sustainable, inclusive, and impactful program from the ground up.
Step 1: Define Your Program Goals
Best Practice: Start with “Why” before building out “What.”
Align point opportunities with strategic plan goals (e.g., retention, diversity, wellness).
Reward meaningful behaviors such as attending career workshops or cultural programs.
Make sure your program reflects your institutional mission and values.
Step 2: Create Inclusive Opportunities
Tip: The more ways students can engage, the more equitable your program becomes.
Variety of event types: Academic, cultural, service, wellness, and social.
Different modalities: In-person, virtual, hybrid—for commuters and online learners.
Accessibility & equity: Consider scheduling, cost, and ADA accessibility.
Student input: Ask student leaders and advisory groups to recommend activities.
Step 3: Build Your Points Framework
A clear structure ensures fairness and transparency. Here is an example structure to help you get started:
Category | Description | Example | Points |
Campus Traditions | Large-scale, high-spirit events | Welcome Week Kick-Off | 50 |
Career & Academic Success | Career readiness & enrichment | Career Fair | 35 |
Cultural & Inclusion | Multicultura & DEI programming | International Food Festival | 35 |
Wellness & Recreation | Health, fitness, and wellbeing | Group Fitness Class | 25 |
Service & Leadership | Civic engagement & leadership roles | Day of Service | 25 |
Best Practice: Award higher points for signature events and lower points for recurring, smaller-scale activities, even if they are in the same category. For example:
Attending the Career Fair may be worth 35 points as a large-scale event, while
Attending a Resume Workshop may be worth 10 points to encourage repeat engagement.
Step 4: Plan Rewards & Recognition
Reward structures should balance motivation and sustainability, while recognizing both milestone progress and top performers.
Milestone Rewards (Total Points Earned)
These ensure that all students can be rewarded for consistent engagement, not just the most competitive.
Milestone | Reward |
150 | Campus Swag (e.g., t-shirt, mug) |
300 | $10 bookstore or coffee giftcard |
500 | VIP access to a major event |
750 | Recognition at end-of-year banquet |
Leaderboard Recognition (Top 10 Ranking)
These highlight the most active students and encourage friendly competition.
Ranking | Recognition |
Top 3 | Featured in campus newsletter + premier table location at involvement fair |
Top 5 | Invitation to a leadership lunch with campus administrators |
Top 10 | Certificate of recognition + social media spotlight |
Best Practice: Balance milestone rewards with leaderboard recognition so students of all engagement levels feel valued. Students who can’t compete for the “top spots” should still feel motivated to participate and earn rewards.
Step 5: Market Your Program
A Points Program only works if students know it exists.
Brand It – Give your program a catchy name and visual identity.
Launch Campaign – Promote via email, social media, event booths.
Keep It Visible – Post leaderboards, progress meters, and “Points Updates.”
Step 6: Manage & Sustain
Best Practice: Keep operations scalable with automation.
Be sure to enable student organization leaders and campus partners on how to track attendance in Engage. Using the Event Check-In App (ECIA) can help avoid complications that comes alongside managing card reader equipment.
Be sure event hosts know how to check if their event is eligible for Points and to make any necessary event edits before they start tracking attendance.
Assign a Points Program Coordinator for consistency.
Review the framework annually to keep it fresh and relevant.
Step 7: Measure Impact
Measuring outcomes helps demonstrate the program’s value.
Analyze event participation data by category.
Gather student feedback via quick surveys and post-event feedback.
Track Points earned to student success outcomes (retention, GPA, involvement).
Final Tips for Success
Start simple – Launch with a clear framework, then expand as students buy in.
Recognize all levels of participation – Balance milestone rewards (for consistency) with Top 10 recognition (for high achievers).
Keep competition friendly – Spotlight Top 10 students, but ensure milestones give everyone a chance to succeed.
Celebrate student stories – Share highlights in newsletters, social media, and events to showcase the impact of involvement.
Stay flexible – Refresh categories, rewards, and recognition each year to reflect evolving student interests and institutional priorities.