Abstract: This virtual brief paper presentation will dive into some of the positive and negative aspects of institutional assessments and the assessment process in general. This presentation will illustrate the premise and success of a faculty driven assessment model for graduate programs from an institution offering online degrees. Essentially, how to promote an institutional culture that goes beyond data collection and demonstrates how to use direct and indirect means of assessment to improve student learning outcomes and instructional practices will be shared. This virtual brief paper presentation will address the following main areas: Documenting what students know; validating how students learn best; fostering continuous improvement; developing a culture of improvement; ongoing and integrated research-based planning and evaluation; and showcasing a robust, meaningful institutional effectiveness program that promotes student learning.