Student Success and Retention

1. Student Success and Retention Supporting Students on College Campuses- Anderson University’s commitment to student success.

2. Conversation Facilitators • Dianna Stankiewicz- Director of Learning Assistance Programs • Abigail Knowles-Assistant Dean and Director of Student Success • Stephanie Moran-Director of the Community Partnership Center at Anderson University

3. Overview and Objectives • This presentation will include a 3 Program Approach to increasing student success once the student has enrolled in higher education. • This session will reflect on the necessity to identify students’ individual challenges and support them academically, professionally, and socially. • Participants will discover how to increase the success of a diverse student population and support the different learning styles of those challenged in the traditional learning environment.

4. What are the barriers for student success?

5. The barriers for student success • Having enough money and financial aid to attend school. • Lacking adequate academic guidance and advising, which students say they need to help them understand the academic requirements, develop their goals, and plan and execute their coursework to meet those goals and requirements; • Lacking highly-developed “soft-skills,” including strong study skills and time management skills, which play a large role in helping them maintain their self-discipline and motivation to study; and • The challenge of finding time and “balance,” which can be multi-faceted for many students. Time comes through as one of the most valuable and scarcest resources in our exploration of student success.

6. General education requirements • Large class sizes, over-enrollment. • Limited courses • The need for more tutoring that is less crowded or with a tutor that is well-versed in what they need help with. • The need for more face-time with professors: Some students cite as an obstacle their not being able to access their professors adequately or their professors being too stretched for time. Exploring Student Attitudes, Aspirations & Barriers to Success ,2011. http://www.aft.org/pdfs/highered/studentfocusgrp0311.pdf

7. First Year Experience • The First Year Experience (FYE) was formed in response to the great need for new students to become fully connected and active members of the Anderson University community. We understand by providing new students with a cohort-based experience, that focuses on connection with peers, a faculty mentor, and institutional resources throughout the first year, the success rate of students persisting to their sophomore year will improve.

8. The FYE program consists of: • SOAR • Orientation • Two academic courses • A mentoring program All freshmen are placed into a mentor group with 15-17 other freshmen. Each mentor group is led by a faculty mentor and a peer mentor. The mentors teach their group in the fall First Year Seminar course and work throughout the entire year to help freshmen have the most successful year possible. During second semester mentor groups take Liberal Arts Seminar as a group.

9. The Retention PuzzleConnect the pieces to increase completion rates • To address student success and completion issues, a master retention plan and comprehensive, data-informed retention strategy should be guided by four quadrants of the retention puzzle: Retention Puzzle • 1 – Institutional assessment • 2 – Student assessment • 3 – Institutional interventions • 4 – Student interventions

10. Student success initiatives-non-cognitive assessments • Assess incoming students’ attitudes, motivations, needs, and receptivity to assistance in areas related to student success. • •Identify students' strengths and challenges. • •Prioritize outreach to students based on levels of risk and receptivity to assistance. • •Make a caring connection to discuss results; establishing trusting relationships. • •Proactively connect students with key resources (academic, personal, social, financial, career-related) that make a difference. • •Follow up to ensure students’ needs and interests are being addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.

11. How we identify student challenges as they enroll in higher education programs. • College Student Inventory-CSI • EQi-HEd125 – Alpha students (at Risk students) • Identifies the 5 Main components and 15 subcomponents of Emotional Intelligence • InterPersonal Skills • Stress Management Skills • Adaptability Skills • IntraPersonal Skills • General Mood Skills

12. How we support students in their first year learning experience. • Kissinger Learning Center Resources Study Strategies Course – LART 1000 • Peer tutoring • Study Groups • On-line tutoring – Software Research Center (experiential learning via a grant) • DSS – listen for cues • Advising • Workshops – (recently taped)

13. Types of Workshops: • Learning Styles – also performed on a one-on-one basis • Time Management – also performed on a one-on-one basis • The Textbook Maze • Note-Taking that Makes Sense • Test Taking made Easier

16. How to accommodate and encourage engaged learning • Do not prejudge a student’s ability • Treat students with respect. Every student is an individual, they do not appreciate being stereotyped as just “freshmen” anymore than faculty enjoy being lumped together as just “instructors.” • Learn student’s names, take an interest in them (especially if they are struggling or far away from home), send them a note of encouragement or an e-mail, etc. • Give them incentives - ex. Pilot Program with Basketball team – based on time management and study strategies • Incorporate Service Learning into courses

17. The Impact of Service Learning and Engagement • Enriches the student learning of course material and “brings books to life and life to books.” • Engages students in active learning that demonstrates the relevance and importance of academic work for their life experiences and career choices. • Increases awareness of societal issues as they relate to academic areas of interest. • Broaden perspective of diversity issues and enhances critical thinking skill. • Fosters an ethics of service and civic participation in students who will be tomorrow's civic leaders and volunteers.

18. Impact continued….. • Creates potential for partnerships and collaboration on campus and in community. • Builds reciprocal relationships with the local and global community. • Improves interpersonal skills that are viewed as important skills in achieving success in professional and personal spheres. At Anderson University it allows students to live out the core values of the University: • Integrity • Excellence • Servant Leadership • Responsibility • Generosity

19. Why students benefit…. • Students want to have impact while they are in college-they do not want to wait until graduation. • Many students have participated in service learning or project based learning in high school and they prefer learning with their heads, hands, and heart. • There are many different learning styles and service learning allows you to individualize the learning. • Reflection teaches students to value their own experiences and the experience of others. • Service engagement allows students to “try out” career options and environments prior to graduation. • Students have opportunity to focus on someone other than themselves. • Students become more academically and culturally competent.

20. What and How? Service engagement opportunities can be performed in every major. • Music • Art • Environmental Sciences • Psychology • Physical education • Government • Religious Studies • Engineering • Nursing • Business MANY MORE

21. How to promote service learning • Make service engagement part of your mission • Adopt and define best practice • Provide faculty/staff with resources they need to develop course work and student life programs • Provide funding opportunities and grant writing support • Provide opportunities for global and local exploration • Designate offices and human resources to support the effort • Promote through all campus events • Promote through social media • Introduce key service learning resource individuals during orientations (faculty, staff and students). • Have key leaders MODEL service to others.

22. Thank you for your commitment to student success! For more information please contact the Community Partnership Center at Anderson University. cpc@anderson.edu or 765-641-3714