The Persistence Pipeline:

The Persistence Pipeline: The Intersection of Advisor and Student Roles on the Path to College Success NPEA 2013 Annual Conference; April 11, 2013

The Persistence Pipeline

Introduction The SEED Foundation • Opens college-preparatory, public boarding schools designed for students who need a 24-hour learning environment to achieve their full potential The SEED Schools • Provide an outstanding, intensive educational program that prepares students, both academically and socially, for success in college and beyond

Introduction The SEED Foundation’s College Transition & Support Program • Provides college transitional support by encouraging academic and personal excellence in the lives of SEED School graduates • Helps SEED graduates achieve their postsecondary goals through a variety of programs and services

Introduction The SEED Foundation’s College Transition & Support Program • Personal, academic, financial aid, and career advising • College transition programming • Visits to graduates at college • Scholarship support • Winter and summer social activities • Professional development

Introduction SEED DC Demographics and Graduate Data • Student body, grades 6-12 • 99.7 percent African American • 75 percent low income • SEED graduates • About 80 percent are first-generation college-bound • 93 percent have been accepted to a 4-year college or university • 92percent have enrolled in college

Study Design Intrusive Advising • An advising style that sets an expectation and creates a safe space for students to provide access to personal, financial, and academic information for the benefit of the student • Information is also collected through other resources including family, friends, community agencies, college administration, and social media • Includes temporarily accepting roles traditionally held by the student, family, and college administration for the purpose of educating and empowering the student

Educational Ownership Study Design Intrusive Advising

Study Design Research Method • Case Study • Nuances • Narrative • Story

Study Design Protocol • Purpose: “The impact of CTS advising on the postsecondary progress of SEED graduates” • What are the hurdles impeding the post-secondary progression of our graduates? • What are the successes contributing toward the post-secondary progression of our graduates? • When and how do CTS advisors intersect SEED graduates’ post-secondary trajectories?

Study Design Subjects • Selection • Consent • Confidentiality

Study Design Procedure • Semi-structured interview protocol • Open-ended questions • Conversational style • Three interviews • Recorded • Transcription • Summary method

Study Design Data Analysis • Collaborative Effort • Key Findings & Themes

Victories Barriers Graduate Advisor G: “ There were times, where like, you would be there to help me. And then you were like trying to tell me to do things, so I could do it on my part; so I could learn. So I could do it myself just in case there was a time you wasn’t’ there.” Graduate/Advisor Partnership G: “CTS has been extraordinary about keeping in contact with students. I’ve never met any other organization that does that. That’s really helpful to me. I see it. I can see it from my eyes that it’s helpful…It makes us feel like somebody’s there; somebody’s always wanting you to excel. That pushes you; that gives you that extra boost. ” SEED Foundation Leadership & Outside Resources G: “ That’s the only person that really helped me through that situation … was Ms. ______.” Key Roles A: “I had to not only communicate with Ms. _________, I had to go talk to her supervisor; I had to talk to her supervisor’s supervisor.” Although Vince persists, so do the systematic problems with funding and RSA. Vince and his advisor often check in with one another to keep him on track for postsecondary success. Still persisting… G: “She keeps on top of me. She’s always contacting me to make sure my financial situation is going right … and grades … coming to check on us, visit us, twice a year is crazy … real appreciative.” A: “It’s a constant struggle to figure out where you’re going to lay your head; that becomes your priority. How are you going to eat; that becomes your priority…. Classwork takes a back seat when you’re just trying to meet your basic needs.” A: “Being told that things were being taken care of, (but) going in and checking his account and still seeing that he had a bill. But being reassured from the people at _____ that everything was fine; that the money is probably coming. It’ll be fine before he leaves school.” G: “If I didn’t have the help of the CTS team, I probably would have went to the army … I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to school in the spring trimester. First of all, I didn’t know how to get the payment through without anyone else’s help… the Army was plan B anyway.” Withdraw from school; join Army (Plan B) Withdraw from school; no postsecondary plans

Data (summer/fall first year) • Establishing relationship

Data (winter first year) • Obstacles surface

Data (summer/fall second year) • Overcoming the obstacles

Data (winter/spring second year) • Persisting

Findings Vince’s Barriers Vince’s Victories Relationship • CTS Advisor • Determination • Optimism • Supportive • Consistent/accessible • Various Roles • Parent/Coach/ Teacher • Investigator • Researcher • Student • Cheerleader • Liaison/Middle Man • Advocate • Expert • Connector • Uninterrupted Progression • Satisfactory academic performance • Found off-campus housing for 3rd year of school • Though delayed, balances were paid for first two years of school • Personal growth • Vince • Determination • Fight • Appreciation • Understanding of CTS supports • Various Roles • Self-Advocate • Student • Researcher • Systems failure • Systems that were supposed to support him hindered him • Financial constraints • Loss of housing • Limited family support • Lack of heuristic knowledge • Negative Emotions • Frustration • False sense of resolution • Defeat SEED DC Supports CTS Supports Independence

Findings Applying Research Findings to Practice • Focus on relationship building • Develop a safe and informed space for graduates to share information • Take a strengths-based approach; expect students to be capable of doing whatever needs to be done • Utilize all resources to communicate with graduates • As a program policy, require graduates to sign a third-party release form • Track student data (i.e. enrollment, expected financial aid, contact information…)

Resources www.seedfoundation.com

Resources Melissa Freedman, College Support Manager melissa@seedfoundation.com Joi Baker, College Support Advisor jbaker@seedfoundation.com Tiffany Blacknall, College Support Advisor tblacknall@seedfoundation.com

The Persistence Pipeline: