Improving Job Prospects through Student Success Initiatives and

Improved Retention Rates

Karen Baldus - Campus Compact AmeriCorps member serving at,
Tunxis Community College (TXCC), Farmington, CT
Impact Stories Objectives and Capacity Building Further Discussion
Background Challenges/ Covid-19 Challenges
“I got A’s and B’s this semester. The Student Success Program
• Tunxis Community College offers its students a quality, yet affordable education in an accessible and supportive environment,
has pushed me to do better this semester. The constant check- fostering the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex world. Challenges
ins, I felt like someone was rooting for me.” -Elena Suddenko • Tunxis’ AmeriCorps Initiative will focus on low-income (i.e. Pell Grant eligible) students from the Connecticut communities of - The slow speed at which the institution functions.
Bristol and New Britain. The US Census Bureau shows that these communities have been shown to have a high percentage of -Connecting with students who do not respond but need support.
individuals living in poverty and have low graduation rates. -Students not knowing a career path.
“The Student Success Program has been a great help to me Covid-19 Challenges
throughout the semester. Everyone was very helpful in Objectives -The Summer Bridge Program was canceled for summer 2020.
guiding my way through the entire process. All of my -Students struggled with the transition to the online learning environment.
• Create program to support academically at risk/ low- • Assist with the logistics of planning the Summer Bridge Program. Even students who were previously doing well began to fail or withdrew. This
questions were answered, and everyone was eager to help. It • Provide support during the first Summer Bridge Program to
income students through EARS and CARE.( Later know as impacted the numbers we use to show if the Student Success Program had a
made starting over at 40 so much easier for me.” –Jessica the Student Success Program). identify needs, challenges and opportunities and strategies for positive impact.
Langer • By supporting these students through graduation, we help sustainability. -Sustainability cannot move forward because advisors can’t be hired yet. Once
them qualify for better jobs and break the cycle of poverty. • Introduce students to the school/teach them to be college hired, advisors will take over the AmeriCorps members’ direct service.
Data students, to minimize stress and help retain students.
Tunxis Covid-19 Response
-There is no data for the Summer Bridge Program as it has not yet Capacity Building Efforts Connected Students to the following services:
1. Research correlation between outreach and retention. -165 laptops distributed to students who needed them.
been implemented. 1.Reconnect with Summer Bridge Program Team including
2. With faculty and staff, reexamine and adjust system to identify -Extended deadlines for withdrawal and pass/fail dates.
professors.
• 22% higher than and cohort academically at risk/ low-income students -Community resources compiled and made available to students.
2. Revisit and develop structure and curriculum with team.
students from the 3. Further develop a communication strategy for students in -https://www.tunxis.edu/welcome-home-covid-resources/
3. Begin recruitment efforts by connecting with high schools and
same demographics cohort. -Tunxis Food Pantry continues to operate.
% • 7% higher than
sending out flyers and applications. -Video appointments available with more reliance on texting/phone calls.
4. Continue to pilot program including but not limited to: 4. Apply for grants if needed- $1000 mini grant was awarded
students from New -Virtual tutoring.
•emailing and texting with reminders of resources previously.
Britain and Bristol
available on campus
overall
•meeting one on one to advise and mentor students
5. Pilot program summer 2021. Identify challenges and possible Sustainability Measures & Lessons
• Retention from Fall 19 solutions.
to Fall 20, which is hard •communicating with professors to track student 6. Track students participating in Summer Bridge to research Sustainability Measures
to analyze due to progress correlations between participation and matriculation/retention at -The Student Success Program is currently not sustainable because Tunxis
COVID, showed an 11% •connecting students with appropriate resources cannot hire the advisors needed due to Covid-19. However, the plan to train the
Tunxis.
higher success rate in (tutoring, counseling, accessibility services, social 7.Create system to track students after graduation. advisors on the program and best practices will make the program sustainable.
cohort than students
services etc.) and teach them to navigate the system -The Bridge Program was designed with sustainability in mind. All people doing
% from the same
demographics without
•answering questions students have direct service are existing staff and faculty.
the intervention •Maintaining contact with each student to let them -Sustainability binder created, includes but not limited to vocab to know, best
know they are supported. practices and descriptions of the programs so far.
5. Train the new advising director on best practices. Lessons/ Recommendations
6. Create system to track students after graduation -A balance of patience and persistence is key.
-Students respond best to texts but it is important to text and email to cover all
bases.
-Take the time to get to know the students to suggest career paths that may suit
them.
Final Thoughts
-The performance measure for this project is number of students obtaining a
post-secondary degree. Too soon to have this data.
-We are continuing to see promise with the Student Success Program.
-Covid-19 caused many students to withdraw. This negatively impacted
numbers.
-Many students continue to use and rely on the Student Success Program. They
appreciated the help through difficulties.
Fig. 1: Pamphlet created for students Fig. 2& 3:Flyer and application for Summer Bridge -The Student Success program will be sustainable once advisors are hired. As of
Next Steps right now I am providing the direct service.
-The Summer Bridge Program will give low-income participants a head-start at
• Train the new director of advising when they are hired. • Strengthen connection with staff on early alert system. the college.
• Continue tracking students’ progress. • Facilitate the implementation of the Summer Bridge Program -After the initial pilot, the program will be run by already existing faculty and
• Track students from cohort after graduation to see and analyze challenges. staff, making it sustainable.
career outcomes. • Track students from Summer Bridge Program after graduation -We have no data on the Summer Bridge Program at this time as it will not be
*Decrease attributed to impacts of Covid to see career outcomes.