Some Positive Higher Education News for Students & Parents

The 2019-2020 academic year was challenging for myriad reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning environments shifted online, sports, activities, and annual social events were cancelled, students returned home, and rites of passage were either forgone or dramatically altered to protect everyone’s health. All of these alterations have taken a heavy toll on students and the institutions that educate them. As the summer has progressed, there has been a great deal of media coverage regarding the 2020-2021 academic year focusing on measures colleges and universities are taking to ensure a safe return to campus for all community members while enabling students to live independently and form strong relationships with their peers. As universities across the country have released fall semester plans, I have been reviewing them closely. While I am unclear on how the 2020-2021 academic year will unfold, I am encouraged by recent articles about investments certain universities made last year to provide additional support for students. In light of all the negative news and uncertainty surrounding academia, here are programs and positions that were initiated last year to help students excel in college.

This spring, Texas University A&M Commerce launched Student Success Teams to support students throughout their university experience. A Student Success Team is comprised of an academic advisor, an academic concierge, and a financial aid advisor. The idea of creating teams of administrators to support students from initial course registration through graduation is imperative for establishing bonds between students and those tasked with helping them succeed. Having a sustained period of time to get to know students, understand their goals, and match them with programs offered to aid their success is extremely beneficial. Having a trio of staff members working together to support students allows for multiple insights on how to help students address obstacles and achieve goals. This is especially important because not every student feels comfortable with their assigned advisor, therefore, having a team of advisors provides students with a greater chance for a positive fit. I applaud Texas A&M for initiating this needed programming. For more information regarding this innovative approach to promoting student success, click Student Success Teams at A&M Commerce are First of Their Kind in Texas.

In 2019, Penn State established the Student Success Center with Denise Poole as the inaugural Director of Student Success. The Center’s mission, listed on their website, states: “The Student Success Center within Undergraduate Education exists as both a physical center at University Park as well as a broad-based commitment towards University-wide student support and retention goals. The center partners with various departments, programs, and initiatives to assist Penn State students in their academic pursuits, allowing them to fully harness the power of support and academic engagement opportunities. The Student Success Center is committed to supporting students and their advocates across University Park and the Commonwealth campuses to help students fulfill their academic goals.” This year the Student Success Center administration expanded to include Student Success Coach, Lee Juarez. Juarez is a first-generation college student, currently pursuing her doctorate in Higher Education at Penn State. She has been charged with helping students in the Complete Penn State Program finish their degrees by working with organizations across the university and making students aware of the services available to them. Institutions of higher education offer many avenues of support for students in need; unfortunately, many students do not get this aid because they are unaware of available resources and/or do not know where to seek assistance. By focusing on students struggling to complete the final year of their degree and connecting them with organizations and individuals to address their needs, this initiative hopes to help struggling students complete their degrees, expanding their future options. To learn more about the Student Success Center, the Complete Penn State Program, and Ms. Juarez, see: Student Success Center Welcomes Lee Juarez as Student Success Coach.

Baylor University’s First in Line Program made such great strides supporting first generation college students in 2019, they were promoted from a First-gen Forward Institution to an Advisory Institution by The Center for First-generation Student Success. Through the First in Line Success Academy Scholarship Program (FILSA), students whose parents did not graduate from a four-year institution (including those with siblings who have graduated from college) are eligible for scholarships up to $12,000 over four years at Baylor. As stated on their website, the FILSA brings first-generation students to campus for programming prior to orientation and provides students with an academic coach, peer mentoring, academic workshops, general support, and access to leadership and service opportunities. Any one of these high-touch initiatives could be a game changer for a recent high school graduate new to the college environment, living on their own for the first time, and unsure where to turn for help. First-generation students at Baylor are at an advantage because they are given a plethora of support from their peers, the administration, and the faculty. For more information on Baylor University’s First in Line Program, how Baylor will work with other universities to support first-generation students, and The Center for First-generation Student Success click: Baylor University Receives First-gen Forward Advisory Institution Designation, National Honor for Commitment to First-generation Student Success.

These additional positions and programs to help students succeed were important before the pandemic hit to improve low college completion rates in the United States, bolster the university experience of all students, and improve student outcomes—from academic performance to employment opportunities. Now they are even more critical to help students adapt to changing campus environments related to the COVID-19 and its impact on their future. It is my sincere hope that these new initiatives to support students and those already in place will continue to flourish despite the financial challenges facing institutions of higher education. Loss of revenue from summer programs, college sports, and decreases in international student enrollment, coupled with the costs of making campuses safe for students, staff, and faculty to return, may negatively impact students support services.  With the additional stress students are experiencing, it would be a disservice to cut or limit support services.  If you are concerned with the level of support available to your student attending college this fall, research support offered by your student’s university.  If you feel more support would be beneficial, consider alternative options; hire a Student Success Coach or support a program similar to those mentioned above.