First Year Experience Program Proposal Presented by

First Year Experience Program & Proposal Presented by Michelle Hernandez, Igor Marder & Dorothy Williams

20 th International Conference on The First-Year Experience • Sponsored by University of • • South Carolina & The National Resource Center for The First. Year Experience and Students in Transition July 9 -12, 2007 Attendees – Angela Jackson-Brown, Program Specialist – Michelle Hernandez, Director – Igor Marder, GED Coordinator – Dorothy Williams, Learning Specialist

The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition Has as its mission to support and advance efforts to improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education. We achieve this mission by providing opportunities for the exchange of practical, theory-based information and ideas through the convening of conferences, teleconferences, institutes, and workshops; publishing monographs, a peer-reviewed journal, an electronic newsletter, guides, and books; generating and supporting research and scholarship; hosting visiting scholars; and administering a web site and listservs.

Component Themes in Programs • • • FYE Seminar Courses Orientation Learning Communities Tutorials Supplemental Instruction Early Alert System Academic Advisors Peer Advisors & Mentors Summer Academies Student Engagement Activities Career Courses Faculty Development Opportunities

Personnel Themes in Programs • Coordinators or • • • directors Dedicated staff Faculty buy-in Student workers

Essential to Each Program • Support and commitment from administration – – Philosophical Financial Personnel Facility • Support and dedicated staff to run the program – To make the program happen! • Academic and Social Integration

Data-Types of Seminars • Types of Seminars (N=821) – 57. 9% indicate that they offer extended orientation seminars (n=475) – 28. 1% indicate that they offer academic seminars with generally uniform content across sections (n=231) – 25. 7% indicate that they offer academic seminars on various topics (n=211) – 14. 9% indicate that they offer pre-professional or disciplinelinked seminars (n=122) – 21. 6% indicate that they offer basic study skills seminars (n=177) – 20. 3% indicate that they offer a hybrid (n=167) – 4. 4% indicate that they offer some “other” type of first-year seminar (n=36) *Note. Percentages add up to more that 100% because several institutions offer more that one type of seminar for first-year students. http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

Data-Types of Seminars • Course Objectives (N=821) Respondents were asked to identify the three most important course objectives of their first-year seminar. The three most frequently reported objectives were: 1. 2. 3. Develop academic skills (n=527, 64. 2%) Provide an orientation to campus resources and services (n=434, 52. 9%) Self-exploration/personal development (n=303, 36. 9%) • Course Topics (N=821) Respondents were asked to identify the five most important topics that comprise the content of the first-year seminars. The five most frequently reported topics were: – – – Study skills (n=335, 40. 8%) Critical Thinking (n=333, 40. 6%) Campus resources (n=313, 38. 1%) Academic Planning/Advising (n=301, 36. 7%) Time management (n=235, 28. 6%) • Learning Communities (N=794) 35. 3% of institutions report linking first-year seminars to one or more other courses (n=280) • Service Learning (N=801) 40. 2% of institutions report including service-learning as a part of their first-year seminars (n=322) http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

Grading of Seminar • Academic Credit (N=805) • 92. 2% of institutions who responded indicate that their first-year seminars are offered for academic credit (n=742) Grading (N=810) 82% indicate that seminars are graded using a letter grade system (n=664) 15. 6% indicate that seminars are graded pass/fail (n=126) 2. 5% indicate that seminars are not graded (n=20) http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

Mandatory Participation • Students Required to Take Seminar (N=804) – 46% of institutions require their first-year seminars for ALL first-year students (n=370) – 34. 6% of institutions indicate that the seminar is required for some, but not all, students (n=278) – 19. 4% of institutions do not require the seminar for any of its first-year students (n=156) http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

Program Results • Results of First-Year Seminars (N=491) Respondents who had performed a formal program evaluation since fall 2003 were asked to select all applicable results that could be attributed to the first-year seminar. – – – 43. 4% report increased persistence to sophomore year (n=212) 41. 2% report improved peer connections (n=201) 38% report increased student satisfaction with the institution (n=186) 33. 7% report increased use of campus services (n=165) 33. 8% report increased out-of-class faculty/student interaction (n=165) 32. 4% report increased level of student participation in campus activities (n=158) 30. 1% report increased student satisfaction with faculty (n=147) 29% report increased academic abilities (n=142) 17. 8% report increased persistence to graduation (n=87) 17. 6% report improved grade-point-averages (n=86) 18% report ‘other’ (n=88) http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

Conference Evaluation Data • • 2, 646 survey invitations distributed 968 surveys completed (36. 6% response rate) 821 institutions responded that they offer first-year seminars (84. 8%) Age of Seminars (N=810) – 9. 8% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for 2 years or less (n=79) – 42. 5% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for 3 - 10 years (n=344) – 47. 8% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for more than 10 years (n=387) http: //www. sc. edu/fye/research/surveyfindings/survey 06. html

AVC First Year Students • 75. 5% of our students are high school graduates • 54% are freshmen status • 25. 8% First time AVC students • 48. 2% under 20 years of age • 60. 9% high school yield • 59. 2% of first time freshmen were • • underrepresented minority students 57. 9% are women 52. 4% of first time students under 20 are males http: //www. avc. edu/departments/research/Fact_Book_rev_6_07. pdf

Relevant Goals of Student Success & Equity Plan • Increase retention for all • • population groups by creating an “Early Alert” system and an “At-Risk” Program Increase retention and success rates of underrepresented groups Improve success rates of students in basic skills http: //www. avc. edu/aboutavc/student_equity. pdf

Establishing & Maintaining FYE Programs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Convene the group of stakeholders & champions Define the target population & their needs Develop measurable objectives/outcomes to meet needs Determine how to deliver FYE programs/services Determine the content of the FYE program Determine the cost of the FYE program Begin to promote and explain the FYE program Continue promoting and start to delivering the FYE program 9. Evaluate/Assess the FYE program 10. Adapt/Expand the FYE program as needed Adapted from the Steps for Designing and Implementing a Career Development Program in Nile, S. G. & Harris-Bowlsby, J. (2005). Career development interventions in the 21 st century (2 nd ed. ) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Existing Component Themes for FYE at AVC • Human Development Courses (SSV-Manley) • • – – – Orientation to College Basic Strategies for College Success College and Life Management Career Planning Personal Development – – – Faculty buy-in Professional Mentors Events and Activities – – – – Tutorials Supplemental instruction Reading/Writing and Math Centers Peer Mentors Learning Skills Analysis Early Alert Academic Skills Workshops Academic Advising (SSV-Manley) High School Senior Extended Orientation Program (SSV-Zimmerman) Student Development and College Activities (SSV-Zimmerman) USHINDI An African American Retention Program (SSV-Zimmerman) • Learning Center (AA-Gouveia-Marks)

Proposed Needs Assessment for AVC’s FYE • • • • Funding Coordinator Personnel Facility to house the program in a central location More Intentional Interaction with Students Official Welcome Packets Peer Advisor and Mentor Program Library Resources Workshops Assigned Program Advisors Multiple Assessment Points Learning Communities Family/Parent Activities More Available Childcare Active Retention Monitoring Targeted Research Support