Holistic Advising for First-Generation Students
What is Holistic Advising?
David Spight, Ed.D. | Director of Undergraduate Affairs
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Academic Advising
What is academic advising?
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
What is Holistic Advising?
Is it an approach?
Is is a practice?
What is the difference?
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
The Practice of Advising
Advisors should:•Improve our relationalskills in advising.•Increase our conceptual understanding of academic advising.•Expand our informational knowledge.
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Advising First-Generation StudentsInstitutional strategies:•First-year seminars led by professional staff and/or faculty advisors (Hicks, 2002)
•Comprehensive advising during orientation programs (Darling & Smith, 2007)
•Required advising each term with an assigned advisor
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Advising First-Generation StudentsAdvising practice:•Increase their own cultural competency (Harding, 2008)•Connect students to first-gen faculty, staff, and other students (Demetriou & Mann, 2011)•Connecting students to experiential learning (Kuh, 2008)
•Consider group advising (Priest & McPhee, 2000)
•Increase informational knowledge about educational options
•Help students increase cultural capital
•Engage in the scholarship on advising first-gen
Culture of support: coaching first-gen students at UC San Diego to reach their goals
Doug Easterly, Ed.D. | Dean of Academic Advising, Muir College
Lindsay Romasanta, Ed.D. | Director, Student Success Programs
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Institutional Commitment: Collaboration & Embedded Support
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
What is Success Coaching?
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
How we support students
First-Gen Conscious Practices
Student Feedback
Early Indicators of Success
Fiat Lux Scholars Program:Supporting first-generation college student transitions at UC Merced
Maria Rosales, M.A. Ed. Fiat Lux Scholars Program Coordinator & Counselor
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Fiat Lux Scholar Program Mission: We empower a select cohort of income-eligible, first-generation college students through intentionally structured services that ease their university transition, builds a community of scholars, and enhance their student development.
Vision: Promote resilience, increase retention, and minimize barriers to degree attainment for first generation college students.
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
How Do We Accomplish This?
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Supporting University Transitions● 16 Students Staff
■ Student Coordinators ■ Academic Scholars ■ Community Scholars ■ Lead Scholars
● 3 Professional Staff■ Program Coordinator■ Counselor■ Program Assistant
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
A Living-Learning Community for Incoming First Year Scholars● Weekly Study Sessions (4 hours)● 2 Counselor meetings● 3 Community Scholar meetings● 3 Workshops● 1 Social● 1 Faculty Receptions● 1 Professional Development activity
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Fiat Lux Scholars Orientation
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Socials
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
First Generation Alumni Panel
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Faculty Receptions
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Second, Third and Fourth Year Scholars Transitions Second Year Students:● 2 Counselor meetings● 2 Lead Scholar meetings● 2 Workshops● 1 Social● 1 Faculty Reception● 1 Professional Development activity
Third and Fourth Year Scholars:● 2 Counselor Meetings● 2 Professional Development activity
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Partnerships and Collaboration Across Campus ● Formal Campus Partners (MOU)
○ Housing and Residence Life
● Collaborative Campus Partners○ Center for Career and Professional Advancement○ Basic Needs/Food Security programs○ First year and school specific Academic Advisors○ Faculty from all schools ○ Learning Support Centers (STEM, Writing, Math)○ Student Response Team (Students of Concern)
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Academic Success Rates ● The Office of Institutional Research and Decision
Support tracked academic standing and retention for students matriculating at UC Merced and starting the intervention program in Fall 2015 (October, 2017)
○ Fall 2015-Fall 2016 FL students returned at an 8% higher rate overall (93% retention vs. 85% UCM)
○ Fall 2015 FL students were more likely to be in good academic standing at the end of their first term and the FL advantage extended into the second year
○ Fall 2015 FL students were more likely to return in the fall of 2017 and were more likely to be in good academic standing
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
First-Generation Challenges
● Onboarding process from admission-SIR-to move in
● Awareness of academic policies and options
● Mental Health and Emotional Wellness
UC San Diego Price Center #FirstgenCon2018First-generation students at UC
Improving How We Serve First Generation Students ● Data driven, while remaining student centered
● Practice a “Family Literacy” approach when onboarding onto program and campus
● Address Imposter Syndrome and advocate for culturally responsive mental health services; non-traditional methods of providing mental health services
■ development of student coping skills during challenging times
■ Mental Health education programming
Contact Information:
Maria Rosales, M.A. Ed. Coordinator & Counselor Fiat Lux Scholars Program