peermentoringGuiding Students to Retention through Peer Mentoring

Cuyahoga Community CollegeHeidi Athey

Judy LaRiccia-GrantJanet Spitzig

Strategic Plan 2013-2016◦ Access and Engagement◦ Quality and Innovation◦ Completion and Success

commitmenttosuccess

Addition of Student Success Specialist positions◦ Coordinate retention programs for 1st year students

Mentoring Peer mentoring Early Alert Student Ambassador Program 1st Year Success Newsletters Case management for Compact Scholar students Gradfest, Welcome Week, etc.

◦ Represented at each campus: one at Westshore, two at East and West, three at Metropolitan.

studentsuccess

National Statistics for Community Colleges ◦ 1st generation college students1: 42%◦ Students requiring at least 1 developmental course1: 60%◦ Retention for 2-Year Public Colleges2: 55.7%

Tri-C Statistics◦ 1st generation college students: Approximately 58%◦ Students requiring a developmental course for Fall 2012

English 68% Math 95%

◦ Retention rate Fall 2011 to Fall 2012: All Students: 47.5% 1st Year Students: 40.5%

why1styearinterventions?

1. American Association of Community Colleges. (2012, April). Reclaiming the American Dream: A report from the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges. Washington, DC: Retrieved online: http://www.aacc.nche.edu/21stCenturyReport

2. ACT, Inc. (2013). The Reality of College Readiness. Iowa City, IA: Retrieved Online: http://www.act.org/readinessreality/13/pdf/Reality-of-College-Readiness-2013.pdf

highereducationcompact

An Integrated Support System◦ Navigating the college◦ Accessing resources◦ Transitioning to college expectations◦ Establishing a sense of belonging◦ Building of confidence

whypeermentoring?

Student Obstacles◦ Time◦ Commute◦ Child Care◦ Computer Access◦ Computer Knowledge◦ Anxiety◦ Learning Disabled◦ Physically Disabled◦ Lack of support system◦ Family responsibilities

whypeermentoring?

Handling Multiple Life Roles◦ Parent◦ Employee◦ Partner◦ Caretaker◦ Student

whypeermentoring?

Employee

PartnerJoe Smith

CaretakerStudentFriend

Parent

Religious/ Spiritual

Social

Adapted from Youngstown State University 2011, Western Campus pilot

◦ Student Ambassadors◦ Peer Mentors assigned at New Student Orientation

Peer Mentors assigned 10 students per orientation Establish leadership role

Navigating the campus, my Tri-C Space, registration process and financial aid.

Develop rapport through group interaction Facilitate peer mentoring contract and expectations

peermentormodel

Hiring Process:◦ Selection process◦ Qualifications◦ Background/drug screening

Training:◦ General student ambassador training◦ New Student Orientation training◦ Peer Mentor training◦ College-wide retreat

peermentors

ourpeermentoringteams

Semester Engagement: ◦ Welcome postcard◦ Weekly e-mails◦ Phone calls before midterms/finals◦ In-person visits◦ Incentive based learning ◦ Participation in campus events

communicationplan

Peer Mentors Total Students0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

62.0%50.2%

Retention Rate1st Year Students – Western Campus

Fall 2011 - Fall 2012

pilotresults

programoutcomes

Fall 11 - Spring 12 Fall 11 - Fall 120.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

65.4%

46.9%

66.8%

46.0%

71.5%

50.6%

68.6%

48.3%EasternMetroWesternTotal

Retention Rate by CampusEntire Student Population

programoutcomes

Peer Mentors Total Students0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

72.4% 64.3%

Retention Rate1st Year Students

Fall 2012 - Spring 2013

programoutcomesRetention Rate by Campus

Fall 2012 - Spring 2013

East Metro West 0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

66.2% 65.5%

78.7%

61.2%57.6%

70.1%

Peer MentorsTotal Students

programoutcomes

Peer Mentors Total Students0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

70.9% 69.8%

A-C Grade RateFall 2012

programoutcomes

East Metro West 0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

65.5% 64.3%

75.6%

65.8%63.4%

75.1%

Peer MentorsTotal Students

A-C Grade Rate by CampusFall 2012

Student Engagement◦ Commuter campus◦ 65% of students enrolled part-time◦ Outside commitments /responsibilities◦ Establishing the benefits

Time◦ Managing ambassadors◦ Prepping materials

Ambassadors◦ Budget restrictions◦ Limited pool◦ Turnover

Communication/Connections◦ Contact information◦ Home life

programchallenges

Uniformity across campuses First Year Experience course Mentee concerns survey Mentee evaluations

movingforward

Eastern Campus:Ryan Hoenig216-987-2638ESS 1600 Ryan.Hoenig@tri-c.eduTammi Kohl Kennedy216-987-2634ESS 1600 Tammi.Kennedy@tri-c.edu

Westshore Campus

Metropolitan Campus:Heidi Athey216-987-3422MSS G07Heidi.Athey@tri-c.edu

James Gardner, Jr. 216-987-3339MSS G07James.GardnerJr@tri-c.edu

Jacques Smith216-987-4802MSS G07Jacques.Smith@tri-c.edu

Western Campus:Judy LaRiccia-Grant216-987-5177WSS G100Judith.LaRiccia-Grant@tri-c.edu

Janet Spitzig216-987-5675WSS G100Janet.Spitzig@tri-c.edu

Questions

Maureen Gray-O’Shea216-987-5858Maureen.Gray-O’shea@tri-c.edu