Utilizing TRIO to Enhance the First-Year
Experience
Ashyya Robinson & Jazmine Thompson |Berea College
National Conference on Students in Transition
October 23, 2017 | Costa Mesa, CA
Learning Objectives• Introduce Berea College's history, mission, and background on
programs; Emerging Scholars Program and First-Year Experience
• Examine the redesign of our first-year seminar course, GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success
• Provide the strengths and benefits on both sides for students and staff being under one office
• Discuss how to collaborate with TRIO programs on your campus and long term planning for FYI
• Q & A
Berea CollegeHistory
• Founded in 1855 on principles of equal education for men and women, black and white, primarily from Appalachia.
• Berea was the first interracial and coeducational college in the South.
• Berea is a four year Liberal Arts institution and primarily a residential campus.
• “To provide an educational opportunity for students of all races, primarily from Appalachia, who have great promise and limited economic resources.”
• No tuition promise
Berea College, Factbook, 2016-2017
Current Student Picture
• Enrollment: 1600
• Pell Grant Eligible: 98%
• Full tuition Scholarship: 100%
• Participation in Labor Program: 100%
Emerging Scholars Program &
First-Year Initiatives
Timeline
Emerging Scholars Program (ESP)
2010
Berea College received
the SSS Grant
2011
The Emerging Scholars
Programming begins
2015
SSS Grant Renewed
(5 year Award)
Emerging Scholars Program (ESP)
ESP Provides:
• Academic Counseling
Personal mentorship
Achieve students academic, financial, personal, and career goals
• GST 101: Strategies to Academic Success
Required first semester for ESP students
• Cultural and Educational Trips
• ESP Achievement Scholarship
Demographics• 144 Students
• Low-Income
• First Generation
• Distressed
Counties
• Inner City
Office of First-Year Initiatives (FYI)
2009-2010
Began creating an FYE
identity on campus.
2006
Pilot Program, ACES
(Academic Connection,
Engagement, and
Success)
2016
FYE transitioned into
new office space and
new name (FYI)
Office of First-Year Initiatives (FYI)• New Student Orientation
• Academic Transition Support
• First-Year Student Intervention
• Emerging Scholars Program (ESP)
• Berea Bridge
• Summer Success Experience (SSE)
• Teaching Assistant/Peer Learning Program
• Family Engagement
The Collaboration between Emerging Scholars Program and
the Office of First-Year Initiatives
The Office Merge
In 2015, FYE wrote a vision for the new FYI office to bring all programs under one office.
FYI director advocated for ESP to be under the office because of a shared vision and history.
Fall 2016
Emerging Scholars Program
integrated with the Office of
First-Year Initiatives
Examination of GST 101: Strategies for
Academic Success
GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success
Purpose
• The overall purpose of this course is for students to develop the skills and abilities that are necessary for academic and personal success in college and beyond. This class will focus on assisting first-year students in navigating transitions as well as developing and fostering positive self-identity, self-advocacy, and self-management.
Goals
Students will build skills to support their academic success
Students will improve academic skills
Students will explore and interests and abilities and how these relate to major and career.
Students will integrate into the college community by connecting with classmates, staff, and faculty.
Students will increase knowledge and utilization of campus services.
GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success
Basic Information
• Required for First-Year Students enrolled in ESP
• Taught by an Academic Counselor
• .25 credit hour
• 50 minutes, 1 day a week
Service-Learning
• One of five sections
• Random Placement
Course Topics
• Time/Self
Management
• Goal Setting
• Motivation
• Academic Skills
• Financial Literacy
• Identity Awareness
• Study Skills
• Course Planning
• Personal
Responsibility
• Campus
Resources
• Future Planning
GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success
Redesigned Model
• Optional for all first-year students
• Total of 320/430 first-year students interested course
• Currently 245 students are enrolled
• 76 ESP and 169 FYI sections.
• Total of eight instructors
Other First-Year Transition Support:
GSTR 110/GSTR 210/GST 150 (all FYS)
TA/PL program (all FYS)
Berea Bridge (select FYS)
Male Initiative Course (select FYS)
• African American
Appalachian
Latino
Black Male Initiative (select FYS)
S.U.C.C.E.S.S., Students United to Create Cultural and Educationally Successful Situations (select FYS)
Bonner Scholars (select FYS)
Strengths on Bridging the Gap between TRIO and
FYI
Strengths on Bridging the Gap
ESP works directly with the Office of Academic Vice President
Additional financial support
ESP brings instant traffic with 1/5 of first-year student population
Advertise programming
Benefits for TRIO Students and Staff Members to be Included
with other First-Year Programs
Benefits for TRIO Students and Staff Members
Staff
• Physical and structural proximity
• Sharing information on students for interventions
• Easier to add/drop students from classes or request students to move to part-time status
• Voice on programming ideas to change campus culture
• Attend professional development opportunities
Students
• Holistically experience being involved with other first-year students
• Ability to be in the know of FYI events
• Enhances involvement on campus
• More institutionally direct with the Dean and other higher administration on campus
How to Collaborate with TRIO Programs on Your Campus?
Collaborate with TRIO on Your Campus
Begin with close consultations with the TRIO program on your campus
Know your TRIO staff and their skill-set
Make sure that your TRIO and FYE program have a shared mission
Create strategic partnerships with various campus and community partners
Seek staff and faculty development opportunities
Long-term Planning for the Office of First-Year Initiatives
Ongoing Challenges
Student participation in first-year events
Establish an identity with first-year students that we are their primary resource
FYI campus location
Creating more ways to utilize office space for student led programs
ESP staff bound to grant regulations
Moving Forward
Building a closer partnership with Student Life
Growing our programs and collaborating more with campus partners and faculty
Marketing First-Year Initiatives (FYI) on campus
Engaging with our incoming students and families through Livestream chats
Target programming for Transfer Students
Questions?
Ashyya Robinson
Student Engagement Specialist
Emerging Scholars Program
Office of First-Year Initiatives
[email protected] | 859-985-3376
Jazmine Thompson
Coordinator of First-Year Programming & Family Engagement
Office of First-Year Initiatives
[email protected] | 859-985-3376