GSW Ambassadors Promote College Access: An opportunity for outreach and partnership

1. GSW Ambassadors Promote College Access: An opportunity for outreach and partnership Presented by Dr. Queen H. Brown and Dr. Chuchu Wu February 18, 2014

2. Why Does College Matter? • Because Education is an Investment that Pays Off for Individuals, Families, and Communities! • Higher Pay • More Job security • Enhanced career choices • Economic and health benefits for communities

3. According to the data from Georgia Family Connection Partnership Kids Count Data of 2010, Georgia State has 80.8% of students who graduate from high school on time. The housing county, Sumter County, had a high school graduation rate of 75.8% in 2010. The top three neighboring counties to Sumter County have also shown high rates of dropouts and struggling students who need to graduate on time. Based on the 2008-2010 data, the high school graduation rate of the home county and other three neighboring counties in a three-year-comparison are shown in Table 1. College Access Challenge Grant • Background: • Georgia has been awarded over $12 million in College Access Challenge Grant funds from the US Department of Education since 2008 with an additional $6 million in matching funds by the state. • The Chancellor of the University System of Georgia leads implementation of Georgia’s College Access Plan on behalf of the Governor’s Office and Alliance of Education Agency Heads. • The Office of Educational Access and Success department of the University System of Georgia leads the project along with a cross-agency Leadership Team. Patricia Paterson is the Principal Investigator. • Target groups of interest for USG include first-time freshmen, transfer students, adults returning to college, and the military.

4. Geographical Needs • May 21, 2013 – Georgia’s most recent public high school graduation rate rose more than two percentage points over the previous year – from 67.4 percent in 2011 to 69.7 percent in 2012. • According to the data from Georgia Family Connection Partnership Kids Count Data of 2009-2010, Georgia State has 30% of high students who DID NOT graduate from high school on time. • According to 2011 data , Georgia has 44% of young adults age 18-24 enrolled in or completed college. • According to 2011 data, GA has 21 % of persons age 18 to 24 not attending school, not Working, and no degree beyond high School

5. Geographical Needs Continued… • Children Who Live in Poverty (2011): • Crisp: 45.9% • Sumter: 41.3% • Lee: 18% • Teens Who are High School Dropouts, Ages 16-19 (2007-2011) • Crisp: 14% • Sumter: 11.8% • Lee: 11.8% • Teens Age 16-19 Not In School And Not Working (2007-2011) • Crisp: 21.9% • Sumter: 18% • Lee : 11.4%

6. Guiding Beliefs The GSW Near Peer Program embraces these guiding beliefs to enhance student services to support underrepresented students in completing their career and academic goals. • Accessibility – All students should have the opportunity to reach their full potential through participation in higher education. • Accountability - Effectiveness and efficiency are achieved through the wise use of fiscal, human, and physical resources. • Cooperation - Forming partnerships and working with others facilitates the achievement of common goals. • Diversity - Creativity and achievement are fostered through respect for all individuals and their ideas. • Excellence - Quality is ensured by using information gathered through a continuous assessment, planning, and implementation process. • Integrity - Success occurs in an environment of honesty, openness, fairness, and trust where people are treated with dignity and respect.

7. Near Peer Program • In late fall 2010 CACG provided all USG institutions the opportunity to apply for funding to develop a Near Peer Program on their campus in partnership with one or more high schools. • The Near Peer program deploys college students as “college coaches” to partner high schools to work with high-need students. The college coaches take a service learning course that provides the instruction they need to work with underrepresented students in order to increase access and readiness for college.

8. The Near Peer Program Goals • Provide “Near Peer” mentoring services to underrepresented students at partner high schools; • Increase awareness among underrepresented students about applying and paying for college; • Increase awareness among underrepresented students about various career opportunities; • Promote college opportunities in a positive way to the underrepresented students served; • Provide information about college life and classroom experiences to the underrepresented students served; and • Develop a sense of community involvement for college students serving as Near Peer mentors.

9. Target Populations • High school students who are underrepresented in postsecondary education and their families; • Low income adults at risk of not completing college.

10. GSW’s Near Peer Program • Objective 1: To increase the number of underrepresented and at-risk junior and senior high students to complete Near Peer Service Learning Program and high school education • Provide mentoring in college readiness and planning for college weekly • Bring college students to high school classrooms to interchange their learning experiences at high school and at college

11. GSW’s Near Peer Program • Objective 2: Increase awareness among underrepresented high school students about applying and paying for college and career opportunities • Conduct workshops about school application processes and paying for college • Conduct career workshops: interview skills and resume writing • Teach basic computer skills such as Microsoft Word & Excel Software. • Invite both native and international college students to talk about their personal educational experiences on the US college campuses

12. GSW’s Near Peer Program • Objective 3: Provide information about college life and classroom experiences to the underrepresented students served • Plan field trips to college campuses (1 per semester) • Invite high school students to participate in college-campus activities • Plan experience to sit in a college classroom and learn • Invite international students to present their native cultures in high school classrooms and let high school students meet college students from other places. • Mentor’s information workshop: college application processes, personal statement writing, and resume writing

13. 2013Spring

14. Sample Activities • Thursday, Feb 7, 2013 • Host a “Study Skills Workshop” at GSW Academic Skills Center/Writing Center • Saturday, February 16, 2013 • Attend GSW Homecoming Cook out at 11:00, campus tour at 1:00 and Canes Game at 3:30 • Invite HS students to participate in NPHC Step Show at 8:00pm at GSW (Available for teens to attend, but NP program is not responsible for transportation and chaperon) •  Friday, March 8, 2013 • Present “Cultures Exploration and Exchanges” • Friday, April, 26, 2013 • Visit South Georgia Technical College.

15. College Access Summer Camp • Topics center around • Body and Mind Development • Self Esteem/Listening and Exploring Options • Goal Setting • Healthy Eating • Health & Wellness-Exercising • College and Career Applying Information • Applying to College • Career Service Workshop • Financial aid planning and scholarship resources • Credit/ financial planning • Needed Skills • Instructional technology workshop • Writing/ Plagiarism and Writing

16. Program Evaluation

17. Program Evaluation

18. Students’ Written Feedback Question: Reflect on how Near Peer Mentoring program has assisted you in terms of college application or preparation for going to a college? • It helped me a lot and helped me apply for college. • It helped me out more than anything. Near Peer made you think more about college and the careers that you wanted to major in. • It assisted me in a plan, to help me go to a college whether it is a technical college or a university. • It taught me how to get prepared for college and the future because I wanted to have a good life ahead of me.

19. Students’ Written Feedback Question: Tell us about your experience in the Near Peer mentoring program. • My experience in the program was more than I thought it would have been. • My experience with the program was great. I received the world’s greatest mentor anyone could ever have and it made me think about the world in a deeper way. • It was a great experience. • It helped us by talking about different things about how to get into college. • When I first got into the program I did not know what it really was, although it was about getting into college.

20. Student Written Feedback • Question: What is your favorite activity? Or what is your least favorite activity? Explain why. • Health and Exercise • Real world Financial Management skills • Campus tour • My favorite activity was today in the cafeteria clowning around with everyone and being able to be my goofy self. • The activity that I liked was about being healthy and learning about nutrition. That made you think more about yourself. I enjoyed every minute of it. • My favorite activity was the aerobatics and assistant basketball coach’s presentation. • My favorite activity was healthy exercising with the assistant basketball coach and the banking man talking about finance management. • Most having fun and doing many activities with friends. • When visiting around the college and getting to meet new people and asking them what they like about GSW college.

21. Recommendations: High School Counselors’ Goals/Objectives • Identify and analyze the cultural landscape of the school • Develop approaches for working with diverse populations • Understand the need for sensitivity to student situations • Identify strategies to communicate with culturally diverse populations

22. School’s Cultural Landscape • Identify your school’s cultural landscape: not only ethnicity and non-English speaking students whom you’ve already identified, but students living in poverty, single-parent families and other markers, such as: • High poverty • ELL • Exceptional/Special Needs Students • First generation college students • Undocumented students • Homeless students • Migrant students

23. Strategies to Work with First-Generation Students • Reach out early • Extend the scope of your counsel • Conduct early aptitude assessments • Talk to them about career paths these might point to. • Encourage to fill out student self-assessment • Be honest about where they are in their education and what they should focus on. • Involve the family • Give special help with college search and selections • Give specific help with college applications • Give special help with financial aid applications and packages • Explain what college will be like. • Work with other organizations • Develop college awareness (Source: http://professionals.collegeboard.com)

24. College Access for Low Income and Minority Families • Promoting the importance of college • Not that parents don’t value, they are weighing in on other things….not that they are not aware or are not college materials. • Connecting to students’ needs and their experiences. • They don’t have any college experience. • Drawing a picture of vision • What college will do for their kids

25. GSW Near Peer 2013-14 EDUC 2120 Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Diversity was redesigned to include a component to focus on Near Peer Mentoring and Service Learning, with a possible range of 15-50 student enrollment each semester, to be a home base/pool of voluntary college coaches to deliver services to our target high school population--underrepresented junior and senior students enrolled at Americus/Sumter High School South. The course is offered in fall 2013 and spring 2014 and advertised through GSW RAIN to recruit students. The students who are currently enrolled in the EDUC 2120 course are pre-service teacher educators. *Review syllabus/course requirements https://www.livetext.com/

26. Near Peer Enrollment Fall 2013 High School students: 23 seniors Collage Coaches: 18 Counselors: 2 Education courses: EDMG 4050: Middle Grades Social Studies: Applications and Assessment & EDUC 2120 Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Diversity

27. Sample Activities - Fall 2013

28. Near Peer Enrollment Spring 2014 Education Course: EDUC 2120 Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Diversity

29. Sample Activities - Spring 2014

30. Organizing Principles that Reduce Roadblocks and Increase College Access High schools that have dramatically raised college acceptance and enrollmentrates incorporate the following organizing principles within their postsecondarypreparation programs: • Build a strong college-going culture in which all adults support students’postsecondary aspirations. • Adjust the college-going process to meet students’ needs.

31. Organizing Principles that Reduce Roadblocks and Increase College Access • Make a postsecondary plan an exit requirement for every student. • Establish a formal schedule of college and career labs, deadlines, and “signoffs”for completion of specific college preparation and career planningdocuments at every grade level for every student. • Encourage the counseling staff to develop postsecondary knowledge, skills, and expertise.

32. Organizing Principles that Reduce Roadblocks and Increase College Access • Provide every student with attentive, regular, and timely guidance, assistance,and support throughout the entire college-going process. • Provide continued support to students and families between high schoolgraduation and college enrollment.

37. Questions?

38. Thank you! GSW Near Peer Program Contact Information: Dr. Chuchu Wu: chu.wu@gsw.edu Dr. Queen Brown: queen.brown@gsw.edu

39. References • http://www.ahaprocess.come • http://www.Professionals.collegboard.com • https://secure.gacollege411.org/ • http://esrnational.org/esr/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/increasing-college-access-hi-res.pdf • http://professionals.collegeboard.com