I OWA S TATE U NIVERSITY

1. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY The Sky is the Limit: A Learning Community for Undeclared Students -- A Sustainable Investment in Student Success and Retention Dr. Stacey Barnes Lead Coordinator of The Sky is the Limit Learning Community

2. At Iowa State University undeclared students have a lower one-year retention rate compared to the university average In 2015 we introduced The Sky is the Limit Learning Community for undeclared students • Increased the retention of: • Academically low performing students • Underrepresented minorities • Increased the students’ confidence levels relating to major and career selection IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

3. Why did we think that a learning community was the best option to increase undeclared student retention? • Positive impacts on retention rates, graduation rates, and/or student success • Iowa State University has offered learning communities since 1995 • One-year retention rate for LC students is 89% (7.2% higher than non-LC students) • Six-year graduation rate 75% (11% higher than non-LC students) IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

4. Undeclared students have two options during summer orientation The Sky is the Limit A small learning community 40 students W 3:10-5:00pm Seminar Course Large lecture hall 300 students T or TH 8:00-9:20 Students choose the section that best suits their interests Section 4 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 5 IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

5. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

6. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

7. 3. The Sky is the Limit – What are our goals? • Improve retention rates for undeclared students • Increase the students’ confidence levels relating to major and career selection IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

8. 3. The Sky is the Limit - Programming • Improve retention rates for undeclared students Team building activities: scavenger hunts, team quizzes, group discussions • Increase the students’ confidence levels relating to major and career selection Small group meetings with undergraduates in majors of interest Career fair preparation and attendance Guest speakers On and off campus tours IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

9. 3. The Sky is the Limit – Assessment One-year retention data fall 2015 One-year retention data fall 2016 One-year retention data fall 2017 Fall 2015 The Sky is the Limit & Seminar Course Fall 2016 The Sky is the Limit & Seminar Course Fall 2017 The Sky is the Limit & Seminar Course Fall 2018 The Sky is the Limit & Seminar Course Pre and post student surveys Pre and post student surveys Pre and post student surveys Pre and post student surveys IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

10. Academically low performing students are more likely to pass The Sky is the Limit The Role of First-Semester GPA in Predicting Graduation Rates of Underrepresented Students (Gershenfeld et al. 2016 Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice) - Students who achieved a 2.33 or less were twice as likely to not graduate within 6 years than students who achieved a 3.68-4.00 High performing Low performing IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

11. Retention assessment for low performing students Logistic Regression Analysis – allows for the consideration of multiple factors IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

12. Assessment for low performing students Logistic Regression Analysis IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

13. Logistic Regression Conclusions • Male undeclared low performing students have approximately 2-fold higher odds of returning after one year as compared to female undeclared students • Every midterm grade reduces a students odds of returning by a third • Low performing students who participate in The Sky is the Limit Learning Community have 2.5-fold higher odds of returning after one year as compared to seminar course participants Interpretation: For every ten students retained by The Sky is the Limit, only four would have been retained had they enrolled in the seminar course Actual data: The Sky is the Limit has retained 11 low performing students IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

14. The Sky is the Limit increases the retention rates for Underrepresented Minorities P value = 0.06

15. 3. The Sky is the Limit – Goals • Improve retention rates for undeclared students • Increase the students’ confidence levels relating to majors and careers Change majors if you did not like your first choice No confidence Very little confidence Moderate confidence Much confidence Complete confidence IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

16. The Sky is the Limit is financial sustainable LeadCoordinator Instructor Instructor Instructor Instructor Instructor Section 4 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 5 Peer mentors Peer mentors Peer mentors Peer mentors Peer mentors Simplified financial model $4000/instructor + $12,000/lead coordinator + $10,000 peer mentors = $42,000 Gain of 11 students over 3 years for one extra year = $88,000 ( $29,300/year) Operating at 62.5% capacity, full capacity estimate = 18 students, $144,000 ( $48,000/year) IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

17. Summary • Learning communities improve student retention, graduation and academic success The Sky is the Limit • The Sky is the Limit increases the retention of low performing students and underrepresented minorities • Enhances the students’ confidence in major and career selection • The financial commitment to provide a learning community is offset by increasing student retention IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

18. Acknowledgements Research Team: Clark Coffman Jenifer Saldanha Jo Anne Powell-Coffman Andrew Sage Yan Wang Ulrike Genschel Mekayla Schroeder Craig Ogilvie Instructional Team: Autumn Cartagena Corinna Most Kiegan Rice Kellie McClernon Liz Rullestad PEER MENTORS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY