USING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT THE PRE K-16 PIPELINE: THE PERSPECTIVE OF MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA

1. USING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT THE PRE K-16 PIPELINE:THE PERSPECTIVE OF MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA Natalie Dawe MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA member for the College Advising Corps

2. Background • Mission of AmeriCorps*VISTA: Alleviate poverty • Role of MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs: • Community service and service-learning specialists on college campuses • Working group of 11 MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs met in January 2011 to discuss our education, access, and success programs • Product of the working group: Guide on the Pre K-16 Pipeline

3. Goals • Give examples of how to put civic engagement into practice for access and success initiatives • Describe challenges MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs have seen in their programs • Share lessons learned and best practices

4. What did it take for you to go to college and to finish your degree?

5. Defining Key Terms • Access typically defined as enrollment • Success typically defined as educational achievement and degree attainment • These terms limit our discussion • I propose we use PREPARATION, PURSUIT, & PERSISTENCE

6. Defining Key Terms • PREPARATION: • Academic, emotional, & financial preparation • PURSUIT: • College knowledge, completing the college application, understanding how to finance college, choosing a college, enrolling in and transitioning to college, & starting the semester • PERSISTENCE: • Accessing the support needed in order to succeed in college (academic, financial, emotional, leadership support), fall-to-fall reenrollment, financial literacy, & degree completion

7. The Pre K-16 Pipeline Common Interest Communities, BHCC 13th thru adulthood ACES, Lasell College 5th and 6th Leadership Development & Civic Engagement Certificates BFIT 13th thru adulthood | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Let’s Get Ready, Stonehill College 9th thru 12th College Bound, Gordon College K thru 2nd College Bound, Gordon College 3rd thru 5th College Bound, Gordon College 6th thru 8th College Advising Corps, MACC 9th thru 12th MAPP, Middlesex CC 13th thru adulthood Student Bridges, UMass Amherst 5th thru 8th SPARK the Truth, Wheelock 9th thru 12th Student Bridges, UMass Amherst 13th thru 16th Life Skills, BHCC 6th Public Policy Institute, North Shore CC 7th thru 12th Key Preparation Pursuit Persistence Community Scholarships, Boston University Adulthood Student Bridges-COCA, UMass Amherst Middle school thru 12th

8. Snapshot of 3 Ps Programs • Preparation: SPARK the Truth, Wheelock College • Pursuit: ACES, Lasell College • Persistence: Leadership Development & Civic Engagement Certificates, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology • All 3 Ps: Student Bridges, UMass Amherst Leadership Development & Civic Engagement Certificates BFIT ACES, Lasell College SPARK the Truth, Wheelock | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Student Bridges Student Bridges Student Bridges-COCA

9. Civic Engagement as a Method • Method to help others with the 3 Ps • Boston University, Bunker Hill CC (LifeSkills), College Advising Corps, Gordon, Lasell, Stonehill, UMass Amherst • Method to help yourself with the 3 Ps • BFIT, Bunker Hill CC (Learning Communities), Middlesex CC, North Shore CC, Wheelock, UMass Amherst • Target: Youth, K-12 teachers, parents, community members • Curricular vs. extracurricular • Desired Outcomes

10. Starting a Civic Engagement and 3 Ps Program • Developed through an existing partnership • Lasell and Boston Renaissance Charter Public School • Initiated by higher ed institution • Boston University, Bunker Hill CC • Initiated by a community-based organization • Let’s Get Ready (Stonehill), Lynn Housing Authority (Gordon) • Initiated by students • UMass Amherst, Wheelock • **Build a network of allies**

11. Utilizing Higher Ed Resources • Students • Faculty • Higher ed staff and departments • Senior leadership, admissions, financial aid, academic services, and student affairs • Physical resources • Space, scholarships, assistance with books

12. Partnerships: Who & How to Make Them Work • Schools, housing authorities, community/youth centers, community-based organizations • 1) Clear expectations for all partners • 2) Reciprocity: Each partner benefits • 3) Communication

13. Challenges • Recruiting college volunteers • Retaining college volunteers • Youth-led organizations • Only one person supporting the program • Assessment and evaluation • Funding

14. Lessons Learned & Best Practices • Engage with all the pieces of civic engagement • College Advising Corps, Bunker Hill CC, UMass Amherst • Communication between partners • Service has rich content • Community-based federal work-study • Clear and uniform objectives when have multiple sites and stakeholders • Student voice • Find allies across the campus

15. Impact and Outcomes • 146 K-12 students tutored and mentored • Gordon College, UMass Amherst, Bunker Hill CC • 1045 K-12 students who visited a college campus • UMass Amherst, Lasell College, College Advising Corps • 1250 high school students who received help with the college application process • Stonehill College, College Advising Corps • 168 college students participating in civic engagement programs focused on their persistence • UMass Amherst, Bunker Hill CC, Middlesex CC, BFIT

16. Questions? • Natalie Dawe, MACC*AmeriCorps VISTA natalie.dawe@mass-advisingcorps.org • Thank you