College Student Retention through Scholarship, Engagement, and Assessment

1. College Student Retention through Scholarship, Engagement, and Assessment Presented by: Rosa Armendáriz  Los Medanos College Kica Gazmuri  California Tomorrow Laurie Marks  UW-Milwaukee A’kilah Moore  Los Medanos College

2. Framing the issue… Family socio-economic status can be a predictor of college student success. The next few slides show us…

3. Family income matters… • A 2005 study showed that: • for families whose household income falls below $25,000 the college graduation rate was 52.3%, • for students whose family income was $25,000-$49,999 the graduation rate was 62.1%, • for those with incomes was $50,000-$74,999 the rate was 73%. (Carroll & Chen, 2005)

4. As college campuses try and diversify their student body, issues of race and poverty are prevalent… • According to the US Census Bureau in 2007 the percentage of non-Hispanic Whites living in poverty was only 8.2%. • In contrast, the number of Blacks was 24.5%, the number of Asians was 10.2% and for Hispanics it was 21.5% (Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty07/pov07hi.html).

5. Financial aid and family contribution are an issue. • The real value of financial aid has dropped, as Pell Grants, for example have not increased at the same rate as tuition. • For White students, family contributions cover approximately 60% of a students educational costs. • 65% of white students report family income over $75K. • For Black and Hispanic students, family contributions the percentage drops to 33% and 43%, respectively. • 37% of Black students and 42% of Hispanic students report family income over $75K.

6. Student retention models for low-income and first generation students… • More non-assimulation models are needed. • Social justice, community service , service-learning, and student leadership programs can offer a new option for college student retention methods that focuses on the “citizen capital” that students bring to college rather than on the “cultural and social capital” they lack.

7. Campus Citizens: The Intersection of Civic Engagement, Financial Scholarship, and Student Retention. • A research study done to answer these questions: • What are the experiences of low-income students in community service scholarship programs? • In what ways, if any, do they perceive the program as helping them stay in school? • In what ways, if any, do such programs influence their perceived ongoing commitment to civic engagement?

8. Why do this research… • Student asset versus deficit. A non-assimulation model of student retention is needed. • Dual goal of fulfilling civic mission and retaining low-income students. • Donor interest in scholarships. • The election of President Barack Obama brings higher education to a place where they will likely be tangible changes in how civic engagement interacts with college access. In February 2009 he addressed Congress saying, “I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education.” (Barack Obama, Congressional speech, February 2009).

9. Methodology • Sort of a grounded theory study using critical social theory as a philosophical framework. • Literature review was from student retention, student development, effects of financial aid. • Interviewed 4 low-income students involved in a community service scholarship program and observed them at their community service sites. • 300 paid or unpaid community service hours = $1,000. • 1 year to complete the hours. • Program funded through a federal Americorps grant.

10. Findings…

11. Unique journey… • Students come from unique backgrounds, that may provide assets versus deficits to the student, community and campus. • For example, students with kids or students who moved around a lot. Okay, umm, as I was telling you before I was pregnant my sophomore year in high school. So actually after I graduated from high school I went to college in Green Bay for a semester. Only for a semester, I ended up; something happened where I couldn’t… they didn’t tell me that I had to be accepted into a program out there in order to get financial aid. So basically I had to pay the school back on my own it took me like a whole year and a half to pay them. Because I had my own apartment; I had so many frickin bills. So ummm… so I had to pay them off on my own, so I am here now. I guess what led up to that point was me just having a child; knowing that I couldn’t provide off of minimum wage for the rest of my life. And I knew I had to do something more (QN, personal interview, February 27, 2009).

12. Alone in the Village… • Gets right to the issues of cultural and social capital. Students felt very isolated. All the students I interviewed were connected almost exclusively to friends from family or high school, not newly made college friends. It kind of seems bad but nobody cares because you either sink or you swim. It’s like you’re here in a village and but you’re all by yourself. Like, when you are in high school like if you don’t do your homework somebody calls and they will check up on you if you miss class. But here you’re on your own and it’s up to you to do it if you want to. No one is going to force you (SG, personal interview, February 25, 2009).

13. Finding Community in the Community • Students who had trouble connecting to campus found community through service, arranged by campus. …as like Saturday Academy is getting closer and closer to the end, like I think it finishes like March 21, and then I will be finishing up with Patherfinders in May. Like I would still like to do it because as I see it coming to an end it’s like I am going to miss interacting with these people and miss being here, and getting to know people with different backgrounds and with their different problems and being able to help. So, even though like… I am assuming that and I am pretty sure of it that even when I am done with the scholarship program I will still want to do that. It’s just nice to be around and you just meet so many different people and you never know, like, connections you make or anything. (SG, personal interview, February 25, 2009).

14. Community service scholarship programs can connect students back to their community of origin and to campus and may therefore increase their commitment to graduation. Such programs should be an option for a non-assimulation model of student retention.

15. The Historical Moment of Unprecedented Demographic and Economic Changes in CA • Transition to being the first state without a single ethnic majority • Non-white groups are becoming the majority of the population in most urban areas • One-quarter of Californians are foreign-born • 40% speak a language other than English at home

16. Why Equity Matters • Increasing the access of low and middle-income children to high-quality education, particularly college education, would have a significant effect on overall economic mobility. • In the context of persistent and enduring economic, education, and social inequalities we must raise urgency for leadership focused on diversity, inclusion, and equity.

17. CA Community Colleges: The Key to Educating our Future Generations • The CA community college system is the largest, oldest and most diverse in the world with 110 colleges and 2.8 million students served each year, which is 64% of all undergraduates in the state • CA community colleges are the major gateway to higher education for low-income students, serving the highest proportion in the nation

18. CA Community Colleges: The Key to Educating our Future Generations • CA community colleges are made up of 65% students of color • 75% of all first-time students of color in CA start at community colleges • 25% of students are immigrants • 80% of student work, averaging 32 hours/week

19. CA Community Colleges: The Key to Educating our Future Generations • Today’s entering community college student’s are less prepared. Of incoming students, the percentage that are under-prepared for college level courses is: • 84% for math • Over 70% for English

20. Bringing Students to the Center • We must see our growing diversity as a strength and an opportunity to address issues of equity in education • In order to develop solutions that work, we need to listen to the needs and experiences of our students • Retention strategies must be nested in a deep understanding of the needs and experiences of students

21. Bringing Students to the Center I always wanted to go to college because I was going to be the first in my family to do it. I wanted to show my father and myself that I could do it – [and] show my father that he did a great job with all his hard work raising me. That was my original goal. So it's important. I'm not just doing this for me. I'm doing it for my whole family. Latina (Mexican) female immigrant student, 25, goal AA, child development

22. What We’re Doing to Successfully Address These Issues • Professional development (innovation in instruction and support services) and leadership (on equity) at campus and system levels. • Comprehensive campus change to improve outcomes—through instructional innovation, stronger support services, linkages and coordination, and etc.—in other words a strategy to move from promising practices and model programs to institutional practices and systems. • Individual and systemic advocacy in order to speak out for and act on behalf of students at the system, state and local level.

23. The CA Tomorrow Campus Change Network • Brings teams of campus leaders, from presidents to students, together to explore issues of equity and diversity on their campus • Supports teams to develop and implement plans for action • Provides opportunities to share best practices with each other and the larger field of higher education

24. Institutional leaders are more successful when… • Their diversity and equity work moves from the periphery to the center of strategic development efforts at all levels of their institutions; • They commit to respectful and rigorous inquiry of the systemic underpinnings of inequality; • They are willing to experiment and innovate--even make mistakes;

25. Institutional leaders are more successful when… • They understand that working across programmatic silos takes time and commitment to account for each others hopes and fears; • They commit resources to professional and organizational development; • Top leaders provide support needed to embed and sustain change efforts.

26. The journey at Los Medanos College in CCN • Spring 2007, LMC developed the Institutional Development for Equity and Access (IDEA), with the purpose of facilitating a coordinated and organized action to shift diversity, equity, and inclusion from the periphery of the college’s activities to the center on the institution’s mission, programs, and policies. • IDEA identified four initiatives: • Initiative I: Develop Latino/Chicano Student Based Programs • Initiative II: Develop African-American Student Based Programs • Initiative III: Develop Opportunities for Student Leadership • Initiative IV: Facilitate Institutional Dialogue, Assessment, Training and Planning

27. African-American Student Success initiative Institutional Accountability • Based on LMC Student Equity Plan and Ten-Year Educational Plan goals to close the equity and achievement gap for African-American students, especially males. Shared Responsibility • A team of across-section of campus constituent groups, including faculty from English, Math, Counseling, the Library, 2 students, and managers. Equity Mapping & Data Driven Planning • The team reviewed fall 2006 data on African-American student success including demographic information, units enrolled, math and English course enrollments, and persistence rates for first-time African-American students.

28. Umoja Scholars Summer Task Force The Umoja Scholars Summer Task Force was charged to: • Conduct data analysis; identify additional research needed and integrate student voice • Review and analyze LMC data • Review of best models for African-American student success/retention at various community colleges • Become knowledgeable about the “ingredients” that make programs successful • Recommend student support pilots for Spring 2008 and develop implementation timelines • Recommend long-term plan that includes programmatic elements, staffing, budget and structure

29. Who are these students Fall 2006: • 8,453 total students • 80% assess 2 years below college-level math and English • Growing 18-24 age students • 15% African American (Fall 2008: 17%) • 379 First Time Freshman (18-24, enrolled in 9 units or more) • 258 of these enrolled in English • 33 African American students – 1 in English 100 (College 1A) • 236 of these enrolled in Math • 29 African American students – the majority (10) in Pre-algebra

30. Task Force Recommendations • Summer Bridge Program • Mentor Program • Umoja Scholars Program Counseling Services • Early Registration • Financial Aid Support Services • Family Orientation • Tutoring Services • Student Support Group • Learning Communities

31. Goals • Support the success of underrepresented students, particularly African-American students. • Create an experience for underrepresented students, particularly African-American students that will increase their potential to persist until degree completion (increased retention, persistence and success) • Provide an environment where underrepresented students, particularly African-American students can gain a sense of empowerment and academic confidence that will enable them to attain their educational goals • Create an environment in which underrepresented students, particularly African-American students will feel safe - socially and intellectually • Set expectations with baseline data and a set core of benchmark measure.

32. Leadership & Sustainability • The emerging program became an affiliate of the Umoja Statewide Community • Hire an Umoja Scholars Program Coordinator in the fall of 2007 • Commit support

33. The LMC Umoja Scholars Program: Addressing Student Retention Through Engagement In & Outside the Classroom

34. Engagement through Community Building • Brother/Sister Keeper • Social Events • Cultural Events • Field trips • Guest Speakers

35. Engagement through Shared Pedagogy • Culturally relevant pedagogy in learning community courses • Cross-discipline assignments • Community based projects

36. Engagement through Support Services • Mandatory Tutoring • Summer Bridge Program • Ladder to Success Mentoring Program

37. Engagement through Building Bridges Instruction and student support working hand in hand to support students holistically. • In communication • Early intervention • Intrusive counseling

38. Engagement through Connections Joined the statewide initiative: The Umoja Community provides: • Support • Training (required and optional) • Opportunity to network and collaborate

39. Engagement through Maintaining Relationships • Community relationships – through mentor program • Feeder high schools - build relationships • Other programs on campus – Learning Community Committee, Athletics, etc.. • Induna Council – extension of Summer Task Force who continue to guide and support the program