By Kenney Kost/reporter
In an effort to help retain first-time-in-college students, TCC has hired 14 success coaches to help these students through any difficulties that may arise up to and through their first semester.
The goal behind the program is to help create a college-going culture for new students, associate vice chancellor of student success Kim Beatty said.
“We know students struggle in their first year,” Beatty said. “This program is in place to make sure these students don’t disappear from our campuses because they simply weren’t sure of what to do next.”
To ensure this, the success coaches will assist students through the entire process of admissions, financial aid, testing and registration processes, NE counseling director Condoa Parrent said. The coaches will also follow up with these students as the semester begins to make sure they are not experiencing any problems.
Another way coaches help is by making sure the student knows how to properly navigate the campus and find appropriate resources, said SE success coach Edward Hicks.
“We help them find applicable resources such as campus departments, events and student organizations,” Hicks said. “Among the events that we may refer students to are workshops created and supplied by the success coaches geared toward student success with topics such as time management, study skills, life balancing and many others.”
Success coaches also follow up with students throughout the semester to make sure they haven’t run into issues and to make sure students remember the coaches are there for them even after the semester begins, said TR success coach Christina Hampton. One of the ways this is done is through campus email.
“It lets students know some of the things that they should accomplish during their first semester, such as meeting with their academic advisor,” Hampton said. “We work hard to help our students get plugged into their campus.”
Helping students find a major early is another way the coaches assist first-time-in-college students, said NE success coach Theresa Flores.
“Identifying a major early on helps students in a number of ways,” Flores said. “It allows us to get them in contact with proper departments and either an academic advisor or a career and technical advisor. If they don’t have an idea of what they want to do, we encourage them to use MyPlan.”
MyPlan is an online program that can assist students in finding their interests and selecting a career path, she said.
Parrent said the program’s main goal is simply to remove the fear associated with entering a college campus for the first time.
“College can be a scary and confusing place for first-time-to-college students,” she said. “Having someone who will walk the student through the entire process from applying on through the first semester can help to remove some of that fear and confusion.”
The program seems to be on the right track, Hicks said.
“The students who have followed up have been amazingly gracious,” he said. “We are here to answer questions both simple and complicated, and we have been able to do that for many of our students. Honestly, all students really need is a person to which they can ask ‘What’s next?’”
