Talking Stick - July/August 2017 - 66

CONVERSATIONS

or populations that may be initially
viewed differently by employers: students who identify as LGBTQQIA+,
international students, first-generation
students, or students with disabilities.
Our counselors need to be equipped
with the skills to connect with and
support these students without it
appearing that these students have a
deficit. We also have several transition
programs to support students who
may not be as academically prepared
and thus have to successfully complete
summer courses. Another example is
students who are part of our Bridge to
Clemson program, who complete one
year at a local community college.

TS: What at-risk populations
are currently enrolled at your
institution, and how have those
populations changed in terms of
demographics, parental structure,
academic preparation, etc.?
Cawthon: We focus much on underserved and at-risk students, and many
of our retention efforts are targeted
toward students who are not persisting
or being retained; attention is particularly paid to first-generation students,
Pell Grant-eligible students, out-ofstate students, and students of color.
We get many academically prepared
students, but many still need assistance transitioning from high school
to college course work.

Satterfield: We focus on Pell-eligible,
first-generation, and foster care
students. Missouri State has made a
commitment to enhancing diversity
and inclusion: not just in terms of status as defined by race, gender, sexual
orientation, and religion, but also by
socioeconomic status. As supported by
the 2016-21 long-range plan, Missouri
State has committed to enhancing the
undergraduate graduation rate for Pelleligible, first-generation, and underrepresented students by 20 percent.

talking stiCk

Stuart: We focus a lot on the academic

Cawthon: Numerous departments

rigor of the high school curriculum
and parental educational attainment.
We know that even if we fund an atrisk student at levels that remove the
financial barriers, he/she will crash
and burn due to Furman's academic
expectations. As we enroll more students from the underserved areas of
South Carolina, our at-risk population
is evolving into students whose parents have no insight into college, and
the students would never have seen
Furman as a viable option.

provide resources to at-risk students,
from university housing and dining to
student transition and family programs. It is a campus-wide approach
of student affairs partnering with
academic affairs in order to create a
seamless learning environment for
students.

Sturm: At the institutional level, we
also track Pell recipients and first-generation students, as well as others. The
Educational Advisory Board (EAB)/
Pathfinder, an interactive advising tool,
is used to better serve and interact with
today's student while monitoring their
needs and referring them to resources
and services when necessary. The
application process is one thing, but
the enrollment deposit and orientation
process is even more foreign to these
students.

Walker: One area where we see
changes is with our international
students. We have to ensure that programs and services across the institution support these students so they
feel they belong and can achieve their
definition of success. We also want to
better serve the increasing number of
students who need to earn a significant amount of money while enrolled
in classes. Our department has found
ways to convert federal work/study
positions into paid on-campus internships so students don't have to choose
between a job and an unpaid internship. We are trying to remove barriers
as much as possible.
Talking Stick: Who do you reach
out to, or which departments do
you reach out to, on campus once
the at-risk students have been
identified?

Sturm: The University of South Carolina and the surrounding community
provide many resources - from the
student health center and the counseling center to the student conduct office
and the ombudsman - to our resident
students who may require additional
support while adjusting to college.
Walker: We have relationships with
colleagues in several areas, including
our counseling center and student
veterans' office. What we are able to
accomplish and do is all because of
relationships.
TS: What tools or resources do you
put into your rA training or give to
your professional staff to support
students at-risk?
Cawthon: University housing implements a Residential Curriculum Model
that creates an intentional residential
experience stressing learning both in
and out of the classroom. Like many
campuses, we have a Behavioral
Intervention Team, but other campus
programs include Connections (an initiative to assist first-year students who
identify as a student of color, including
a first-year seminar, social activities,
and a living-learning community);
a FIRST-Rate Experience (an initiative designed to ensure the success of
first-generation students, both new
first-year and transfer students, which
includes academic support, social activities, and mentoring resources); Early
Success Program (ESP), a conditional
admissions program designed to assist

Talking Stick - July/August 2017

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