Strengthening Student Pathways:Integrated Advising

Drives Increased Success

Presented at Connections 2015 ConferenceMay 15, 2015 | Orlando, FL

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Miami Dade College:A Brief Overview

The challenges of a large, urban and diverse institution• 67K degree seeking students

– ~90% ethnic minorities– ~67% low income– ~70% students employed

• Historically, more than half placed into at least one level of developmental education

• Recent completion rates ranging from 13-39%, depending on initial placement

• ~ 66K employees, including 700 full-time faculty• 7 campuses and 3 centers

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Aggressive College-Wide GoalsImprove Progression and Completion

–Increased enrollment via targeted information and support in high school–Increased progression and persistence via orientations, advisement, guided academic pathways, co-curricular support–Increased completions and success via coaching/mentoring and communities of interest

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MDC Shark Path: The Strategy for Increasing Progression and Completion

Pre-College Advising First Year Advising Coaching &

MentoringEmbedded academic pathways,

co-curricular activities and communities of interest

Pre- College Advising: Getting off to the Right Start

• Pro-active outreach and case management– Connecting HS career academies to MDC programs for

college credit– Targeted reminders about residency and financial aid

verification, unmet registration requirements– Shark Academy summer enrichment program– Scholarship opportunities

• Relevant on-campus events and workshops– Financial aid – Program of study choices– Career exploration

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Pre- College Advising

• >60% of Miami Dade County Public High Schools have an assigned Pre-College Advisor – On-site advising at 46 high schools

• Applications and enrollment for FTIC-DE students up 19% and 10% in fall 2014

• 58% enrollment rate at PCA high schools compared to 53% overall and conversion to enrollment

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Pre-College and First Year Advising Support Each OtherPerformance Benchmarks

Percentage increase since implementation

Fall Registration Deadline

8/25/2014 8/26/2013 08/27/2012

FTIC-DE students 2014-1 2013-1 2012-1

# Applied 18.6% 17,504 16,561 14,759

# Enrolled 9.9% 9,384 8,991 8,531

# Credits Enrolled 13.4% 118,076 111,978 104,130

Average # Credits/Student

1.6% 12.6 12.4 12.2

First Year Advising:Becoming Connected and Engaged

• Prior to campus orientation, complete– Non-cognitive assessment– Career assessment and exploration tools– On line curriculum and get access to information/resource archive

• At mandatory Shark Start campus orientation– Meet assigned advisor– Discuss course selection and placement recommendations with advisors

and academic departments– Register for first semester

• During mandatory first semester advising – Review results of assessments – Identify appropriate resources and supports– Confirm program of study and transfer institution choices

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Students are Choosing Programs of Study Earlier

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% FTIC- DEstudents

with Program of Study

by end of first semester

• During mandatory first semester advising, students also complete individualized academic maps (MAPs)– Course scope/sequence guides created by disciplines

representing ~80% enrollment now in place– New FYE course required for all AA students

• As a result,– >90% FTIC-DE students have MAP– Enrollment in “first” program of study courses up across the

board– Enrollment in college-level math and English in first year up

significantly—both initially and sequentially

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First Year Advising

• Structured interactions between first year advisors and academic disciplines– Course scope and sequence requirements and

recommendations– Ongoing information flow/working relationships

• Coach/mentors complete intensive training – Developed and delivered collaboratively by faculty and

advisement directors– Includes hand-on shadowing with Student Services

advisors– Ongoing peer “buddy” relationship/support

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Advising and Coaching & MentoringSupport Each Other

Coaching & Mentoring: Persisting and Progressing

• Students transition to discipline-specific coach/mentors after completing 25% college-level requirements– 12,500 transitioned to date

• Coach/mentors provide targeted academic and support resources– Progress monitoring and intervention in program of study– Internship and community engagement opportunities– Transfer advice – Career guidance

• 300+ coach/mentors across wide range of academic areas– 2/3 are volunteer faculty, representing ~30% total full time

faculty

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Communities of Interest:The Glue for Shark Path

• Clusters of students with common interests and goals• Structured, intentional and meaningful experiences– Academic (peer tutoring)– Co-curricular (career workshops, civic engagement,

internships)– Social (clubs and themed events)

• Embedded in and wrap-around student’s experience through Shark Path– Implemented initially in Allied Health– Rolling out to Business and Criminal Justice communities

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Integration of Academic and Student Affairs throughout SharkPath is vital to the success of students.

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