Beyond Orientation Week: Reconnecting Students at

Critical Success Points

34th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience

Presentation Overview • Institutional profile • Purpose and goals of Reconnect Program • Program design • Lessons learned • Questions and discussion

Missouri University of Science & Technology

• Founded in 1870 as the Missouri School of Mines • Became part of the University of Missouri System in 1964 • In 2008 University of Missouri-Rolla became Missouri S&T • Located along the I-44 corridor, 100 miles west of St. Louis

Campus Demographics 38

49

4089

4120

4313

4515

4753

4912

5205

5504

5672

5843

6146

6522

1391

1370

1287

1289

1343

1414

1459

1610

1702

1850

1804

1984

2120

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Graduate Students Undergraduate Students

2002-2014 Missouri S&T Enrollment Trends

Campus Demographics Fall Semester 2014 First Time Freshmen

Enrollment: 1291 Average ACT: 28.4

Average HS GPA: 3.85 Gender: 23% Female, 77% Male

Engineering & Computing Majors: 82% of undergraduate population

Retention Rates 1st-2nd year (FS2013): 86% • up 3% from previous year 2nd-3rd year (FS2012): 73%

Retention Challenges Missouri S&T surveys students not planning to return to the university after their first year. Of those students surveyed, here are the top reasons for not returning: • Academic (challenging curriculum, low grades, lost scholarship, falling

behind, repairing GPA) • Financial aid/price (lack of financial aid, cheaper at community college) • Closer to home (family) • Connection and Atmosphere (didn’t connect with people, socially awkward

campus, small town, nothing to do) • Problems with faculty (lack of help, communication) • Unprepared (wasn’t ready, lack of confidence) • Lack of majors outside of engineering

University’s Strategic Plan

Achieve Sustainable Growth To Ensure Best Return On Investment

• Undergraduate student enrollment (Fall Semester 2012

Baseline: 5,843; Fall Semester 2020 Target: 6,343)

• First-to-second year undergraduate student retention rate (2012 Baseline: 85%, 2020 Target: 88%)

Reconnection Program • Grounded in Astin’s (1984) Theory of Involvement, Tinto’s

(1993) Integration Framework, and Pearson’s (1986) Social Support Model

• Intended to supplement existing first year programs – Comprehensive Opening Week orientation program – Two year on-campus residency requirement – Campus lacks a common freshman curriculum – Retention data suggested a need for extended orientation

programs

• Aims to “Reconnect” students with resources introduced during Opening Week – “Just in time” learning (Marquardt, 2011)

Reconnection Program

• Pilot program – New Student Programs – Undergraduate Studies – Undergraduate Advising – Residential Life – Student Diversity, Outreach, and Women’s

Programs

Reconnection Program

• Reconnection I – Scheduled during the fourth week of classes

• Shortly after first exams to address academic resources • Two hour program

– Meetings with Opening Week mentors • Small group facilitated discussions • Campus resources, time management, “checking in” with

students

– Students moved to a large group session featuring • Goal setting activity • Faculty and student success panels • “I Commit” Pledge

Reconnection Program

• Reconnection I

Reconnection Program • Reconnection II

– Scheduled near midterms • Address campus involvement and connections to the S&T

community • Key offices/departments participate in the Resource Fair

– “Conference Style” programming format • Students select two sessions (20 minutes each) • Career Center, stress management, faculty advice, student

involvement panels, financial assistance, information to help them move forward to the next semester

Reconnection Program • Communication & Outreach

– Student Success Programs – Greek Life – Residential Life – Parent & Family Programs – Athletics – Faculty – Student Life

Reconnection Program • Involvement of student mentors

– Opening Week mentors

• Support from other student mentors – Greek Life – Residential Life – Athletics – Student Diversity, Outreach, and Women’s Programs

Outcomes

3.2 3.3 3.4

3 3.066 2.98 2.81 2.79

2.95 2.967 3.15 3.05 3.16

3.04 3.078

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Reconnection I Reconnection II Reconnection I & II Did not attend Overall Average GPA

Average GPA of students who participated in Reconnection (First Time College)

Average GPA FS2012 Average GPA FS2013 Average GPA FS2014

Outcomes

96.4%

97.7% 98.1%

92.0%

92.9%

99.0%

97.3%

98.6%

95.5%

96.6%

98.0%

99.0% 99.0%

97.7%

94.0%

88.0%

90.0%

92.0%

94.0%

96.0%

98.0%

100.0%

Reconnection 1 Reconnection 2 Both Did not attend Overall Total

FTC First Semester to Second Semester Return Rate

2012

2013

2014*

*2014 data is not confirmed until 4th week. FTC Frist Semester to Second Semester Return Rate Total FTC FS2014 N=1291; Total FTC returning SP2015 N=1216 Total FTC FS2013 N=1263; Total FTC returning SP2014 N=1221 Total FTC FS2012 N=1119; Total FTC returning SP2013 N=1040

Outcomes

67% 60%

0%

66%

92%

82%

66%

76% 68%

88%

72%

93% 91%

77% 70% 71%

89%

60%

83% 85%

66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Learned somethingthat will help me

be moreacademically

successful

Small groupactivities w/mentor were

helpful

I enjoyedconnecting againwith my mentor

group

Large groupactivities (goalsetting, panels)

were helpful

Information wasclear and easy to

understand

I know how toapply what I

learned to mysituation

This event met myexpectations

RECONNECTION 1 - Student Success Secrets 2012, 2013, & 2014 comparison

2012 N=242; 2013 N= 366; 2014 N=455 Most Helpful or Helpful

2012

2013

2014

Outcomes

87%

97% 97% 96%

89%

100% 98%

82%

100% 97% 95%

91% 89% 94% 95%

63%

84%

97%

89% 90%

82%

96% 94%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

AcademicResource Fair(n=39/38/73)

StudentFinancial Aid

Break-outSession

(n=30/12/50)

Registrar Break-out Session

(n=36/34/73)

CareerOpportunities

Break-outSession

(n=56/21/73)

Counseling andDisability

Support Break-out Session

(n=27/11/30)

InformationTechnologybreak-out

Session(n=0/18/44)

Faculty PanelBreak-out

Session (n=47/35/47)

Student PanelBreak-out

Session(n=47/20/64)

2014 RECONNECTION 2 - Tools for Moving Forward Most Helpful or Helpful

2012

2013

2014

Where We Are Today

• Continue to reassess and evaluate the Reconnection program for improvement

• Creation of a Student Success Center

• Targeted “At Risk” student population

• Piloted a “Sophomore Summit” in Fall 2014

Lessons Learned

• Student involvement lends credibility to the program

• “Just in time learning” is crucial

• Embrace opportunities to normalize common freshman transition issues

• Programming must support a culture of student success

References Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Marquardt, M. J. (2011). Building the learning organization: Achieving strategic advantage through a commitment to learning (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Pearson, J. E. (1986). The definition and measurement of social support. Journal of Counseling and Development, 64, 390-395. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. Tinto, V. (2012). Completing college: Rethinking institutional action. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Questions?

Patty Frisbee Student Success Programs

pfrisbee@mst.edu

Rachel Morris Office of Undergraduate Studies

rachelm@mst.edu

Kristi Schulte Department of Residential Life

schultek@mst.edu