Last year, every member of the freshman class at Johnson C. Smith University was assigned a student success coach who served as a mentor to keep them on track academically. JCSU officials say the retention rate for last year’s freshman class was up by 3% over the previous year, and 47% of the freshmen who met with their coaches had GPAs of 3.0 or higher.
Angela White, dean of university college and student success, says the techniques the 10 university-employed coaches use are based on a proven model that focuses on a student’s strengths. She spoke with WFAE’s Gwendolyn Glenn about the program.
Dr. Angela White: We really focus on the assets the students already come in the university with instead of taking a deficit approach which is typically applied to students of color, particularly Black African American students. But we take a more strength-based approach so that we can help to develop the way that they navigate higher education systems and processes, even interactions with faculty members, staff members, and their peers across the university. And we also hope to cultivate a way that they engage in conversation with individuals with their instructor so that they can advocate for themselves.
Gwendolyn Glenn: About how many students per counselor do you have?
White: It varies. Some in terms of meeting with their students, they have a minimum goal to meet with their students three times a semester. The coaches who serve our student-athletes, they have upward of 120 students on their caseload. One of my coaches over in the College of STEM, she has roughly 25 to 30 students on her caseload.
Glenn: Well, let me ask you this: Is it up to the student whether or not they come and meet with the coaches, or how does that part of it work?
White: Depending on the need that the student may have, social-emotional needs that they may have, the frequency may be higher. So, for some of my coaches, they've met with some of the students on their caseload as many as seven times.
Glenn: When these coaches meet with students, what are some of the things they're focusing on with these students to get them to be excited about college, to get them to want to stay and continue their education?
White: Students come in, especially first-year students, unaware of the campus resources that are available, such as counseling, career services, where financial aid is, how to really navigate the FAFSA process and just registering for classes — really navigating some of the challenges that they may experience initially when they receive certain grades in their courses and being resilient in that process so that it does not completely defeat them. One of the common phrases that we hear is that ‘I never earned a ‘D’ before.' So for them, it can be the end of the world. And that's where the coach comes in to really talk them through some strategies that they can put in place to help them navigate this course successfully to the end of the semester, and particularly because on average about 25% of our students at the university are first-generation college students, they do not necessarily have a parent figure or guardian to tell them certain things that they should be aware of, but that's where the coach is able to really step in and function in that capacity.
Glenn: Now, what hours are these coaches available? Are they available after hours or is this a 9-to-5 kind of deal?
White: Essentially, they are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, my coaches who serve members of the band, they also attend band practice to help really build relationships with their students. Likewise, with the student-athletes, student-success coaches go to one practice a week, one game per month to demonstrate support.
Glenn: So you did that for the freshman class last year and you will do it for the freshman class this year. Will those who are sophomores still be included in this coaching?
White: They will, and the coaches do not only serve freshmen, but we give more dedicated attention to the freshmen. So those students who were a part of their caseload last year, as long as they remain within their assigned area, they will remain on their caseload. They just may not meet with them with the same level of frequency.
Glenn: We've talked about academics. What about some students don't do well because they feel like they don't fit in, or have dating problems? Is that something they deal with as well?
White: Yes, but they do not function as counselors, but they will talk through some things that will help the students to engage a bit better in those relationships. Also on the career side, they really take time to coach them through that career and professional development piece as well.
JCSU’s student success coaching is funded in part through the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative and the United Negro College Fund.
