Neat #HigherEd Retention Idea! - TRANSformations Kick Off Event for Transfer Student Success

TRANSformations for Transfer Student Success

University: University of South Carolina - Columbia

Department - Transfer and Special Student Population Services

Each semester, the University of South Carolina - Columbia sponsors an event titled, "TRANSformations" for their incoming transfer students. During their kickoff event, the office provides the following activities for their students:

- A review of the entire semester (fall, spring)

- A "Pin It" activity for transfer students to pin the location of the university/college from which they transferred to a large map of South Carolina and the United States.

- "Transfer Student Bingo" Team Builder

-  Transfer Student Panel

-  Overview of services available for transfer students.

In the future, the university might offer a "t-shirt swap" and "transfer mentors".

Neat ideas! 

My thoughts...

This program sounds spectacular! I would probably invite the library and other academic support services to present during the event as well. In addition, if we implemented a similar academic program at our university, I would probably suggest monthly workshops for students during their transfer semester (with food of course)!

Overall, neat program!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Student Success Resource - E-Source for College Transitions (Student Success)

I am pleased that this publication has been available for almost all of the years I have served in higher education. Each time it is published, I enjoy reading the E-Source for College Transitions to gain new ideas and insight for our changing student populations. Here's the link to the publication - http://tech.sa.sc.edu/fye/esource/files/ES_11-1_Oct13 .pdf

This issue's articles focus on the following...

• using the Student Strengths Inventory to predict academic success and retention from Concordia University-Wisconsin,

 

• combining tradition with skills for the 21st century in a two-semester program that teaches public speaking and information technology at the University of Vermont,

 

• creating learning communities for undeclared majors at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and high-achieving scholars at the University of South Carolina,

 

• expanding a peer-facilitation program beyond the fall term at Queens University of Charlotte, and

 

• examining “how and how much” schools across the country assess first-year seminars.

**According to Larry Wood - Editor of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition

Enjoy! Which article was helpful for you?

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Neat #HigherEd Retention Program - "Out-to-Lunch" Program for Faculty/Staff

The "Out-to-Lunch" Program to Promote Faculty/Student Interactions Outside of the Classroom

University - University of South Carolina

Department - Student Success Center

The University of South Carolina Student Success Center offers an innovative way for students to connect with their faculty members. Through the "Out-to-Lunch" program, a student can pick up a ticket from the university's student success office and take their faculty member to lunch for free.

The student pays for their own lunch with their meal plan, cash, etc.

My thoughts...

I think this is an innovative program to promote faculty/student interaction, but if we implemented a similar program at my institution, we would probably seek innovative ways to pay for the student's meal (or provide a discount or incentive).

Overall, neat program!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Audiostretch for "Slowing Down" Interviews - Great for Qualitative Researchers

As a qualitative researcher, I am always on the lookout for neat (and free) tools to help me when I research. Today, I discovered Audiostretch. This is a great resource (flash-based, no download needed) researchers can use when transcribing interviews.

This tool was discovered through a listserv from (Mari Megias @ Harvard University)

Enjoy!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Academic Affairs + Student Affairs = Student Success (My Presentation at the @TACUSPA Conference)

Last week, I presented at the Texas Association of College and University Personnel Administrators conference in Houston, TX. I always have a great time connecting with my colleagues in student services across the state.

This time, I presented on connection strategies between two different areas of colleges and universities: "Academic Affairs + Student Services = Student Success". This is actually my new research area and I am excited for the next phase of my research to emerge.

Here are a few slides from the presentation...

If you would like the entire presentation, please contact me via e-mail or Twitter.

The participants had a fair amount of contributions and I arrived back to my Texas campus with a wealth of ideas to foster connections between student affairs and academic affairs on my own campus.

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Connecting with Students via Facebook Groups - How Do YOU Do It?

Readers,

I enjoy connecting with students through social media (especially Facebook)! So, I tried a Facebook group for the FIRST time last spring and we definitely connected! The students asked questions about the course AND about life in general!

Connecting with Students
This was great for me, because I had a chance to connect with students and still complete my administrative duties each day. Most of my connections involved walking across campus and sending messages to the students via my iPhone.

Great for Time Management
Instead of sending e-mails via Exchange or Outlook to me, we actually decided to connect via our course Facebook group. This provided me with an instant notification AND I responded in a timely manner!

Intragroup Communication
Also, the students responded to one another's questions without me having to intervene. This was the most amazing part of the semester-long process, because they were able to become content generators.

I will definitely try this again!

Any questions?

Sincerely,

Millennial Professor

Educause Video - Pathways to Student Success

Readers,

I hope everyone is having a great week! I am excited whenever I discover articles and especially videos about academic success at the college level! I am excited about the academic success of undergraduate students! 

This is a neat video titled "Richard Calatta: Pathways to Student Success" presented by Richard Calatta, Deputy Director of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education (Presented by Educause). 


Richard Culatta: Pathways to Student Success from EDUCAUSE on Vimeo.


Sincerely, 

J. Edwards - Millennial Professor
http://www.facebook.com/millennialprofessor/ - millennialprofessor@gmail.com -  @DrSocialMediaTX 
Also - Check out millennialprofessormommy.com