New workshop focuses on student success

Focusing on student success is job one at Tidewater Community College. And this year, faculty, staff and administrators are invited to participate in A Focus on Student Success professional development workshop, to be held Sept. 10 and 11.

Sponsored by the department of Student Success and Enrollment Management and facilitated by Carl Wahlstrom, professor emeritus of Genesee Community College, the workshops includes sessions for all employees, as well as a special session for faculty and student services.

“This workshop will help to increase our collective awareness of the impact all of us have on student success; we must have an all hands on approach,” says Alice McAdory, vice president of Student Success and Enrollment Management.

Sessions run during the same times on both days as follows:

9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Individual and Institutional Responses to Student Success (All employees)

Today’s changing society is placing a demand on colleges to train and educate the workforce of tomorrow. At the same time, colleges are being scrutinized for less than stellar graduation rates and an acceptance by many students that being mediocre is good enough. This workshop will present an overview of the factors involved in student attrition and provide ways for both individual and institutional responses to promote retention in higher education.

11:30 a.m. – 12: 30 p.m. Retention: It’s Everyone’s Responsibility (All employees)

From the moment students arrive on campus, colleges need to do everything possible to integrate them into the experience of higher education. Frequently, the first people a student encounters when arriving on campus, are non-academic institutional support staff. The welcome and guidance provided by these individuals can serve as a positive introduction to the college and create a bond with the institution. Workshop participants will be provided with a variety of suggestions to help them in welcoming and working with new students.

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Helping Students Find Their Way (Faculty and student service personnel)

In higher education today, a great deal of learning and growth takes place outside of the classroom. Students are faced with a variety of new issues and concerns and can benefit from a helping hand in achieving their educational pursuits. This workshop provides a structured approach for higher education professional to help students become more fully integrated into the college experience, set goals and become more responsible for their own success.

Workshop participants can select sessions on either day. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided and parking will be validated for the MacArthur Center north garage. Please bring your parking ticket to the sessions you attend.