Dreaming Big. Making it Happen! Blugold Beginnings University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

Presenter: Jodi Thesing-Ritter Associate Dean of Students University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Description: UW Eau Claire began the process of developing a comprehensive college access program four years ago. Blugold Beginnings now serves over 2,500 students using over 175 college student mentors. The presentation will focus on the lessons learned in the process and the importance of using evidence based practices for program development and delivery. Building an Evidence Based College Access Program from Scratch

What is Blugold Beginnings? The purpose of the Blugold Beginnings program is to educate and inspire underrepresented students to believe that higher education is important and possible for them.

Blugold Beginning Goals: To build relationships with youth, their parents, and the community that fosters a college going community for all. To increase academic behaviors and skills for 5th-12th grade students, especially underrepresented populations, as well as increase college knowledge of staff, parents and students.

How We Started  Spring of 2009  10 Mentors for high school students (UW-Eau Claire funding)  15 Mentors for middle school students (COBE Grant)  0 Mentors for elementary students  Spring of 2010  32 Mentors for high school students (UW-Eau Claire funding)  25 Mentors for middle school students (COBE Grant)  30 Mentors for elementary school students (College Access Challenge Grant)  Fall 2010  50 Mentors for high school students (AmeriCorps Grant & UWEC )  50 Mentors for middle school students (GAP Grant and AmeriCorps)  50 Mentors for elementary school students (Service Learning & CACG)  23 Learning Community First Year Students (Growth Agenda Grant)

BB Mentors 09’ to10’

Mentors

Dreaming BIG !

Organization Chart

Program Objectives  Identify and provide solutions for existing gaps in college access services.  Raise awareness of the success and struggles with college access within the community in regards to policy makers, business leaders and educators.  Improve access to higher education by developing comfort with the physical campus, the knowledge to access college information and with the support of the mentor relationship.  Give our elementary, middle and high school students the skills to be self advocates and demand challenging classes and a meaningful education.  Increase retention on campus by providing meaningful employment, connections to peers and a sense of community

High School Services  One-on-one mentoring, tutoring and higher education discussions and explorations of options.  Summer Camp  Monthly events hosted on campus with mentors  College Coach office within the school  Supporting a “college going culture” throughout the school, administrators, teachers, staff and students.

Middle School Services  One-on-one mentoring, tutoring and higher education discussions and explorations of options.  Summer Camp  Campus visits throughout the year  College Coach office within the school  Supporting a “college going culture” throughout the school, administrators, teachers, staff and students.

Among middle school students in the program (N = 113), students reported higher levels of 1 They had someone they could talk to about college (M=5.98, SD=1.81) to the midyear survey (M=6.59, SD=1.05), t(112)=-3.54 p=.001; 3 Their self- reported level of comfort talking about college from the first survey (M=6.13, SD=1.56) to the midyear survey (M=6.52, SD=0.93), t(112)=-3.03 p=.003; 4 That they can be can be successful in college from the first survey (M=5.74, SD=1.35) to the midyear survey (M=6.12, SD=1.25), t(112)=-2.88 p=.005; 5 That they can afford an education after high school from the first survey (M=5.16, SD=1.88) to the midyear survey (M=5.77, SD=1.64), t(112)=-3.39 p=.001; and 6 That they know what they need to do to get into a post-secondary program from the first survey (M=5.80, SD=1.63) to the midyear survey (M=6.49, SD=.96), t(112)=-4.31 p.05).

Elementary School Services  One-on-one mentoring, tutoring and higher education discussions and explorations of options.  Recess, lunch and after school support provide by Mentors.  Created new after school homework/study clubs  Supported on going programs needing addition help  Partner with UW-Extension to provide additional programming  Tour Day  One large event to bring  Fifth graders to campus

Tour Day  May 4 th and 5 th 2010  Grant funded event, no cost for school participation  1000 fifth graders and their teachers bussed to campus for a one day, four hour event. Opening Ceremony Campus Tour Lunch Class Demonstration Closing Ceremony  Goal-expose children to a post secondary environment while providing them personal access to college students, classroom settings and college faculty.  Small groups, 5-7 students supervised by 1-3 mentors  Mentors were made up of 350 volunteer college students  Teacher professional development session provided

Tour Day Growth  2011  1400 Fifth graders from the region came to campus  2012  1600 Fifth graders from the region came to campus  2013  Planning for 1800 Fifth graders

Tour Day Research Results Overall, 5 th grade students in the sample (N=195) showed a significant increase in their responses to survey questions from the first survey to the second survey. Students in this sample significantly increased the extent to which they agreed with statements that 2 They would plan to take classes that challenge them in middle school; 3 Whether they have considered going to college in the future; 4 That they plan on working very hard in school to prepare for college; and 5 That they feel comfortable on a college campus. Students did not show significant increases on items 1 That it is important for them to earn good grades in school (however, the average started and remained relatively high); 6 Whether they felt that there was money available to help pay for college; and 7 Whether they could see themselves going to a school like UW-Eau Claire, UW-Madison, or Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC).s

STEM Day  5 Middle School 8 th grades came to campus over 3 days  Partnership with Chippewa Valley Technical College  Faculty led STEM demos across STEM fields

Campus Events Monthly events throughout the year to support cultural pride and cross cultural understanding. Events also promote opportunities college by showcasing college events.

Education Fair  Project Based Learning Expo  Kids work with their mentors on a project in an area of their interest  Project supplies provided by Blugold Beginnings  Mentees showcase their projects at an education fair during our end of the year banquet

Summer Camp  Age appropriate programming  Education exploration  Creative self discovery modules  Leadership development  Teambuilding activities  Provided education support network all sharing common higher education goals  College Knowledge

What we hope to see  Increase in academic performance (GPA and Rigor)  Increase attendance  Decrease suspension rates  Increase graduation rates  Increase numbers to college  Increase in rigorous course selection  Increase in community support of college-going culture

Learning Community Pilot 2010 Growth Agenda Grant Supported 23 student participants in first pilot of Learning Community Components of Learning Community: Linked Courses Faculty or Staff College Coach Student Mentor Paid Employment as Blugold Beginnings Mentor Seven day orientation prior to fall semester Civil Rights Pilgrimage Trip Weekly Meetings with Intern Enrichment Events: Artist and Forum Series, Movies, Speakers Visiting Minority Scholar: Minnijean Brown Trickey, Little Rock Nine Service Learning

Learning Community Pilot 2010  Success To Date:  100% retention of cohort to Spring 2011  Credit Completion Blugold Beginnings Cohort All Freshmen  GPA Comparison for Fall 2010 All New Freshmen – 3.01 All Degree Seeking Undergraduates – 3.06 Blugold Beginnings Cohort – 3.13

Students in the sophomore Blugold Beginnings Multicultural Learning Community (N = 23) persisted through their third semester at a rate of 86.96%, while those in the control group persisted at a rate of 73.9% Learning Community Research Study Research study directed by Heather Harris

Students in the Blugold Beginnings Multicultural Learning Community (N = 33) did express a significantly higher level of comfort with using campus facilities (M = 5.85, SD = 1.46) than students in the control group (N = 9, M = 4.33, SD = 2.45) t(40 )= 7.65 p = Learning Community Research Study Research study directed by Heather Harris

Personal Growth of College Students  Improving Retention  Service Learning  Meaningful Employment Experience  Skill Building  Faculty Student Research

Impact on Mentees  Participants learn what is required for higher education  Participants improve self esteem and raise confidence towards higher education  Improved academic performance  Increased access to post-secondary education

Sustainability  Partnering with School District staff to engage teachers, parents, and administrators  Continued Grant Writing  Higher Education Hustle  University Reallocation of Resources  Community Schools Model  Regional College Access Network

Enhancements Regional Post-secondary Education Calendar Further engage academic departments STEM tutoring Writing Center support Education Students in the schools in pre-service Expand Regional College Access Network Expanded assessment Continuous improvement of programming