Student Retention College is an EXPERIENCE!

Who I am ????  Howard University Graduate Student  Second Oldest of Four  Single Parent Household  Above Average High School Student  Active College Student  Aspirations

Making the Right Choice from the Start!  Great high school GPA  Moderate ACT Test Scores  Not many extracurricular activities  College Summit  Target HOPE  A lot of ambition and an open mind

Preparing for College  $$$$Financial Aid Planning$$$$  What if there is no money to plan with??  IMPORTANCE of FASFA  Working while being a student  Scholarships, Grants, and Loans Awareness  High School Organization with Collegiate alliance/support  What happens after your first year?  Continue the scholarship pursuit internal and external  DO NOT forget about FASFA!!  WORK, WORK, WORK!!!!!!

Freshman to Senior Year  Freshman Year  (17 hours each semester)  Major: Marketing  Student Government volunteer  DC Reads tutor (work-study)  Senior Year  (21 credit hours each semester)  Major: English, Minor: Elementary Education  Howard University Student Association Co-Director of External Affairs  Campus liaison and facilitator for Kids 2 College  Rainbow PUSH Coalition Howard University Chapter Community Outreach Chair  Target HOPE Howard University Chapter Vice President  Sigma Tau Delta International English Honors Society Programs Director  Initiate to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated  2 Jobs

Contributors to this experience…  First Year Experience  University Environment  Residence Life  Academics  Classrooms  Student Center/Activities  Customer Service/ Administration interaction

First Year Experience Positive  Campus Pals  Mentors  Campus/ Community Involvement  \ Negative  Academic Awareness  No Advisement  Trial and Error Decisions

University Environment  Positives  Constant opportunity  Ability to find your personal niche  Strong Legacy to uphold  School Spirit / Pride  Negatives  Those who are not self-motivated may lose their focus CREATE A BALANCE of structure, innovative opportunity, leadership, and academics

Residence Life Positive  Security (parent away from home)  Life Long Friends (social growth)  DO NOT need to be in a dorm to enjoy campus life 65% to 70% lives off campus after their first year Negative  Adequate Housing (forced to live off campus…)

Academics Positive  Variety of programs, majors, and post undergraduate opportunities  Internships Opportunities  Work Study Opportunities  Finding your element…  24 hour Studying Opportunity  24 hour Technology Access  Providing Social Studying Areas  Books, Online: Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper Subscriptions, Negative  Lack of advisement  "Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience."  How do I know this academic element exists???  Expose this academic amenities through the classroom activities  Encourage group work/studying/tutoring

Student Center/ Activities Positives  160 campus organizations  If it’s not here then start it!  Campus Politics/ Leadership  Community Service!!! Negatives  Majoring in Extracurricular activities (remember your purpose)  Facilities

Customer Service & Student/Administrator Relationship Positive  Executive Administration Accommodating and open to the student voice/needs/opinion Negative  Immediate staff and faculty not very accommodating (financial aid, registrar’s office, residence life)  May affect alumni contribution

Every Student Should Understand…  Positive “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”  Negative “Be the change you want to see in the world.“

My Very Own Legacy! “Giving a student purpose is paving a path to opportunity!”

Question & Answer Question & Answer