January 8, 2016 Enhancing Student Retention: Impacts of a First-Year Seminar Course Dixie Watts Dalton and Mary A. Marchant NACTA Conference Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics Penn State Virginia Tech June 2010

2 Today’s Presentation Introduction Data methods Results Conclusions Questions and discussion

3 Introduction Student retention and graduation are important outcomes for undergraduate programs President Obama’s stated goal: “By 2020, America will again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.”

4 Introduction (cont’d) A sense of “connectedness” can improve retention (Tinto) “Lack of attention” is a source of the problem of “too low” graduation rates (Bowen, et al.)

5 Motivation for Virginia Tech’s AAEC First Year Seminar Senior exit interviews indicated that students wished they had met more faculty earlier There was a lack of departmental connection with students until the junior year freshman courses were large and impersonal few AAEC courses were taken as sophomores

6 The Solution In 1998, the department created a one-credit First Year Seminar for all entering freshmen and external transfer students

7 AAEC First Year Seminar (FYS) Three primary goals: To assist students in transitioning to a four- year university while creating a sense of community To introduce students to the breadth and depth of AAEC discipline To provide a forum for meeting faculty and learning of teaching/research/ outreach interests

8 Data methods: Quantitative Analysis of Survey Conducted alumni survey to determine benefits of FYS course ed through Alumni Association, with one electronic reminder Likert-scale questions on usefulness 20% response rate

9 Data methods: Quantitative Analysis of University Data Utilizing data from Virginia Tech’s Institutional Research Division (IRD) Compared retention and graduation rates, pre- and post-seminar course Compared post-seminar rates for AAEC, college, and university

10 Results: Alumni Survey Survey question and percent of respondents indicating “somewhat” or “very helpful”: Assisting with adjustment to college life 83 Learning about AAEC discipline 91 Learning of faculty teaching/research/extension work 87 Meeting VT AAEC faculty100 Connecting with fellow AAEC majors100

11 Results: IRD Pre- & Post-FYS Retention & Graduation Rates Following implementation of the First Year Seminar, retention (freshman to sophomore) and graduation (4- and 5-year) rates improved Continued to 2 nd Year Graduated in 4 years Graduated in 5 years Pre-seminar Post-seminar

12 Results: IRD Dept. vs. College and University Rates Post-FYS, departmental retention and graduation rates exceeded those of the college and exceeded 4-year graduation rates for the university overall Continued to 2 nd Year Graduated in 4 years Graduated in 5 years AAEC CALS VT

13 Conclusions Student retention is an important issue for higher education Creating connectedness makes a difference A first year seminar course creates connectedness and improves retention and graduation rates

January 8, 2016 Working Paper:

15 References Bowen, W.G., M.M. Chingos, and M.S. McPherson (2009). Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities, Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. Obama, B. (2009). “Remarks of President Barack Obama – Address to Joint Session of Congress.” Text of a speech released by the White House Press Office, February 24, Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

January 8, 2016 Enhancing Student Retention: Impacts of a First-Year Seminar Course Dixie Watts Dalton and Mary A. Marchant NACTA Conference Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics Penn State Virginia Tech June 2010