1. Presenter: Kevin McCarthy/ FYS Coordinator Tidewater Community College
TYFY 2016 Conference
Denver, Colorado
Connecting First Year Success with Leadership Development: Retention at its Finest! 
Presenter: Kevin McCarthy/ FYS Coordinator
Tidewater Community College
Chesapeake Campus

2. The Office of First Year Success
The Office of First Year Success assist incoming first year students in ensuring they are prepared for their first year of college and beyond.

3. The Office of First Year Success
The Office of First Year Success is responsible for the following areas: Orientation sessions, Family and Friends Orientation sessions, S.A.I.L.S (Student Assistance and Intervention for Learning Success), one-on-one academic advising, Student Ambassador Program, Tuesday Tours, and TCC C.A.R.E.S. (College Activists Relating & Engaging in Service) and our powerful Gear Up to Lead Program.

4. The Office of First Year Success
Kevin has been enjoying working with college students for the past 14 years.  He received both his B.S. and M.S.Ed. at Old Dominion University and began working at Tidewater Community College in 2002.  Kevin has worked in the Office of Enrollment/Admissions, Counseling and Advising and now is the Coordinator of the Office of First Year Success.  He loves seeing students transform during their time at TCC both academically and personally.  “Students are why we are hear and their success is what keeps us motivated to come in everyday”, he says.
Kevin McCarthy, M.S.Ed.
Coordinator of First Year Success

5. The Office of First Year Success
Holly is the First Year Success Advisor on the TCC Chesapeake Campus. Ms. Desteli has been advising first year students at TCC since May She began her career in higher education back in 2005 as an Admissions Counselor at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. After working 4 years in Undergraduate Admissions, Ms. Desteli decided to pursue her M.A. Ed. in Higher Education and attended the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program at Virginia Tech from 2009 – Since joining Tidewater Community College Ms. Desteli has been a very active member of the community. She is the faculty advisor to the student organization TCC-C.A.R.E.S. (College Activists Relating & Engaging in Service), co-supervisor to the Chesapeake Campus Student Ambassadors, and is an active member in TCC Chapter of American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). Ms. Desteli’s passion and dedication to serving the diverse population of TCC students is evident in her strong work ethic. She was the recipient of the 2015 Part Time Employee of the Year Award for Tidewater Community College.
Holly Desteli, M.A.Ed. First Year Success Advisor

6. Orientation
The Office of First Year Success plays a vital role in Orientation and the success of first year students. Orientation is the first step in achieving academic and personal achievement at TCC.

7. Orientation
The mission of Orientation is to support student success by facilitating the transition of new students into the college; preparing students for broad educational opportunities and student responsibilities; and initiating the integration of new students into the intellectual, social and cultural foundation of the institution.

8. Family & Friends Information Session
The Office of First Year Success welcomes family and friends to participate in the Orientation process with their student.
By attending the Orientation information sessions family and friends can learn information about the college experience that will impact the student’s and family life.
The mission of the Family & Friends session is to foster student success by building collaboration between families and the college for the common goals of student learning development and success.

9. SAILS Student Assistance and Intervention for Learning Success
SAILS is an early alert program of intervention and follow-up for students identified as having academic difficulties early in the semester. The program provides feedback from instructors and advisors to help students investigate and implement student support services and other recommended actions that will help them succeed.

10. Student Advising
The First Year Success system is designed to improve learning for new students during their first year of college in efforts to assist them in achieving academic and personal success. Recognizing that most students need additional assistance as they transition to college.
During your first year, you will be assigned to a FYS advisor that can help you:
Make the transition to the college
Explore majors/minors or other areas of professional study
Interpret and learn college academic requirements, policies, and procedures.
Become more self-reliant and self-reflective in your decision making
Develop an academic plan to earn your degree
Connect with appropriate resources on campus

11. Student Ambassador Program
The primary function of the Student Ambassador program is to work closely with and assist a variety of faculty and staff with multiple departmental tasks, programs and events.
In addition, student ambassadors help prospective and current students understand the benefits of attending Tidewater Community College, while demonstrating leadership, professionalism, pride and the desire to promote TCC. Ambassadors must develop in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the college life (academics, campus life, athletic programs and all facilities/purposes). As front line representatives of Tidewater Community College, Ambassadors are committed to excellence.

12. Student Ambassadors

13. Always Make it FUN!!!!!!!!!

14. Student Ambassador Program
In addition, student ambassadors help prospective and current students understand the benefits of attending Tidewater Community College, while demonstrating leadership, professionalism, pride and the desire to promote TCC. Ambassadors must develop in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the college life (academics, campus life, athletic programs and all facilities/purposes). As front line representatives of Tidewater Community College, Ambassadors are committed to excellence.

15. Campus Tours
Student Ambassadors are dedicated to representing TCC as primary liaisons between the First Year Success Office and prospective students, families, and visitors.
They present a positive and accurate picture of Tidewater Community College in a professional and welcoming manner, providing insight into student life and the value of the TCC experience.
Student Ambassadors conduct dynamic campus tours, participate in primary campus and community events, and contribute to the weekly campus tours through the First Year Success Office.

16. TCC-C.A.R.E.S. (College Activists Relating & Engaging in Service)
The purpose of TCC-C.A.R.E.S. is to create positive humanitarian and environmental change within the campus and greater community through education, leadership, and service. It is our goal to inspire progress within ourselves and the world we live in through service efforts, leadership and educational events, social and overall self-awareness of our impact on the earth and each other. We were proud recipients of the Community Organizational Award from the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council 2016.

17. TCC – C.A.R.E.S. TCC- C.A.R.E.S. engages in the Hampton Roads
area and the TCC campus community creating positive humanitarian and environmental change. The organization does this by holding events and participating in events like Red Cross Blood Drives, Chesapeake Recycle Days, Earth Day celebrations, Clean the Bay Day, Service Saturdays, Child Care assistance on TCC’s Chesapeake campus, assist Girl Scout Council of Chesapeake, and assist with TCC First Year Success Orientation.

18. Gear Up To Lead Program (G.U.T.L.)
TCC’s Chesapeake campus Gear Up To Lead program is about connecting faculty, staff, first and second year students together throughout the college progress. One of the best ways for new students to transition into their new college “family” community is to get connected.
By attending these events in this year’s program students will be partnered with a current TCC student leader as a mentor, work with TCC faculty and staff on service projects, and have the opportunity to meet many new first year and current students. This is a great way to become engaged in college life at TCC – Chesapeake Campus and explore learning through service!

19. Who is ready for some Reality?