1. Stella and Charles Guttman Community College
City University of New York
Pace University Retention Conference
June 16th, 2017
The Summer Bridge Program at Guttman Community College:
Academic Enrichment, High-Touch Advising, and Early Intervention Technology from the Get-Go
Danielle Insalaco-Egan, Ph.D.
Director of Student Support and Academic Achievement
Co-Coordinator, Guttman Bridge Programs
Tashana S. Samuel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Psychology
Co-Coordinator, Guttman Bridge Programs
Diana Zechowski, MSEd.
Student Success Advocate

2. I am seeking common ground with someone who…
Works at the same type of institution that I do
Speaks more than one language
Is a first generation college student
Does not work at my college
Likes the same TV show/ Netflix series

3. For freshmen: “common ground” exercise
“Starting college who’s motivated…”
“Who wants to change…”
“Starting college who’s nervous…”
“Who never thought they would…”
“Who’s proud of …”

4. The Guttman Summer Bridge Program
“Bridge is figuratively a bridge between high school and college. It helps the transition be as smooth as it can possibly be…”
-Guttman student (post-Bridge reflection)

5. Framework for Bridge: Experiential Learning
student-centered learning
active engagement
application of knowledge
process/analyze/evaluate information
reflection of experiences

6. The Guttman Summer Bridge Experience
What? Pre-matriculation transitional experience
Modeled on the First Year Experience
5 Components: Critical Issue, Reading & Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, Studio, and Student Success Seminar (LaBSS)
5 discipline-specific assignments required
Multidisciplinary, Integrated Group Project with Presentation
Field Research in New York City
When? days immediately preceding the Fall 1 semester
Enrollment Requirement: full completion of Bridge*
Class and field research attendance, assignments and group project presentation required in order to be enrolled in Fall 1

7. Planning the Journey to Bridge...
Curriculum developed and revised by Interdisciplinary Curriculum Working Group each year
–Common Read Selection
– Curriculum based on City Seminar integrated course model
-Multi-disciplinary, Integrated Group Project & Presentation
–Technology Integration (ePortfolio, Starfish, Social Explorer)
–No developmental skills are explicitly addressed

8. Faculty: the majority of full-time faculty have been matched to the houses they will be teaching in fall I
16 full-time faculty
2 part-time faculty
6 SSAs
6 Grad Coordinators
15-20 peer mentors for additional support

9. Bridge Student Schedule?
8 classroom days
1 Field Research Day
1 day for presentations/Convocation

10. The Bridges We’ve Crossed...
Year
Common Read
# of Days
# of Students Enrolled
2012
No Impact Man, by Colin Beavan 12
289
2013
Incredibly Close and Extremely Loud, by Jonathan Safran Foer 11
278
2014
Down These Mean Streets, by Piri Thomas
410
2015
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini 10
445
2016
Drown, by Junot Diaz
450
2017
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
~500 expected

11. LaBSS Curriculum
Overview of First Year Experience, Cohort Model, High Impact Practices, Instructional Teams, SSA Role
SWOT Analysis
Mutual Investments
Starfish
Learning Lab/Academic Skills Support

12. Personal SWOT Analysis

13. Mutual Investments

15. Assessment Plan Assessment Description Purpose
Submission of student ePortfolios
Students will submit their ePortfolios on the last day of Summer Bridge, containing all core assignments from each component as outlined in the completion policy.
Data from the ePortfolios will be used to measure students’ ability to complete the SB activities as well as to attempt to glean insight into the value of the completion policy.
Assessment of student ePortfolios
During the October Assessment Days, faculty will assess student work from the various Summer Bridge components using rubrics associated with program learning outcomes.
Quantitative data (from rubrics scores) will be used to measure attainment of learning outcomes. Raters will participate in a norming session prior to scoring.
Student Survey
Students will complete a survey on their SB experience, giving general impressions of SB (Likert scale), self- reporting achievement of each learning outcomes (Likert scale) and open response items.
Quantitative and qualitative data will be used to measure students’ general attitudes and beliefs about the program, how they hope the program will impact their upcoming semester and how these beliefs are aligned with SB outcomes.

16. Assessment Plan Assessment Description Purpose Faculty/Staff Survey
Faculty, SSAs, Grad Coordinators, and peer mentors will complete a survey on their Summer Bridge experience early in Fall I.
Qualitative data will be used to measure the faculty and staff’s general attitudes and beliefs towards SB and their relationship to the intended outcomes of SB, to be used in a mixed-methods design with the qualitative findings of the debriefing/focus group.
Debriefing Sessions
In-person debriefing sessions will be held with committee members, faculty and staff to discuss the program and the results of the survey.
Qualitative data in order to measure the faculty and staff’s general attitudes and beliefs towards SB. This qualitative data will be used in a mixed-methods design with the quantitative findings of the faculty/staff survey.
Fall I Reflection.
Students will reflect on their Summer Bridge experience as part of a common an end-of-semester reflection completed in an FYE course. Following a norming process, faculty will assess (code) the reflections during the February Assessment Days.
The purpose of the Fall I Reflection essay is to measure the extent to which SB has influenced students’ first-semester experiences.

17. End-of-Bridge Student Reflection
How would you describe Bridge to a student thinking about attending Guttman?
“The Bridge program mirrors actual classes to give you the most detailed idea of how classes are going and how you’re expected to perform. At the beginning, you’ll feel overwhelmed by the things that are required and everything that has to be submitted but once you’re done you get a feeling that it wasn’t as overwhelming as you thought it would be.”
“It’s the best head start to college anyone can ever have”

19. Assessment Highlights
Completion rate: 97% to 98% completion rate each year since inception
Changes based on survey and debrief data:
Added co-curricular “common hour” programming
Enhanced technology instruction -- more time with ePortfolio
Developed truly integrated assignment
Made attendance meaningful through Starfish