1. RETAINING FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA AFCC STUDENT DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE 2015 Tanya Fritz, M.A. Coordinator, First Generation Freshmen Program Dr. Jan Lloyd-Lesley AVP, Student Development

2. Seminole State College of Florida: Fast Facts Located in Sanford/Lake Mary 3 rd largest employer in Seminole County Annual headcount of 30,701 (13-14) Fall 2014 – 2,639 FTIC overall Fall 2014 – 818 FTIC first generation

3. First Generation Students More likely to: Need remedial coursework Drop out of college Be a minority Come from low-income families

4. First Generation Students Work while in college Live off campus Report lower educational expectations Have limited knowledge on navigating college and how to pay for college Hesitant to ask for help Resources: Choy, S. Students Whose Parents Did Not Go to College: Postsecondary Access, Persistence, and Attainment. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. 2001. Engle, Jennifer. “Postsecondary Access and Success for First-Generation College Students.” American Academic, Vol. 3. 2007

6. History In 2012, College identified need to support and retain first generation students Program costs funded by an annual private grant ($50,000) Scholarships funded by private donor ($1,000 for two years)

7. Organizational Structure Housed under Student Development within Student Affairs 1 Full-Time Coordinator/Advisor 1 Part-Time Advisor Cohort-based scholarship program

8. Program Goals For target group of first time in college, low income, first generation in college students: Improve retention rates by 10% (Fall-to-Fall) Provide a sense of community to students Provide social opportunities for students to meet other students

9. Services Provided Assigned academic advising and career development Financial aid assistance and scholarship information and funding Transfer assistance Access to private student lounge and computer lab Priority class registration Peer mentoring Student success workshops, social and cultural enrichment activities Referrals to appropriate resources Comprehensive support while attending Seminole State College

10. Retention Strategies Recruit & Select: Initial Communication Orientation College Success Course Intrusive Advising Ongoing Communication Student Success Programming Peer Mentors

11. 2014-2015 Cohort Snapshot 53 students Minority: 47% Female: 62% Male: 38% Age 18-24: 91%

12. Program Assessment Term-to-term & Fall-to-Fall re-enrollment data Number of degree completions Student satisfaction surveys

13. Course Completion & Retention Results

14. Graduation Results 21 students have completed an A.A. or a Certificate as of May 2015 2 graduates have been awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship

15. Contacts Tanya Fritz 407-708-2897 fritzt@seminolestate.edu Dr. Jan Lloyd 407-708-2890 lloydlesleyj@seminolestate.edu First Generation Freshmen Website: https://www.seminolestate.edu/first-generation/