Retention Support Series
Objective:
The Retention Support Series (RSS) will increase retention rates on your campus by creating a strong, connected, confident, and active community of students motivated to graduate.
Overall Program Goals:
Increased student retention
Sense of community and belonging among first year students
Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
Increased acceptance and affirmation of differences among people
Increased campus involvement by students
Exploring identity development
Understanding steps involved in obtaining ideal career path
Increased civic responsibility awareness
Program Outcomes:
Participants will create a strong, connected, confident, and active community.
Participants will learn to communicate openly, honestly, efficiently, and effectively.
Participants will engage in experiential activities designed to challenge them intellectually, emotionally, and introspectively.
Participants will experience activities designed to create empathy and acceptance of people from differing cultural backgrounds.
Participants will learn and utilize effective communication/conflict management tools.
Participants will learn to create and work in a collaborative environment.
Participants will learn how to transfer newly acquired communication and conflict management skills to those with whom they have direct contact.
Participants will engage in dialogue and in experiential activities dealing with social justice and its place in the campus community and in the world.
Participants will develop the confidence to aspire to greatness while practicing the skills necessary to inspire others on campus to do the same.
Participants will have fun while developing life-long skills, awareness, and self-confidence.
How the Retention Support Series will benefit
your campus:
Research shows that students are more likely to succeed when they feel a connection to school. According to Robert W. Blum, school connectedness not only increases the likelihood of academic success, it also reduces the likelihood of student engagement in health-compromising behaviors (Blum, R. W. A case for school connectedness. Educational Leadership, April 2005, p. 16-19.) Blum cites research supporting the belief that students who feel connected to school are less likely to experience negative or potentially harmful situations including substance abuse; "violent or deviant behavior;" unintended pregnancy, suicidal thoughts or attempts, and emotional distress, and in fact, are more likely to “succeed academically and graduate” (p. 17). Although Blum’s research deals primarily with adolescents, it is probable that college students would experience the same benefits of connectedness.
Particularly for new-entry students, it can be difficult to create connections and experience a feeling of community when one has been put into the unfamiliar and possibly uncomfortable life situation of beginning college for the very first time, or returning to college after an extended absence. For these first-year students, the Retention Support Series serves as a vehicle to create the sense of connection and community that is so vital to student retention and student success.
Additionally, Upcraft, Barefoot, and Gardner (2005) suggest that first-year students succeed when they make progress toward developing academic and intellectual competence; establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships; exploring identity development; deciding on a career and lifestyle; maintaining personal health and wellness; developing civic responsibility; considering the spiritual dimensions of life; and dealing with diversity.
Stende Inspirations programs in the Retention Support Series designed expressly for your campus will focus on the vectors of establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships, exploring identity development, maintaining personal health and wellness, career awareness, developing civic responsibility, and dealing with diversity and social justice, and accepting differences among people.
Scope of the Retention Support Series:
Stende Inspirations offers a variety of workshops and keynotes, customized specifically for the needs of students attending your campus. Each module includes unique experiential activities which allow participants to learn new skills while creating opportunities for them to increase connection with other participants in the cohort.
Any or all modules can be selected, depending on the goals of your particular program and the needs of your students. Each module can be adapted to fit the time frame of a regular class period on your campus, with as many as five modules per day being presented.
Suggested target audience would be all incoming freshmen/first year students; optimal results are obtained if a consistent cohort of students attends each presentation together. This can be achieved through registration in a freshman/first-year student orientation course. For example, if six different modules are chosen, the class would meet once a week for six weeks; alternatively, two modules could be presented in a two-hour block once per week for three weeks. Scheduling of the RSS is flexible as per the needs and schedules of both your campus and Stende Inspirations.
Having all first-year students participate in the RSS may prove to be logistically challenging. Some alternative programming ideas could include a series of programs open to any freshman/first-year student who desires to attend. To encourage attendance, a reward or incentive program could be included; for example, a student with verified attendance at all RSS programs would be eligible for an award or other incentive, and completion certification at the conclusion of the series. Another option is to have targeted group of students included in the RSS; for example, students involved in an emerging leader program or students enrolled in a specific class, such as Basic Study Skills, Freshman Seminar, or similar programs for first year students. In addition, the RSS could be connected with student leaders involved in Student Affairs and Orientation; for example, student leaders could be expected to take part in a minimum number of RSS courses as part of their commitment to their leadership position.
Ultimately, the greatest potential for success of the RSS comes from having a core cohort of students participating in the entire series. The composition of the cohort is entirely at the discretion of the individual campus.
Modules available for the Retention Support Series:
(note: the following module descriptions could be included in promotional material for the RSS on your campus)
Resolution Dogs (Conflict Management/Interpersonal Relationship/Identity Development Module) 2 hours
In this module, you'll take a conflict styles inventory to help determine primary conflict styles. Although we all have a primary style we use, different situations call for us to utilize different styles; this program will give you opportunities to experience styles you may not ordinarily employ, and help you figure out the most effective approach for any given situation. You'll also learn the challenges and opportunities that go with each style, and how to work with people of differing conflict styles.
How Could You Say That? (Communication/Interpersonal Relationship Module) 1 or 2 hours
The words we say to ourselves and others can be powerful, sometimes impacting us for a lifetime. Through an interactive exercise, you'll experience the power of negative and positive words--emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Learn and practice communication skills like active listening, reframing, and the art of criticism. This skills-based module will give you effective communication models you can begin using immediately to clean up conflict. Additionally, we'll have opportunities for “in the moment” coaching, where you'll use the tools taught in the program during role plays or in some instances, to help clean up any existing conflict within the group.
Who’s Hot/Who’s Not (Social Justice/Diversity/Identity Development/Civic Responsibility Module) 1 or 2 hours
How does the issue of power influence relationships? Perceived power, real power, in group/out group, stereotyping, cliques, gangs…we'll examine these in detail during this high-impact module. Games and activities allow participants to experience varying levels of power and how power affects their lives, resulting in a greater awareness and acceptance of the diversity that exists on campus and in the world.
Respond-ability (Identity Development Module) 1 or 2 hours
Do you control the situation or does the situation control you? In all facets of life, you have the ability to choose your response and to make things happen. Learn how to show up in your life in the best possible way in every action. Through experiential games and activities, learn about using your experiences to move toward success rather than being controlled by circumstances. Plus, you'll get very specific techniques and methods for transforming and diffusing anger and angry feelings.
Be the Change (Civic Responsibility Module) 1 or 2 hours
Negativity and apathy seem to be rampant in our world today. Are you ready to be the change you want to see in the world? Become the catalyst of change to begin replacing indifference and alienation with dignity and respect. Take the first steps to creating a positive environment at home and in the world by discovering how easy it is to bring out the greatness in yourself and those around you.
Your Life is Now (Personal Health/Wellness Module) 1 or 2 hour
What foods should I eat to optimize my brain's learning power? How do I balance life, work, school, family, and everything else? What can I do to maximize my study time, without feeling burned out, stressed out, and worn out? The answers to these and many more healthy lifestyle related questions are yours in this fast-moving, information packed session. We'll also spend some time learning an easy-to-use technique guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed, energized, and focused.
Major in Success (Career Module) 1 hour
This program is for those who want to get the most out of college and land a job beyond belief. You will learn what they don’t teach you in college: the secrets to getting great grades, pinpointing your dream job, making more money, triumphing over fears, and winning big during a recession and tough job market.
How the Retention Support Series will benefit
Participants:
Through participation in the RSS, students will develop a core group of peers with whom they share common experiences. This core group is an essential first step in creating a connection to the campus community. By taking part in the various modules of the RSS program, participants will be engaging in experiences unique to members of their own cohort, creating common ground and a community in which they can feel comfortable as they begin to pursue involvement in the greater campus.
As part of their involvement in the RSS, students will gain communication and conflict transformation skills; self-confidence; self-awareness; an understanding of social justice, multiculturalism, and diversity issues; motivation to stay in school, complete their program, and graduate from your campus; and an overall sense of community and connection not only with other members of their cohort, but with other members of the campus community.
Throughout the program, participants will be encouraged and expected to reflect on how the skills, knowledge, and awareness they are gaining are applicable in their lives at the personal level as well as in their roles as students. As a result of both the camaraderie developed through experiencing the RSS as a group, and the skills and knowledge gained through the completion of each module, participants will feel confident in their abilities to succeed academically, and be inspired to complete their academic objectives at your campus.
The practical skills that participants will learn, practice, develop and utilize throughout the series will serve them in their collegiate and personal lives long after this program is completed. Participants will recognize and revise their own communication and conflict behaviors to fit individual situations, while gaining confidence in their ability to deal with others in a personal and productive way. SInce the entire series is designed to identify and adapt behaviors at an emotional level, rather than merely at a cognitive level, participants will be more likely to internalize and utilize their newly acquired skills with confidence in a wide variety of situations.