Challenges in Student Recruitment, Challenges in Student Recruitment, Retention & Experiential Learning Retention & Experiential Learning

PracticesPracticesSERD/CSREES Project Directors ConferenceMarch 30 – April 1, 2005New Orleans

Linda L. Okiror, Ph. D.Assistant Dean

School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human SciencesUniversity of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

The ChallengesThe Challenges

Retention• Remediation

• Advisement

• Gatekeeper classes

• Institutional incongruence

• Career incongruence

• Student isolation

• Financial aid

Experiential Learning• Advisement

• Faculty mentoring

• Internships

• Service learning

• Relevance

To develop an educated, professional employee for the food and fiber industry who is personally responsible and professionally committed

Recruitment• Agricultural awareness

• Career identification

• Job opportunities

• Student expectations

• Under prepared students

• Affordability

Research and Development

Educators

Transportation and Distribution

Communications

Compliance and Regulation

Production Agriculture 2% of jobs in agriculture

98% of jobs in agricultureMarketing

Processing

Wholesale

Retail

Product use

Recruitment Opportunity:Recruitment Opportunity:Agricultural AwarenessAgricultural Awareness

The Food System – From Production to the Table

Recruitment Opportunity:Recruitment Opportunity:Personal ExpectationsPersonal Expectations

Student Expectations• Satisfactory academic progress• Crystallize career and life goals• Integrate into campus life• Grow personally and socially

Dollar Value: Dollar Value: Recruitment v RetentionRecruitment v Retention

Dollar value from reduced freshman attrition:

$ Value of retaining one freshman to graduation = $19,136

• Number of 1999 freshman lost to attrition = 234

• Net loss at “graduation” = $5.1 million

Dollar value at graduation from reduced freshman attrition:

$ 10% increase in retention (23 students) = $447,782

$ 20% increase in retention (47 students) = $895,565

$ 30% increase in retention (70 students) = $1,343,347

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Why do students voluntarily withdraw after the freshman year?

• Academic difficulty• Adjustment difficulty• Uncertain personal goals• Weak academic commitment• Financial inadequacies• Isolation within the campus• Personal, social and academic incongruence

Retention Opportunity: Addressing Retention Opportunity: Addressing the Causes of Student Withdrawalthe Causes of Student Withdrawal

Orientation and integration to the academic environment

• Pre-college programs

• Developmental education

• Study skills development

• Freshman seminars

• Academic support centers and early alert

• College and departmental assemblies

• Faculty mentoring and research

Retention Opportunity: Retention Opportunity: Skill Building ProgramsSkill Building Programs

Learning-to-Learn Program – College survival

• Managing personal relationships

• Word processing and power point

• Time and stress management

• Money management

• Note-taking skills - textbooks

• Note-taking skills – lecture

• Study skills

• Peer mentoring and tutoring

Retention Opportunity: Retention Opportunity: Skills DevelopmentSkills Development

Retention Opportunity: Retention Opportunity: Pre-College ProgramsPre-College Programs

• Develop career and personal goals

• Develop college study and “survival” skills

• Experience college life

• Earn academic credits

• Build supportive friendships

• Identify with faculty

BRIDGE COHORT

High School GPA 2.86 2.86ACT 16.8 17.0

Dev. Course Pass Rate 93% 71%

CUM GPA 2.49 2.24Freshmen

Retention Rate 94% 71%

Student Achievement in Student Achievement in Developmental CoursesDevelopmental Courses

BRIDGE (94) COHORT (138)

Pass Biology First Time 47% 37%

Pass Biology Second Time 64% 37%

# Math & Science Courses* 7.1 3.2

CUM GPA 3.01 2.71Two-Year Retention

Rate 73% 59%

Freshman and Sophomore Freshman and Sophomore Student AchievementStudent Achievement

*Courses per student in years 1 and 2

Comprehensive documentation of the undergraduate experience:

•Student Skills

•Student Competencies

•Student Progress

•Experiential Learning

•Professional and personal development

•Curriculum alignment with program goals

Retention Opportunity: Retention Opportunity: Academic AssessmentAcademic Assessment

Experiential Learning OpportunitiesExperiential Learning Opportunities

Providing personal and professional relevance• Advisement• Course designed projects• Service learning• Internships• Faculty personal and professional mentoring• Faculty mentored research

Mentoring Scholars Program

• Course completion rate 99%• Cumulative GPA 3.11• Retention rate 94%• Alumni in graduate 63% or professional programs

Strategic Planning: Strategic Planning: Overcoming the ChallengesOvercoming the Challenges

Short-term strategies• Identification of at-risk behaviors • Immediate, individualized intervention

Long-term strategies• Structured• Extended, intensive contact• Interlock with other programs• Proactive engagement• Qualified faculty and staff with interpersonal

skills• Affective and cognitive needs

Challenges in Student Recruitment, Challenges in Student Recruitment, Retention & Experiential Learning Retention & Experiential Learning

PracticesPractices

Questions?

Linda L. Okiror, Ph. D.Assistant DeanSchool of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human SciencesUniversity of Arkansas at Pine Bluff