Texas College Access Network Austin Community College’s Highland Business Center

Adriana Contreras, Ph.D. – SAEP Executive DirectorRebeca Gonzalez – cafécollege Program Manager

June 19, 2015

cafecollege.org saedpartnership.org

AgendaHistory of SAEPProgrammatic ComponentsThe Birth of cafécollege

AccomplishmentsDataStaffingDataChallenges/Lessons LearnedVirtual Tour

History• For more than 25 years, the San Antonio Education 

Partnership (SAEP) has made college possible for students who take personal responsibility for their own future

• Under then Mayor Henry Cisneros, leaders from five major groups created the Partnership

City of San Antonio Corporate sector Local colleges and universities  School districts Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.) and 

Metro Alliance• Created to be a sustainable private‐public initiative

Mission Statement

• We create college opportunities, access, and success for our community. 

Making our students San Antonio’s leaders of tomorrow.

Programmatic Components

Road to Success

• Outreach, services to 9-12 graders at 25 High Schools

• 80% of seniors receive direct services

• Navigate the college process

• Advisors serve as adjunct staff

• Relieve crisis of 450 students to 1 counselor

Cafécollege

• City-wide college access and opportunity center

• Targets K-12 graders and parents, adult learners, stop out and transfer students, school staff

• Student focused services and atmosphere

Scholarships

• Seniors at 25 SAEP High Schools

• 80% average upon HS graduation

• 95% attendance rate upon HS graduation

• Demonstrated Financial Need

• Incentive Scholarships• Transfer Scholarships

cafécollege• Initiative of Mayor Julián Castro

• City of San Antonio issued a Request for Proposals in spring of 2010

• SAEP submitted a proposal and was awarded the contract

• did not reinvent the wheel; proposed to provide same services from Road to Success component

• City provided facility (formerly a training center) and subsidized renovations; cafecollege pays “rent” to the City of $1/yr

• cafécollege opened to the public on September 28, 2010

Vision

• Goal of cafécollege is to increase attainment of college degrees, to create a more educated workforce –to increase San Antonio’s “brainpower”

• Offer an accessible and centrally-located center, which provides an array of support services to achieve the goal of more San Antonians attaining college degrees

Aligned with SA2020

By 2020, San Antonio has orchestrated one of the greatest turnarounds in education in

the United States:

•50% of adults will have a degree.•80% of high school graduates enroll

in college.

cafécollege

• Centrally located in downtown San Antonio• Operated and managed by the San Antonio

Education Partnership (SAEP); not affiliated with any IHE

• Student-focused atmosphere: – Classroom space – Coffee bar– Conferencing Offices – Free parking– Computer Lab – On VIA bus route– Open study areas – Free Wi-Fi

Services

• Our services include any/everything related to the college access process.

• Target Audiences:– Students from elementary school to

high school

– Adult learners • Stop-outs• Students pursuing college for the first

time • Students wishing to change careers

– First-generation college students

• Cafécollege assists students through one-on-one advising and workshops.

Accomplishments• Phase 2  ‐ August 2011

– Added 9,000 square feet – Provided space for SAEP administrative & advisor offices

• Cafécollege now serves as the focal point for college access in city – the “hub” for college access and success ‐ trainings, meetings, etc.

• Through shared space SAEP has fostered collaborative efforts among community‐based organizations, businesses, and colleges/universities

AccomplishmentsLocal collaboration includes:

• Lumina Foundation Latino Student Success Initiative ‐ Diplomás• Lead organization for SA‐CAN• Transition Team • Destination College – City of San Antonio’s college week• City’s first financial aid initiative: Student Aid San Antonio (SASA)

• Part of Serve SA: Education Call to Service (SA 2020)

“SAEP remains committed to many more decades of strengthening San Antonio’s families 

and building hope for a better future.”‐Nichole SalzilloBank of America

Numbers

• FY 1 ‐ over 6,100 students (Phase 1 only)• FY 2 ‐ over 12, 500 students• FY 3 ‐ over 13,400 students• FY 4 ‐ over 12,100 students• FY 5 ‐ over 6,900 students through April

(Unduplicated numbers)

• To date, we have serviced more than 43,500 students!(Several return students from year to year.)

Additional dataMeasure FY 2010 - 2011 FY 2013 – 2014

# of unduplicated HS seniors served 1,874 2,518

# of students assisted with ApplyTexas * 2,902

# assisted with FAFSA/TASFA completion **406 4,170

Website traffic 50,400 94,739Traffic flow 14,280 32,357

*Not measured in 2010** In 2010, measure was “# of FAFSA/TASFAs completed”

Center Staff

Fiscal Year 1 Fiscal Year 5

1 full‐time Program Coordinator1 part‐time Program Coordinator (25 hours)1 full‐time College Access & Success Advisor1 full‐time Intake Specialist3 part‐time G‐Force members3 graduate internsSAEP R2S staff, when necessary

1 Program Manager6 College Access and Success Advisors (FT)1 Intake Specialist1 Data Entry SpecialistGraduate interns (2‐3 per year)Community volunteersSAEP R2S staff, when necessary

Total Staff Year 1:  3 FT/3 PT Total Staff Year 5:  9 FT

Staff Work Schedule

SPRING 2015 STAFF WORK SCHEDULETuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8:00 AM Beca, Beca, Beca, Beca, All Staff8:30 AM Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah,9:00 AM Mayra, Rebecca Mayra, Rebecca Mayra, Rebecca Mayra, Rebecca9:30 AM Petra Petra Petra Petra10:00 AM10:30 AM11:00 AM Isaac,  Isaac,  Isaac,  Isaac, 11:30 AM Micaela Micaela Micaela Micaela12:00 PM & Olivia & Olivia & Olivia & Olivia12:30 PM Brent Brent Brent Brent1:00 PM1:30 PM2:00 PM

2:30 PM 8am‐ 9am‐ 11am‐ 12pm‐ 8am‐ 9am‐ 11am‐ 12pm‐ 8am‐ 9am‐ 11am‐ 12pm‐ 8am‐ 9am‐ 11am‐ 12pm‐ 8am‐3:00 PM 5pm 6pm 8pm 8pm 5pm 6pm 8pm 8pm 5pm 6pm 8pm 8pm 5pm 6pm 8pm 8pm 5pm3:30 PM4:00 PM4:30 PM5:00 PM

CLOSED

5:30 PM6:00 PM6:30 PM7:00 PM7:30 PM

18

cafécollege Google Calendar

Registration Pages

• Google Documents  ‐ create registration pages that link to cafécollege website

• Also use Google Docs to upload scholarship applications, monthly calendar, other pertinent files for sharing among staff or with clients

Challenges/Lessons Learned

Challenge 1: Data Tracking• Planned to use scanners and ID cards, but learned they

were not ideal for our population.– Some students visit only once to get the help they need.

Challenge 1: Data Tracking• Some come repeatedly for assistance.

Challenge 1: Data Tracking

Challenge 2: Data Entry

• Need to report in a timely manner• Keeping track of traffic flow and students serviced – sign‐in sheets and member forms

• Created a system for data collection, labeling• Increased traffic created the need for a staff member committed solely to data entry

Challenge 3: Marketing & Outreach

• Branding - identifying cafécollege as only one component of SAEP

• Traditional methods: movie theater ads, PSA’s, commercials, posters, push cards, magnets, pens, t-shirts, etc.

• Marketing budget has decreased each year

• Rely on word of mouth – e-newsletter (Café Alerts), monthly calendars, high school counselors/Advisors, social media

Challenge 3: Marketing & Outreach• Staff members are responsible for different outreach areas:

– Colleges & Universities– High Schools– Middle Schools– Elementary Schools– Community-based organizations– Interns & Volunteers

Challenge 4: It’s always different.• All clients deserve the same quality of service and attention. 

– Customer service goal to service clients effectively and efficiently. 

• We assist a diverse population with navigating the system and understand the process(es).

• Requires constant training and research, attention to detail, and staying up‐to‐date with institutional, federal, and state policies, especially regarding financial aid.

Challenge 5: Managing the Space

• During peak times, challenge to direct students and others who are unfamiliar with the space

• Accommodating requests for use of classrooms, conference rooms, labs.– Making sure students are serviced first.

• Acquiring proper documentation from large groups – sign‐in and member forms.

• Setting up classrooms, preparing for large events (press conferences, Student Aid San Antonio, etc.), clean‐up.

• Keeping organized on very busy days: Everything is everybody’s job.

Challenge 6: We don’t have all the answers.

• Although highly trained staff, there are still occasions when students need the expertise of a college admissions counselor, financial aid counselor or an academic advisor.

• We’re not meant to be the end‐all. We’re the link.– i.e. We cannot remove a hold from a student’s account, but we can tell them 

the next steps.– i.e. We can’t change a student’s financial aid award package, but we can give 

them advice, help them find the appropriate forms, etc.

• If students feel more empowered to take control of their education because we give them the tools and inform them of the processes, then they will be more successful.

Challenge 7: Staffing

Staff capacity issues:– Multiple requests for outreach: College Nights, Financial Aid Nights, College Fairs, etc.

– Requests for large groups at cafécollege: Staff must present workshops AND be available for advising

– Leaves little time for professional development/training

The Virtual Tour

Classroom 1

Computer Lab 1

Phase 2 Lobby

Classroom 2

Classroom 3

Thank you!

Adriana Contreras, Executive Directoracontreras@saedpartnership.org

Rebeca Gonzalez, Program Managerrgonzalez@saedpartnership.org

cafecollege.org saedpartnership.org