Providing Direction and Impacting Providing Direction and Impacting Retention: Retention: GW's Guide to Personal Success (GPS) GW's Guide to Personal Success (GPS) Program Program Brian F. Hamluk Brian F. Hamluk Director, Student and Academic Support Services Director, Student and Academic Support Services The George Washington University The George Washington University 29 th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience 29 th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience Denver, Colorado Denver, Colorado February 12-16, 2010 February 12-16, 2010
GW’s Guide to Personal Success GW’s Guide to Personal Success Program Program Agenda Agenda Setting the Stage: GW Background Setting the Stage: GW Background Conception of GPS Program Conception of GPS Program Implementation of GPS Program Implementation of GPS Program Program Logistics Program Logistics Trainings and Preparations Trainings and Preparations Ongoing Support Network Ongoing Support Network Tracking Trends and Information Tracking Trends and Information Moving Forward Moving Forward Questions and Answers Questions and Answers
Setting the Stage: GW Setting the Stage: GW Background Background GW Located in downtown Washington, DC GW Located in downtown Washington, DC 4 blocks from White House 4 blocks from White House Competitive student body: 37% Competitive student body: 37% acceptance rate; over 65% from Top acceptance rate; over 65% from Top 10% of their class 10% of their class 1870-2090 average SAT score (math and 1870-2090 average SAT score (math and verbal) verbal) Students from 50 states and over 125 Students from 50 states and over 125 foreign countries in the freshmen foreign countries in the freshmen class class
Conception of GPS Program Conception of GPS Program 18 month assessment project of 18 month assessment project of division of Student and Academic division of Student and Academic Support Services (2007-2008) Support Services (2007-2008) Internal self-study combined with Internal self-study combined with 13 site visits led to concept of 13 site visits led to concept of freshmen class wide ‘mentoring’ freshmen class wide ‘mentoring’ program program Transition to GW and Washington, Transition to GW and Washington, DC: ‘dual’ transition has always DC: ‘dual’ transition has always been a challenge for students; GPS been a challenge for students; GPS program responds to this program responds to this
Guide to Personal Success Guide to Personal Success Program Program University Collaboration University Collaboration Vice Presidents & Staff and Input and Input Vice Presidents & Staff Presentations Presentations Faculty and Associate Deans Faculty and Associate Deans Student and Academic Support Student and Academic Support Services Senior Staff & Management Services Senior Staff & Management Office of Alumni and Advancement Office of Alumni and Advancement Office of General Counsel Office of General Counsel Office of the Executive Vice Office of the Executive Vice President and Treasurer President and Treasurer
Guide to Personal Success Guide to Personal Success Program Program Student Collaboration and Input Student Collaboration and Input Student Focus Groups during 2007-2008 Student Focus Groups during 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 and 2008-2009 Summer meetings with SA President Vishal Summer meetings with SA President Vishal Aswani Aswani Presentation to SA President’s Cabinet Presentation to SA President’s Cabinet this summer this summer Ongoing support and collaboration with Ongoing support and collaboration with President Vishal Aswani and Sophia President Vishal Aswani and Sophia Cahill, Director of Freshman Outreach Cahill, Director of Freshman Outreach Several Student Association Cabinet Several Student Association Cabinet members serve as Guides members serve as Guides
Implementation of GPS Program Implementation of GPS Program Incoming Class of 2013’s 2,550+ Incoming Class of 2013’s 2,550+ members were assigned to a members were assigned to a University Guide at the beginning of University Guide at the beginning of the academic year the academic year 600 Guides from across the 600 Guides from across the University were paired up with University were paired up with freshmen in an approximate 1:5 ratio freshmen in an approximate 1:5 ratio Guides focus on social, personal, Guides focus on social, personal, and experiential aspect of the and experiential aspect of the student experience, thereby student experience, thereby supporting the academic mission of supporting the academic mission of the University the University
Guide to Personal Success Guide to Personal Success Program Program All 2,550 incoming freshmen have been assigned a All 2,550 incoming freshmen have been assigned a University Guide University Guide 600 Participating Guides: 600 Participating Guides: – Office of the President Office of the President – Student and Academic Support Services Student and Academic Support Services – EVP&T EVP&T – Government, International, and Community Relations Government, International, and Community Relations – Human Resources Human Resources – General Counsel General Counsel – Communications Communications – Alumni and Advancement Alumni and Advancement – Academic Affairs Academic Affairs – Young Alumni Young Alumni – Student Leaders Student Leaders *all students have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and are in *all students have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and are in excellent standing with the University, including excellent standing with the University, including judicially. judicially. Extensive training of Guides that spanned 3 days Extensive training of Guides that spanned 3 days (*videotaped for future Guides) (*videotaped for future Guides)
Program Logistics Program Logistics Combination of prescribed meetings Combination of prescribed meetings for ‘touchpoints’ and informal for ‘touchpoints’ and informal gatherings and communications gatherings and communications 1 1 st meeting takes place within the st meeting takes place within the first week of school to begin first week of school to begin relationship, get acquainted, touch relationship, get acquainted, touch base on any first week difficulties, base on any first week difficulties, etc. etc. Lunch in October paid for by Lunch in October paid for by University: Guides take out students University: Guides take out students individually as well as in groups to individually as well as in groups to facilitate social interaction among facilitate social interaction among new peers ($25 per student) new peers ($25 per student)
Program Logistics Program Logistics Third and final ‘prescribed’ meeting Third and final ‘prescribed’ meeting takes place after Thanksgiving break takes place after Thanksgiving break right before final exams to check in right before final exams to check in with student, see how they are doing, with student, see how they are doing, provide resources before finals if provide resources before finals if need be, etc need be, etc 2 meetings during Spring semester 2 meetings during Spring semester expected, one when students return expected, one when students return from Winter Break (discuss transition from Winter Break (discuss transition back, goals for 2 nd semester, etc) and back, goals for 2 nd semester, etc) and one after Spring Break and before one after Spring Break and before final exams begin final exams begin
Trainings and Preparations Trainings and Preparations All Guides went through All Guides went through extensive three day summer extensive three day summer training prior to beginning training prior to beginning their Guide responsibilities their Guide responsibilities Core themes of training: Core themes of training: -Psychosocial and Behavioral -Psychosocial and Behavioral -Student Life and Engagement -Student Life and Engagement -Communication -Communication
Guide to Personal Success Guide to Personal Success Program Program Psychosocial and Behavioral Psychosocial and Behavioral Training Training University Counseling Center (UCC) and University Counseling Center (UCC) and QPR Training (Question, Persuade, QPR Training (Question, Persuade, Refer: working with students in Refer: working with students in distress). QPR Training provided distress). QPR Training provided through UCC Grant. through UCC Grant. Center for Alcohol and other Drug Center for Alcohol and other Drug Education Education Office of Student Judicial Services Office of Student Judicial Services University Police Department University Police Department Registrar: Family Educational Rights Registrar: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Privacy Act
Guide to Personal Success Program Guide to Personal Success Program Student Life and Engagement Student Life and Engagement Training Training Student Activities Center Student Activities Center Office of Community Service Office of Community Service Colonial Central Colonial Central Greek Life Greek Life GW Housing Programs GW Housing Programs Mount Vernon Campus Mount Vernon Campus Multicultural Student Services Multicultural Student Services Center Center
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