“Walkabout” for Success HARPER COLLEGE Center for New Students and Orientation 1200 W. Algonquin Road Palatine, IL 60067 847-925-6208 Vicki Atkinson, Assistant Professor vatkinso@harpercollege.edu Linda Frank, Counselor lfrank@harpercollege.edu
Walkabout” for Success Written permission to reprint required. The Center for New Students and Orientation at Harper College has created an intervention concept called “Walkabout” in order to provide support to new students during critical weeks in each semester.
Walkabout” for Success As a 2 year commuter institution, we have a tremendous challenge as we try to provide services to the 25,000 students who are ON THE MOVE on our campus. Student Development advisors and counselors roam high-traffjc areas, during peak times, in order to answer questions, provide on-the-spot advising and intervention and referral to key service areas.
Why “Walkabout” It’s no secret: Commuter students often lack the time and/or interest to seek support services. It’s no secret: Their needs aren’t being met because they feel the pressure of work, school and family obligations. It’s no secret: Student Afgairs can’t afgord to be perceived as a “luxury”, “if only I had the time” service area, both in terms of student perception and in terms of critical internal marketing concerns on our campuses.
Who does “Walkabout” Counselors and advisors, wearing color- keyed apparel to help students recognize “Walkabout” stafg as members of the New Student Orientation stafg “Walkabout” teams are created; partners paired up to provide high-energy, enthusiastic and extroverted support.
Who does “Walkabout” Volunteers are solicited but this duty isn’t for everyone on our stafg. Some personality types are less comfortable with this technique and in order to preserve the key ingredient in “Walkabout” - an abundance of warmth – only those that are completely comfortable in the role should participate.
When to “Walkabout” Viewed as an extension of Orientation, “Walkabout” occurs following the Welcome Week activities during the fjrst week of school. At Harper, “Walkabout” occurs during the 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th weeks of the semester – to assist with adjustment and transition issues.
When to “Walkabout” “Walkabout” also occurs around midterm, to provide targeted support and relevant reminders to students about academic support, stress and time management and to provide referrals to key offjce areas re: more serious issues.
“Walkabout” Kits Each “Walkabout” team member is required to wear his/her “spirit wear” – to allow for the greatest amount of recognition by students. The Center for New Students has used a branding approach to ensure that all apparel, print materials and supplies are color-keyed to allow students to identify “Walkabout” as an extension of New Student Orientation.
“Walkabout” Kits Each “Walkabout” team member is also required to wear a waist pack, which includes a pedometer. The waist pack has room for business cards, referral information about campus support services and more. Each person records the number of “steps taken” to help new students in each of their shifts.
Walkabout Results In Fall, 2005 – weeks 2, 3 and 4 – stafg members took 59,587 steps to help new students at Harper College! This number – and an article about the efgort – were featured prominently in the employee newsletter, “The Harper Insider”. “Walkabout” has also been nominated by the College for an Illinois Community College Association Innovation Award.
Walkabout Results In addition to serving 403 new students, over 300 continuing students received assistance. As an added bonus, 35 faculty and stafg members were assisted as they posed questions about services in Student Afgairs and/or inquired about support for their students – and sometimes for their family members. Great internal marketing!
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