Partnering for Student Success The Bridge to Clemson University Program

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Partnering for Student SuccessThe
Bridge to Clemson University Program

• Sue Whorton
• Clemson University
• National Institute for the Study of Transfer
  Students
• January 23-25, 2008

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What will this workshop cover?

• Description
• Bridge to Clemson Program
• Clemson Univ./TCTC partnership
• Flagas (2002) model of transfer transition
• Bridge Program student success and transition
  strategies
• Advising
• Orientation

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What will you leave with today?

• Understanding of
• Bridge Program structure and goals
• Clemson/TCTC partnership
• Flagas transfer transition model
• Programmatic initiatives for successful
  transition and transfer
• At least one take away idea

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What is the Bridge Program?

• Collaborative first-year academic and residential
  life program between Clemson University and
  Tri-County Technical College (TCTC)
• Complete first-year courses at TCTC
• Seamless transfer to Clemson for sophomore year

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What are the Bridge requirements?

• Apply for Clemson freshman admission
• Complete 30 credits with 2.5 GPA
• Live in Bridge Program housing

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What factors led to creation of Bridge?

• High demand for Clemson degree
• Increase access to Clemson
• Affordable option
• Opportunity for increased collaboration with
  local technical college

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What are the Bridge goals?

• Increase access to Clemson for qualified students
• Deliver high quality first-year experience
• Provide opportunity to complete all required
  first-year courses
• Prepare students for successful transition to
  Clemson
• Connect students to Clemson

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Bridge Model
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It takes a village.

• Clemson University
• Academic Affairs
• Undergraduate Studies
• Admissions
• Academic Advising
• Academic Success Center
• Student Affairs
• New Student Programs
• Housing
• Parking Services

• Tri County Technical College
• Academic Affairs
• Arts and Sciences Division
• Academic Advising
• Business Affairs
• Student Affairs
• Office of Collaboration
• Admissions
• Registrar
• Financial Aid

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How is Flagas (2002) model used?

• LEARNING RESOURCES
• Tools utilized by students to gain information
  and learn about the campus environment and
  academic system
• CONNECTING
• Concerned with development of relationships with
  others in the academic, social and physical
  environments
• FAMILIARITY
• Develops as students internalize information
  they gathered and begin to feel more comfortable
  with their new environment
• NEGOTIATING
• Occurs when students adjust their behaviors and
  surroundings as necessary to be successful within
  the academic, social and physical environment
• INTEGRATING
• Change that results from students processing
  their academic, social and physical experiences
  and interactions

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What assessment tools have been used?

• Student Survey
• Parent Survey
• Review of electronic communications
• Review of Bridge Program Documents
• Review of grade data
• Focus Group

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What did students tell us?

• Reasons for Selecting Bridge
• Provided opportunity to attend Clemson
• Opportunity to use Clemson services
• To attend a SC university
• To be near friends enrolled at Clemson
• Lower first year costs
• Clemson is a family tradition
• Liked the connection to Clemson

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What did students tell us?

• Strengths
• Instruction at TCTC
• Housing Facility
• Orientation
• Access to Clemson advising staff
• Improvement
• Orientation
• Academic Advising
• Sense of Connection to Clemson

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How have we used the results?

• Orientation
• Earlier placement testing
• Addressed registration issues
• Offered two sessions
• Advising
• Created advising manual
• Created course equivalency list
• Created Bridge-specific worksheets
• Monthly visits by Clemson advisors

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How have we used the results?

• Academic Support
• Increased SI and tutoring services
• Communication
• Creation of ePortal
• Parent newsletter
• Summer Start
• Encouraged students needing prerequisite courses
  to enroll in summer session

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How have we used the results?

• Connecting to Clemson
• Access to football tickets
• Increased communication about Clemson events
• Instituted monthly all-Bridge meetings
• Invites to Clemson events

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What will be the success indicators?

• Percentage of students who have completed
  required first-year courses for their intended
  major will increase
• Percentage of students who successfully complete
  Bridge Program requirements will meet or exceed
  projections
• Percentage of Bridge students enrolling at
  Clemson for sophomore year will meet or exceed
  projections

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What will be the success indicators?

• Levels of academic and social integration will be
  higher for Bridge students than non-Bridge
  transfers
• Level of student satisfaction with Bridge Program
  services will be at satisfied or higher
• Comparison Groups Clemson FTF and TCTC
  University Transfer (non-Bridge) students

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What are our future plans?

• Administer student and parent surveys in spring
  2008
• Survey CU Bridge and transfer sophomores and
  conduct focus groups in spring 2008
• Review of persistence and graduation data
• Develop long-range enrollment plan for growing
  Bridge Program

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For More Information

• Sue Whorton
• Director, Bridge to Clemson and Transfer
  Academic Programs
• whorton_at_clemson.edu
• 864-656-6256
• http//www.clemson.edu/prospectivestudents/underg
  raduate/bridge/
• http//www.tctc.edu/bridge/bridge_prog.htm