Category: Student Success and Persistence

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Brooke Allen, academic advisor and tutor coordinator with TRIO Disability Support Services (DSS).

• What role do you think faculty and staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “I think every single interaction that a student has with faculty or staff has an impact on their sense of belonging, perception of themselves and the university, and motivation to persevere when challenges arise. One of the most important things we can do to support students and encourage their success is to make sure our interactions are supportive, helpful and positive.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “As an advisor with TRIO Disability Support Services, I have the unique opportunity to support students with a wide range of issues and decisions they may be facing as they navigate their college experience. From the minute I meet the students I have the pleasure of working with, I make a genuine effort to build meaningful and lasting relationships with them. I strive to ensure WSU students who participate in TRIO DSS know they have someone they can go to whenever and however its needed, whether that’s celebrating their accomplishments or being there for them through difficult circumstances.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Lubna Aldulaimi.

Lubna — a senior majoring in exercise science — made her way to Wichita State after graduating from Tomball High School in Tomball, Texas. She is currently a member of the track and field team.

Lubna found it difficult balancing the time required for school, work, track and family, and was worried about asking for the help she needed for fear of it being seen as her making excuses. However, she was able to find support through Kristyn Waits, design educator and communication manager for the College of Innovation and Design, who saw Lubna struggling and offered her an extension in her class.

“I just needed someone to press pause and let me catch back up and Kristyn Waits did that for me. One day, we had a major project due that I was very behind on, but I didn’t want to ask for extra time because I didn’t want my professor to think I was this bum athlete who is just looking to make excuses. She was able to notice me and gave me an extension without me asking for it. Maybe she couldn’t see how drained I was mentally, but that gesture meant so much to me. I really appreciated it so much. We only get to see her once a week, yet that day, I felt the most cared for. That extension on my project gave me the time I needed to breathe and catch back up with life.”

Waits says that faculty need to be aware of what students are dealing with outside of the classroom to better serve their needs and make sure they succeed in their studies.

“I think it’s important to remember that our classes are not the only thing our students are focused on. Many students work, have families, are involved in various organizations, play sports or, in Lubna’s case, all of the above. Having some empathy for students is the least we can do as faculty.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

Dr. Pamela O’Neal, associate director of student engagement in the Office of Online and Adult Learning, has received the first Adult Learner Advocate Certification from the Urban Adult Learner Institute (UALI).

She completed the four required components from UALI to receive the certification, which enabled her to hone and sharpen her skillset for serving adult learners at WSU.

“As an adult learner myself, I understand firsthand the struggles and advantages of obtaining a degree later in life” O’Neal said. “Earning the certificate is a testament of the dedication I employ in being an advocate for our adult learners at Wichita State.”

O’Neal also cohosts the Shockers Learning Out Loud podcast with Dr. Amber Anderson, associate director of enrollment and retention, discussing adult learning topics and the challenges faced by adult learners. Two seasons are available for streaming now.

Any faculty or staff would like to earn their Adult Learner Advocate Certification can contact O’Neal at pamela.oneal@wichita.edu or 316-978-8315 for more information.

Shockers,

As another semester comes to an end, some undergraduate students may start to receive information regarding their eligibility to receive an Associate of Arts (AA) degree this fall. These AA degrees are a celebration of your achievements so far during your time with Wichita State.

The AA degree is just a steppingstone to your goal of earning your bachelor’s degree. Eligible students will receive further information via email in January. The AA degrees will be awarded to all students who meet the degree requirements after each semester’s end.

As further recognition for your accomplishments so far, the WSU’s Provost Office will host an event in the spring for all students who receive their AA degree. More information on the event will be available at a later date.

AA degrees exist under the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students can contact the Registrar’s Office at 316-978-3055 for further information about the process.

Wichita State congratulates all Shockers on their achievements so far and will continue to support them in their pursuit of their bachelor’s degrees.

Starting this fall semester, undergraduate Shockers working toward their bachelor’s degrees who meet the requirements will automatically be awarded associate degrees.

While Wichita State has offered an Associate of Arts (AA) degree for some time, the new initiative will award the AA degree automatically every semester to undergraduate students who meet the requirements while they pursue their bachelor’s degree. The degree is awarded to celebrate their achievement of making it halfway to their bachelor’s.

The AA degree exists under the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students can contact the Registrar’s Office at 316-978-3055 for further information about the process.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Kara McCluskey, associate educator for the Department of Applied Engineering in the College of Engineering.

• What role do you think faculty/staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “As a faculty member, I believe we can play a big role in student’s success and persistence. We need to set a high expectation level but make sure students know we believe in them and know they can succeed. By listening to students and getting to know what they are passionate about, we can guide them to a career path they will succeed in. We also help students by letting them know it’s ok to stumble along the way in their academic journey, and we are here to help them get back on track.”
• What is one small thing any faculty/staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “Getting to know students and letting them know you care is the single most important thing a faculty member can do. I ask students how their days are going as they walk into my class. Giving them encouragement and empathy when their days aren’t going well and celebrating the positives on good days is a small way of letting them know I care about them. It makes my day better when students come early to class just to share something about their day with me.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “Faculty advising is a time when I get to know students and their career goals. Before teaching, I worked in industry, so I share my perspectives with students and give them advice when they are finding their ‘dream’ job.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Trevr Bahr.

Trevr — senior majoring in applied engineering with a concentration in facilities management — a Burlington, Kansas native who graduated from Burlington High School, will be one of the first students to graduate from the facilities management concentration.

He says that faculty and staff need to remember what students’ needs are, and understand how the work they are assigned impacts their education, but in his department, he has found faculty who understand what student life is like and have helped him succeed inside and outside of the classroom, notably Kara McCluskey, associate professor of engineering.

“Kara McCluskey has always been very helpful with academic advising. She assisted me through the new curriculum. Also, Kara is connected with industry and set me up with an internship after my freshman year of college.”

McCluskey is excited to see how well Trevr has done in the program and is excited to see where his career will take him.

“Trevr is an outstanding student and will be a highly successful facility manager. We could not have asked for a better student to be the first graduate from this program. He will be a great representative of Wichita State.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Mercedes Lubbers, student success and retention specialist in the Business Student Success Center.

• What role do you think faculty/staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “I think faculty and staff, outside of finances, play one of the largest roles in a student’s success and persistence. I feel it is my job to make my students feel understood, supported and cared about while guiding them because I remember what it felt like to be a student who struggled and at the end of the day, the faculty that supported me and who made me feel important were the reason why I successfully graduated (shout out to the English department).”
• What is one small thing any faculty/staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “I think one of the easiest things we can do is making genuine eye contact with our full attention as we ask a student, ‘How are you?’ or ‘How was your weekend?’ Some question, whatever it may be, that allows you to show consideration and active interest in the student’s answer. Some questions are easy to throw out there as habit, but people can tell when the question is asked as formality and when it is asked from genuine care.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “It depends on how we define student success. For me, student success is when a student realizes what the best option, path or resolution is for them. I think this is where my strength lies since I engage students as individuals and care about their experiences and what they’re going through. I utilize a ‘strengths’ mindset and will go over with students their strengths and areas they feel they need support; I ask them open-ended questions, and when requested, offer my own personal experiences and perspective to help them look at situations with more clarity, so that they ultimately draw—or learn to accept—their own solutions. This is ultimately why I love being an advisor and working with students.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Truong “Max” Duong.

Max — a junior majoring in music education with a concentration in piano and a resident assistant at Shocker Hall — came to Wichita State from Hanoi, Vietnam after earning his Associate of Keyboard Performance from the Military University of Culture and Arts. Max is also a cultural ambassador at the Office of International Education, treasurer for the American Choral Director Association chapter at WSU and a teacher assistant at Juniper Arts Academy.

Max promotes more diversity training in education, as he believes future educators will have to navigate increasingly more diverse classrooms. He has found other faculty and staff members who have similar beliefs who have pushed him to succeed, one of whom is Andréa Banke, assistant professor in the School of Music.

“The two biggest things I learned from Professor Banke are passion and empathy. She has an endless passion for music and education, and this is reflected evidently in her lessons. Furthermore, Professor Banke’s above-and-beyond educational assistance, such as extended office hours and advocacy for women’s rights and the LGBT community, show her aspiration to provide appropriate help to all students in her classroom.”

Banke appreciates Max’s capacity and enthusiasm in the classroom and in the field of music, as she also sees the future of the field growing more diverse.

“Of all the many wonderful attributes that come to mind when describing Max, the foremost is his intellectual curiosity. Max frequently arrives to class early, and stays late, to ask questions about content, further study or — my favorite — musical applications that he’s found during the week on his own. Whether it be K-pop, movie soundtracks or Mozart, Max incorporates and applies our learning to his musical life. More importantly, he approaches his studies with me with such joy and rigor. Our field is rich, diverse and evolving rapidly, and Max is a perfect example of this evolution. He will be a force in any classroom as an educator to the next generation of young musicians.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Andréa Banke, assistant professor of music theory and program director for the Master of Arts in Arts Leadership and Management.

• What role do you think faculty/staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “I think we can proactively foster a classroom environment in which students feel heard, seen and comfortable seeking support, both academically and emotionally, if they need it. And everybody will need it at some point. Frequent and regular office hours are a must, especially in applications-based courses like the ones I teach. The one thing I try to stress above everything else is to engage in the process, don’t chase the reward. The process and progress is so much more important than the grade, and here’s a success secret: if you deeply engage in and commit to the process, you’ll get the result you want faster than if you had just chased the grade anyway.”
• What is one small thing any faculty/staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “Greet them whenever you see them — in the hallway, foyers, etc. Students who feel seen will connect better in class. Observe and describe without judgment: ‘I see you’re struggling this week. How can I help?’ then listen to the reply. The best conversations are not started with a discussion of a grade or an absence.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “Our field of music has historically been dominated by white, male composers. My goal is to create a diverse classroom advocating for, and using as examples, women composers, BIPOC composers and LGTBQ musicians. When students see themselves represented, they thrive.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.