Category: Student Success and Persistence

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Dr. Mercy Umeri, assistant teaching professor and MiniMPA coordinator in Fairmount College’s Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs.

• What role do you think faculty and staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “As a faculty member, the core of our work is to ensure the success of students beyond the classroom. We must believe in the ability of our students to succeed. We must let our students know that they are co-producers of their knowledge and that we are the facilitators. We can empower them, even if they are still figuring out their career paths. This shift in mindset encourages students to stay engaged and committed to their studies and to know that they have what it takes to succeed. We must take time out to walk them through the difficulties they’re facing and point them to other resources that will help them succeed. As a first generation college student, I understand firsthand the importance of having faculty members who believe in you and push you to succeed.”
• What is one small thing any faculty and staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “We can all do better with listening to our students more. Our students are doing their best to combine life and studies and sometimes, they may get overwhelmed. I try to come to class a little early so I can chat with my students before class. I have my office hours, but I always want my students to know that they can always talk to me, not just when they have challenges with my course. Listening to them in a ‘non-formal’ setting helps you listen to some of the challenges they face, ones they may not ordinarily share. Sometimes, after listening to them, all they need is a little nudge and encouragement to continue to stay engaged.”

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.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has approved Wichita State’s Quality Initiative Proposal for the university’s Student Success and Persistence (SSP) initiative.

WSU participates in Open Pathway, a model of accreditation from the HLC, which seeks to offer greater value to institutions and greater credibility to the public in its quality assurance. This accreditation process requires institutions to undertake a major Quality Initiative designed to suit its present concerns or aspirations. A Quality Initiative is typically designed to begin and be completed during a designated time frame, or it may be one that continues an initiative already in progress or achieve a key milestone in the work of a longer initiative. Quality Initiatives are intended to allow institutions to take risks, aim high and learn from only partial success or even failure.

SSP focuses on SEM goal three, “increase persistence rates of degree-seeking student populations” with efforts centered around the four recommendations from the National Institute for Student Success in the report commissioned by the Kansas Board of Regents. The goal is to increase retention and graduation rates for students and to narrow the equity gap between the university’s underserved and non-underserved student populations. SSP is a university-wide initiative. 

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Chris Megonigle.

Chris — a senior majoring in health science and minoring in public health and health care management — enrolled at Wichita State after graduating from Mulvane High School.

After struggling to find success in college in his first attempt, Chris gave it another go in his adulthood and found faculty in the Department of Public Health Sciences who supported him and were actively engaged in making sure he was able to keep up with his schoolwork and personal life without burning out. The faculty members he is most thankful for are Sarah Taylor, director of undergraduate programs and associate educator; Dr. Stephen Arnold, professor; and Dr. Suzanne Hawley, professor.

“Taylor was my point of contact when I was recovering from the signs of burnout apathy and listened and provided feedback as I returned to WSU. Dr. Arnold has been instrumental in planning the next steps of my education, inspiring me to take a path that I had not thought about previously and providing guidance and support as I begin to apply to graduate education programs post-WSU. Dr. Hawley looked beyond the academic setting and made a connection with me as a person and understood that, while there are students who have the ‘typical college experience,’ there are a great amount at WSU who do not. As I prepare to leave WSU, I could not be more grateful to those three for keeping the light on at the end of a very long and arduous tunnel.”

Taylor says that faculty and staff need to take a proactive approach to finding and helping students who are struggling in school, even if they aren’t displaying any signs of concern, and let them know that they are always available for concerns inside and outside of the classroom.

“As faculty, we should want our students to feel comfortable coming to us to ask questions about class, or let us know if they are struggling outside of class, so that we can best help them through the variety of services available to them at WSU.”

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 Sarah Taylor, director of undergraduate programs and associate educator for the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health Professions.

• What is one small thing any faculty or staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “As faculty, we have more ‘face-to-face’ time with students than most anyone else on campus. It’s important that we use our role to help and encourage students. I believe a really easy way faculty can do this is by showing students they care about them. This can be done in a variety of ways, through Blackboard announcements, individualized feedback in Blackboard on assignments, an email to a student who hasn’t been attending class or turning in work, and by acknowledging the student’s struggle when responding to an email.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “Through the past academic year, the Retention Faculty Fellows hosted monthly Teaching Matters events for faculty to gather and discuss ways to increase student retention. Some great ideas came out of these events, including giving students a way to connect in class to learn about campus activities outside of class. We discussed providing a few minutes during class for students to give announcements about upcoming activities they are planning to attend as an invitation to others to come with them. One student on our panel during this discussion said this was how he had become more involved on campus because he knew at least one person who was going to attend and that made him feel more comfortable. It’s important for students to find their community on campus as those who feel connected to faculty and other students are more likely to persist.”

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 Aisha Waite, department chair for the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences in the College of Health Professions.

• What role do you think faculty and staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “Faculty and staff are a big part of the support system that helps students succeed. We need to notice the progress made by each student, even if it is a little bit, and be excited for them. It’s about cheering for them in those moments when you know they have given their all and reassuring them that you believed in them from the get-go. I have found students want to work harder when they know you believe in them and know that you are willing to work just as hard for them. It is our responsibility to teach and guide students who will become our future. If we don’t show the excitement and passion for our fields, no one will.”
• What is one small thing any faculty or staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “Listen: I truly believe that students end up answering their own questions if they feel they can talk to someone who is sincerely listening to them. As a listener, you have a responsibility to respect the conversation that is occurring, which makes the student trust you and feel like there is genuine care for them. A sense of ‘I am where I need to be at’ builds support and confidence.
  Make them laugh or smile: Throughout the semester, I feel it is essential to make students laugh or smile, which makes them see you as a human. It makes your class memorable and fun, and when you have fun, you want to learn more.”

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 Dr. Chelsea Redger-Marquardt, assistant dean of the Cohen Honors College.

• What is one small thing any faculty or staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “Build rapport with your students. Listen to them — they are fantastic humans. Dream with them — make suggestions for courses, programs or opportunities that you think the student would be great for. A person telling you that they think you would be awesome at doing something goes a long way in building confidence and a student seeing themselves as a part of a community or experience.”
• What role do you think faculty and staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “It’s vital. Every chance you get to interact with a student; every class you teach, every program you host, every service you provide is a chance to create a moment for a student — hopefully one that inspires, makes them curious and reinforces that they matter.”

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.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Meghann Kuhlmann, instruction and research services librarian and associate professor for WSU Libraries.

• What is one small thing any faculty or staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “When we interact with students, we can take an extra step beyond the inquiry at hand and ask how their studies are going in general or if there’s anything more they need to feel supported. That can go a long way toward making students feel welcome on campus and help identify issues they might not have thought to bring up initially.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “Students sometimes feel uncomfortable asking questions because of a belief that they ‘should’ already know certain things or be able to figure it out themselves. I try to encourage students to ask questions by letting them know it’s a strength to seek out resources and reminding them that faculty and staff are here to support them every step of the way.”

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 McKinzie McWilliam.

McKinzie — a junior majoring in elementary education and minoring in organizational leadership and learning — came to Wichita State after graduating from Miami High School in Amoret, Missouri.

McKinzie found support through working for Stephanie Cockrell, director of graduate programs in the Barton School of Business. She says that Cockrell’s support pushed her to succeed and eventually work as a peer coach and transition mentor in the Office of Student Success, helping other students succeed at Wichita State just as Cockrell did for her.

“I would have neither of these positions without Stephanie. When I met her, I had just failed a semester. After one semester with her, I made the dean’s list. If you had asked me when I met her where I saw myself in three years, it wouldn’t be here doing this. I have these jobs because of her, and I do them to try and be that person to someone else. Even though Stephanie is no longer my boss, I still do check-ins with her and think of what she would tell me to do when I am struggling.”

Cockrell says that faculty and staff have a unique responsibility in helping promote student success.

“Working closely with students to help them achieve their dreams is truly a privilege. As faculty and staff, it is our responsibility to meet students where they are and empower them to discover their full potential. The best thing we can do for students is connect them to the amazing resources available at WSU. Success Coaching, Shocker Learning Center, Care Team, ODI, Disability Services, advising, Financial Aid, Counseling and Prevention Services, TRIO and so much more are here to help students thrive both personally and academically. Together we can make a difference in a student reaching graduation. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to watch McKinzie grow as a student and a leader on campus.”

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.

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 through the initiative, 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.