Following its inception in 2016, staff members in the CPASS Office of Student Success have provided leadership in enrollment management, student retention, program completion and post-college achievement. Lindsay Augustine, interim director of enrollment management, said: “Our team does a fantastic job of maintaining a welcoming and engaging environment, which enables us to serve students effectively as they achieve their academic and professional goals.”
All first-year experience programs have the important goal of facilitating the transition to college life. From New Student Orientation on, first-time freshmen have access to a range of transitional programs. Mountaineer Quest is a peer-led, five-day trip that prepares incoming students through participation in outdoor adventure activities like hiking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, sightseeing and service learning. The Early Start program enables students to enroll in an online summer course that incorporates success coaching focused on enhanced college preparedness.
The College Living-Learning Community (LLC) is entering its fourth year of providing an immersive, residential learning experience. The LLC serves around 40 students and allows those students with similar academic interests to live, learn and socialize together. The LLC provides access to exclusive academic, social, service and career-related enrichment opportunities as well. Killeen Schlegel, who coordinates the CPASS community, reports that “The 2017-2018 academic year included a fantastic group of first-year students. Not only was attendance great at programming and dynamics cohesive in the actual residence hall, but our students also achieved higher first-semester GPAs than other CPASS, non-LLC students living on campus.”
Incoming students complete a mandatory first-year seminar that focuses on a range of important issues, including an orientation to the College, strategies for academic success and personal/financial responsibility. These seminars are taught in small groups, blending the delivery of content across online modules and active learning sessions in the classroom. All students also have access to a range of professional advising services, including four-year degree mapping and monitoring of academic progress using a variety of technologies.
WVU Career Services representatives Jessica DiLello and Çağla Çelik are now partnering with CPASS faculty and staff to increase student access to key career supports. DiLello says, “We are excited to be teaming with CPASS to provide students with tailored career counseling, personalized job search strategies, resume and cover letter reviews, and practice interviews. We want students to plan for future personal and professional goals.” This focus on career development is expected to enhance post-college opportunities and achievement for CPASS graduates who pursue a wide range of careers in the social sciences, business and industry, and allied health professions.