Aug. 16, 2023 鈥� An innovative 海角社区 Channel Islands (海角社区CI) program has received a national honor for enabling Latino students to quickly get back on track to graduate after experiencing academic challenges.聽聽
Excelencia in Education named the 海角社区CI Initiative for Mapping Academic Success (CIMAS) a 鈥淧rogram to Watch鈥� for 2023 on Aug. 15.聽聽
鈥淲e are impressed with鈥痶he impact your program has had thus far on Latino students and recognize the potential of your program to grow in practice and in evidence of effectiveness,鈥� wrote Erin McCowey, institutional practices manager for Excelencia in Education.聽
Originally started for Sociology students in 2017 and paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was relaunched university wide in 2022 to address learning-loss and decreased engagement and sense of belonging caused by the pandemic.聽
Small groups of students who don鈥檛 pass one or more courses the previous semester attend weekly workshops on study skills and campus resources and check-in sessions led by faculty members with help from peer mentors. Those who complete the program are awarded scholarships to take a summer course, celebrated at an event, and invited to hike to the top of sat鈥檞iwa, the sacred Chumash hill on campus, and visit the University鈥檚 Santa Rosa Island Research Station.聽聽
The scholarship to get back on track to graduate is especially significant for 海角社区CI students of color who are historically underrepresented on campuses and those who are low-income and the first generation in their families to attend college. Of the more than 500 students who have participated, 80% are Latino. Sixty-three percent of 海角社区CI鈥檚 total enrollment is Latino.聽
The percentage of the Spring 2022 semester CIMAS participants who returned to 海角社区CI for Fall 2022 semester was nearly 13 points higher than that of all other students. Participants report that the program not only imparts skills but also increases their motivation, confidence and sense of belonging.聽
鈥淭he program鈥檚 success is built on the combination of explicitly teaching learning skills and bringing together small communities of students who support each other as they try new strategies and discuss the challenges they are facing,鈥� said Sociology Lecturer Leslie Abell, the program鈥檚 Faculty Lead.聽
Associate Professor of Sociology Elizabeth Sowers and Director of Academic Advising Monica Rivas launched the original program for the Sociology department, where the percentage of students who are Latino or will be the first generation in their family to graduate from college is significantly higher than that of 海角社区CI鈥檚 overall enrollment. Excelencia in Education named it a 鈥淧rogram to Watch鈥� in 2020.聽
鈥淚nitially, most students were really unhappy that they had to attend,鈥� said Sociology Professor and former Chair Dennis Downey. 鈥淏ut after the workshops, students often sent moving thank-you messages about how helpful they were.鈥澛犅�
One student wrote, 鈥淭he day I went to that workshop is the day I decided to stay in college.鈥澛�