University of Memphis vice provost of Undergraduate Programs and political science professor Shannon Blanton recently received a $40,000 grant from the Tennessee Board of Regents to enact the "Academic Coaching for Students on Academic Warning" program.
The grant was from the TBR's Student Engagement, Retention and Success program, which is designed to pilot projects that focus on "the achievement of measurable improvement in the engagement, retention and success of identified categories of students."
"We are constantly looking for ways to improve the learning experience for our students, and to support them," Blanton said. "Getting this grant from TBR is going to be really helpful for us to explore academic coaching as an option."
In the program, students on academic warning will be paired with an academic coach that will meet with them on an individual basis in order to help them set goals and develop a career path. Coaches are comprised of graduate students with specializations in counseling-related fields.
"The idea is that this is an individual that provides a human face to the university, and will be able to provide extra support to the student," Blanton said. "Whether it's tutoring, counseling, time management, study skills or just being there to explain anything that is puzzling to a student."
As per the requirements for the grant outlined by the TBR the program must "serve underrepresented or other targeted student populations - including, but not limited to, underrepresented minorities, the economically disadvantaged, non-traditional students, and persons with disabilities," or "have the potential to significantly increase and/or impact educational attainment or diversity initiatives at the institution."
The program will focus on freshman who have been placed on academic warning, meaning that the student completed their first semester with a sub 2.0 GPA. While the pilot will focus only on continuing freshman this year the University hopes to eventually expand the program.
"One of the things that we are explicitly doing with this grant is trying to incorporate technology into the coaching," Blanton said. "So you will have that human interaction, but were also incorporating something called 'Degree Compass.'"
Degree Compass is a software designed by TBR Vice Chancellor Tristan Denley, to help students identify which courses they will be most successful at.
"It's a way for students to explore their own interests, and begin to figure out which major suits them and is most strongly aligned with their own interests," Blanton said.
Around 400 to 600 students are expected to be a part of the program with a greater number of students on academic warning during the spring semester.
"The hope is that if we pair them with academic coaches then we can get them back on track, and they will be able to complete their degree successfully," Blanton said.
