#United States #Denver #Strong Start #Student Success #First-Year Fellows

New Fellowship Program to Elevate First-Year College Success

A new initiative, the First-Year Success Fellows program, has been launched by Strong Start to Finish, a national network aiming to ensure students successfully complete gateway math and English courses in their first year of college. This groundbreaking program has recently announced its inaugural cohort of six notable leaders, recognized for their significant contributions to improving educational outcomes in higher education. The chosen fellows consist of a diverse group of state policymakers, faculty members, and academic leaders, each bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.

The chosen leaders will collaborate with their respective state systems and institutions to reform educational practices and remove obstacles that hinder student accessibility and progress, especially in the crucial first year of college. According to Dr. Victoria Ballerini, the program’s director, this initiative is essential; for too long, many students found themselves trapped in prerequisite courses that delayed their academic journey instead of facilitating it. The initiative seeks to redefine this experience by providing students with meaningful pathways, effective support, and direct access to credit-bearing coursework.

Across the United States, more than a million students find themselves enrolled each year in expensive noncredit developmental courses that frequently go unfinished. Alarmingly, fewer than one in ten students complete a gateway math or English course under traditional remediation practices. However, a shift is underway as many states move away from conventional developmental models, which have historically proven to impede rather than aid student progress. For instance, in Louisiana, the removal of remedial coursework resulted in an impressive near fivefold increase in the pass rates for gateway math courses.

The inaugural cohort of First-Year Success Fellows consists of distinguished leaders who have demonstrated their commitment to evidence-based reform within their institutions and broader educational landscapes. Among those selected are:

• - Dr. Tristan Denley, the Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Louisiana Board of Regents. He is credited with steering the statewide elimination of remedial coursework, achieving a nearly 500% increase in gateway math pass rates compared to previous years.

• - James Gray, Dean of the Math Division at Pima Community College, leads efforts in co-requisite remediation and mathematical pathway redesign at one of the largest community colleges in the nation.

• - Dr. Amy Moreland, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the Tennessee Board of Regents, has effectively developed the policy infrastructure for corequisite remediation across all community and technical colleges.

• - Rain Newcomb, from the English Department at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, has redesignated developmental courses and contributed to remedial reform focused on equity.

• - Sean Newmiller, Chair of the English, Communication, and World Languages Department at Lake Michigan College, has implemented guided self-placement, thereby reducing reliance on standardized testing in freshman courses.

• - Summer Serpas, Professor of English at Irvine Valley College, has significantly contributed to California's educational reform, helping to support students' rapid progress into transfer-level courses.

These fellows are set to play a pivotal role in shaping public awareness around developmental education reform. As part of Strong Start to Finish's comprehensive initiative, they will engage with policymakers, educators, and the public, highlighting the critical need for effective educational strategies.

Strong Start to Finish aims for every state to put all first-year college students on track to graduate by the year 2040, empowering these students to achieve their academic and career goals.

For more information on the First-Year Success Fellows program and the efforts of Strong Start to Finish, visit StrongStart.org. This initiative, supported by the Education Commission of the States, champions the overhaul of traditional educational structures to ensure every student has equitable access to success during their crucial first year in college.