2020-2021 Innovation of the Year Award Winner: Tallahassee Community College

Expanding a Culture of Care Through Academic Success Coaching and Embedded Tutoring

With the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tallahassee Community College sought to target student needs through a personalized Academic Success Coaching and Embedded Tutoring model utilizing strategic outreach services to all first-time enrolled students. The college hired 10 Academic Success Coaches with an assigned caseload of approximately 235 students. Coaches were trained to identify needs based upon students’ academic pathways and enrollment in gateway courses. Weekly nudge campaigns included 52,566 texts, 433 calls, 13,340 emails, and 973 early alerts. Coaches partnered with faculty and tutors to offer 1:1 conferencing, test reviews, tips on study skills, and time management. Specialists worked to embed critical academic support into the virtual classroom and provide one-on-one and small group assistance. The resulting strategies, coupled with the dedication of faculty engaged in high-impact practices, led to an increase in student success across all demographics by nearly 9 percent collegewide among first-time-in-college students, including Black and Hispanic.

Innovators

  • Jennifer Bradley, Academic Coordinator, Academic Affairs
  • Brielle Crooms, Executive Assistant, Academic Affairs
  • Samantha DeZerga, Success Coach, Learning Commons
  • Angela Long, Director, Strategic Initiatives
  • Calandra Stringer, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
  • Nicholas Vick, Director, Learning Commons
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