Guest Post: Choice Scholars Summer Institute

Today, two faculty members from the Harper College Department of Academic Success dish the details of a successful bridge program for developmental ed students. Thanks for the heads up, Shante Bishop and Stephanie Whalen!

The Choice Scholars Summer Institute at William Rainey Harper College, an Achieving the Dream institution in Palatine, Illinois, is a four-week summer experience that develops basic skills (reading, writing, mathematics) through contextualized frameworks to help incoming freshmen prepare for college. The program engages students in problem-based learning, connects them to valuable campus resources, and cultivates relationships between and among Harper faculty and students. The contextualized approach allows students to apply these skills in a practical way. Choice has partnered with both STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) fields and career fields (business, nursing, early childhood education) to provide college-level, industry-grade learning experiences for incoming freshmen.

Program Goals

• Choice placement scores are just below the cusp of college readiness. At the end of the program, students re-test on the placement exam with the hope of placing into college-level courses and bypassing remediation.
• Choice also challenges the prevailing narrative that developmental students are incapable of successful engagement in college-level coursework. In its three years, Choice has demonstrated that a cut-score on a standardized placement exam is not a strong enough indicator of college readiness. Students in the program are engaged and expected to perform at the college level. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skill through improved scores, higher retention, and a capstone project presented annually through a program- sponsored research symposium.   
• Choice also attempts to demystify college expectations, forge relationships among faculty and students, acclimate students to the campus, and help them transition seamlessly from high school to college during the critical first semester. Students are introduced to career fields and learning opportunities that lay the foundation in developing a professional identity, better preparing them for the workforce. This year, we welcomed Motorola Solutions as a partner, as part of the Skills for America’s Future initiative commissioned by the Obama Administration. Motorola facilitated a series of lunch-and-learn opportunities called, “Motorola Moments”; Motorola professionals provided Choice students with etiquette and industry knowledge on topics such as critical thinking, innovation, marketing, communication, interviewing, and job safety.

Program Activities

• Professional Seminar Series: Industry experts are invited to a weekly lecture series where students are able to learn about specific opportunities and qualifications in a career field.
• Problem-Based Learning: Students explore and discover answers to real-world challenges, deepening critical thinking and moving from procedural to more dynamic learning. 
• Research Symposium: At the conclusion of the four- week program, students present the results of an inquiry-based learning to a panel of faculty experts and invited guests from the college community.
• Diagnostic Development: Students work with faculty who specialize in developmental education, building necessary postsecondary study competencies. Students are given an individualized study plan, customized for their specific developmental needs.
• Peer Mentoring: Each year students who were previously successful in the Choice Scholars Summer Institute are invited to serve as tutors, advisers, and guides for the incoming group.
• Information Literacy & Technical Proficiency: The institute supplements students’ learning with regular meetings with faculty from our college library and Computer Information Systems (CIS) departments. Students develop presentations, compose essays, and manage data using the most current Windows and Mac operating systems.

Program Results

• Improved placement on the COMPASS Exam: Choice participants average between 76 percent improved placement on the reading/writing exam, and 80 – 85 percent improvement on math placements. Students typically move up one level or test out of developmental studies altogether.
• Fall Semester GPA: The average GPA for Harper students is approximately 2.59. Choice Scholars’ average GPA is 2.88.
• Semester Retention: In Spring 2011, 95 percent of Choice Scholars were retained (did not withdraw from courses or the institution).
• Persistence: In Spring 2011, 91 percent of Choice Scholars persisted from fall-to-fall (registered for subsequent semesters).

The Choice Scholars Institute has been embraced by high schools in the surrounding area. The districts have marketed the Choice Scholars program in their schools and high school counselors routinely refer students to the program. Additionally, high schools have been receptive to site visits from former students who were successful in the Choice program as well as Choice faculty and staff. You can read more about the Choice program in the Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune, and the Barrington Courier.

Shante Bishop is an assistant professor in the Department of Academic Success at Harper College; Stephanie Whalen is an instructor in the Department of Academic Success at Harper.