In collaboration with nonprofit InsideTrack,
Johnson C. Smith University reports a
3% lift in first-year student persistence from Fall 2023 to Spring
2024 after implementing a success coaching program
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson C.
Smith University (JCSU), a private non-profit Historically
Black University ranked as one of the top HBCUs in North Carolina by U.S. News & World
Report that serves over 1,000 students, 78% of which identify
as Black or African American, today announced initial results from
a new holistic student support initiative designed to boost
first-year retention and persistence. Through a collaboration with
national student success nonprofit InsideTrack and UNCF (United
Negro College Fund), the university provided a dedicated success
coach to every member of the first-year class, leading to a 3% jump
in persistence among those who had a student success coach from
Fall 2023 to Spring 2024.
"Despite the current challenging economic environment for higher
education, HBCUs are experiencing a period of growth and renewal: a
growing number of students are choosing HBCUs because of the rich
educational experiences, lifelong bonds, and deep sense of
community and belonging that they provide," said Dr. Valerie Kinloch, president of Johnson C. Smith University, which recently
observed its 151st commencement exercises. "This work is reflective
of our commitment to ensuring that students not only have the
opportunity to access higher education, but also the high-touch
support needed to achieve their education and career goals."
While HBCUs account for just 3% of all four-year nonprofit
colleges and universities, they enroll 10% of all Black college
students and produce almost 20% of all African American graduates.
In the last few years, there has been a resurgence in interest from
donors, prospective students, employers, and communities in HBCUs.
HBCU graduates can expect to earn an additional $927,000 in their lifetime, or 56% more than they
could expect to earn without a degree or certificate from an
HBCU.
JCSU's student success coaching initiative is an extension of an
ambitious multi-year effort designed to improve student enrollment
and retention rates through a focus on creating seamless student
pathways from enrollment to career entry.
To help achieve this impressive improvement in student success
and persistence among its diverse first-year class, JCSU engaged
InsideTrack, whose innovative methods have been proven to increase
student persistence and graduation, to provide one-on-one success
coaching to all of its first-year students. The university was the
first of ten campuses to receive Coaching Development &
Training from InsideTrack, which will enable JCSU to build an
in-house coaching program over time. The coaching partnership was
made possible with support from the HBCU Transformation Project, a
collaboration between UNCF (United Negro College Fund), Thurgood
Marshall College Fund (TMCF), and Partnership for Education
Advancement (Ed Advancement).
Throughout the initial partnership, which began in June of 2023,
95% of first-year students met with a student success coach at
least once, and 80% of students met with success coaches at least
twice. First-year students who received success coaching also
maintained strong GPAs, with 47% of freshmen engaged in coaching
earning a GPA of 3.0 or higher, while 80% earned a GPA of 2.0 or
higher. Six coaches were trained in the initial stage of the
partnership during the summer of 2023, and four additional coaches
were trained during the fall semester.
Through one-on-one meetings and multichannel outreach that
meets learners where they are and when they need support, the
coaching program empowers JCSU students to clarify their academic,
career, and personal goals and create a plan for achieving them, as
well as identify potential obstacles and ways to overcome them.
"Today's HBCU leaders are proving that these engines of economic
mobility are in many ways uniquely equipped to provide the kind of
highly-personalized support that their students are often seeking,"
said Malika Clinkscales, senior
associate vice president at InsideTrack. "The program's impressive
success in just its first year is a testament to the comprehensive
and forward-looking approach of the JCSU leadership team."
The success coaching initiative is an extension of the
university's commitment to utilizing a comprehensive and
multi-pronged approach to improving student outcomes. Leaders from
the university are using data from a range of sources to derive a
better understanding of the complex factors that influence student
success.
This partnership was an extension of a long-running initiative
between InsideTrack and UNCF, which is now in the third year of a
multi-year, multi-campus partnership that is focused on boosting
HBCU student enrollment and success through the power of
coaching.
For more information on JCSU and its efforts to improve student
success, visit jcsu.edu.
About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven
nonprofit that fuels positive change by empowering and advancing
all learners to achieve their educational and career goals through
the transformative power of coaching. We help people get the
education they need to enhance well-being, create opportunity and
secure meaningful employment — ultimately facilitating economic and
social mobility. Since 2001, we have served over 3.5 million
learners, partnering with more than 380 institutions and
organizations to directly improve enrollment, retention,
completion, and career advancement – tailoring our coaching
outcomes to fit the needs of our partners and the learners they
support. Our coaching methodology is evidence-based and
research-confirmed, supporting all types of learners at every stage
of their journey — especially those who face systemic barriers to
postsecondary success. We are a catalyst for transformational
impact, ultimately empowering learners and the organizations who
serve them. To learn more, visit
www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn
@InsideTrack and X @InsideTrack.
About Johnson C. Smith
University: Johnson C. Smith
University is the number one private HBCU in North Carolina. Founded in 1867, JCSU is a
private, close-knit, urban, historically Black university located
in Charlotte, N.C. Our
university's Latin motto, Sit Lux or "Let There Be Light,"
encourages our students, faculty and staff to shine the lights of
learning and service. With a growing national reputation for
integrating the liberal arts with business, the sciences and
technology, JCSU offers several fields of study, including a
master's degree in social work, to students from a variety of
ethnic, socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds. The
university's excellent academic programs focus on servant
leadership, civic engagement and global responsibility to produce
students who share in the spirit of entrepreneurship and
innovation. For more information about JCSU, visit
www.jcsu.edu or follow the university on social media sites
Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
About UNCF: UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the
nation's largest and most effective minority education
organization. During its 80-year existence, UNCF has raised more
than $6 billion and helped more than
500,000 students not just attend college, but thrive, graduate and
become leaders. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF
supports students' education and development through scholarships
and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges
and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority
education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all
colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically
Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 15%
of bachelor's degrees, 5% of master's degrees, 10% of doctoral
degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students in
higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs,
including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer
enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today,
UNCF supports more than 50,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and
universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch
of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A
mind is a terrible thing to waste."® Learn more at UNCF.org or
for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at
@UNCF.
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SOURCE InsideTrack