early action

The funding will help strengthen a student inventory survey to better identify needs students have as the semester progresses.

Additional state funding will help bolster Schoolcraft College’s Early Action program to better serve students and identify intervention needs.

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) recently announced Schoolcraft College would receive $200,000 from the first round of awards from the new College Success Grant program to aid the Early Action initiative. This funding will assist the College by strengthening a student inventory survey to help identify intervention needs. This survey – which saw nearly 600 responses from first-time students – inquired about any needs or concerns students have as they begin their academic career.

The funding will also aid in promoting the use of academic resources to students and develop early support-seeking while strengthening case management. Part of the survey’s goal is to identify any issues early in the school year with students before an Early Action case is filed by a faculty member.

Early Action can help keep students on track in their classes as a semester begins. Whether students are doing great or need some additional assistance, instructors identify students who can benefit from academic support and refer them to Learning Support Services. From there, a staff member reaches out to the student to provide resources, be it tutoring through the Learning Center, Academic Success Coaching or other campus services.

“We’re hoping to reduce the number of cases we get, because if we can help these students before they come up on our radar via Early Action, they will be more successful,” said Travis Michalak, an Academic Success Coach for Learning Support Services. “. “Student Success is everything we do here, and Early Action has helped us work with students who show signs of needing additional support.”

The money will also be used to hire an Early Action Advocate to assist with Early Action cases.

The money comes from the first round of College Success Grants, which awarded $3 million to colleges and universities across the state to expand support for students.

“We are excited to partner with the Governor on another important initiative to expand access to postsecondary education for more Michiganders,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “The College Success Grants make strategic short-term investments that will yield long-standing benefits by creating a more supportive system for students as they strive to earn a skill certificate or college degree.”

The initiative, which long operated under a different name, has become more student-facing, aiming to help students by connecting them to academic support services.

Travis Michalak knows the importance of having a strong start in the semester.

As an Academic Success Coach in the Learning Support Services department, he routinely reaches out to students who are experiencing barriers to success, trying to help identify what Schoolcraft College can do to aid them throughout the semester.

It’s a system that’s been in place for several years, but now, Learning Support Services is empowering students to engage with the Early Action process proactively and often, ensuring they know the College is actively working to help them throughout their academic journey.

“We want to make sure students understand the steps Schoolcraft College takes to assist them as they navigate through each semester,” Michalak said. “Our students are our No. 1 priority and we want to help them in any way we can.”

The concept behind Early Action is simple: whether students are doing great or need support, instructors identify students who can benefit from academic support and refer them to Learning Support Services. From there, Michalak reaches out to the student to provide resources, be it tutoring through the Learning Center, Academic Success Coaching or other campus services.

In addition, Learning Support Services provides students with information about what Early Action is and why students should engage with the outreach process. Students interested in learning more, or wanting to take Early Action are encouraged to reach out to Michalak and the team directly.

“It is also important for students to know all the free resources available as they work through challenges during the semester,” Michalak said.

Students can schedule appointments to meet one-on-one with Academic Success Coaches to discuss strategies for success. The Learning Center offers a wide range of services, including peer-to-peer tutoring and writing support, which can be accessed both in-person and online. Drop-in tutoring is offered weekly in a variety of subjects, including math, biology, physics, business, accounting and several more. Additionally, students can attend a variety of workshops and events that are offered throughout the semester.

A full list of the services offered by Learning Support Services can be found on the Learning Support Services website.

Sharon Christian, Associate Dean of Student Success and Retention, believes in having a holistic approach to providing academic support for students. To achieve this requires collaboration between departments on campus, which ultimately strengthens student success, engagement, persistence, and retention.

“For many, college can be a new and challenging endeavor. Early Action serves as a proactive approach to help students complete their academics with excellence, whether they’re already doing great or need the additional support,” Christian said. “With Early Action our team can connect students with campus-wide resources at the right time. Through this initiative, students can reach out to us directly as well. This approach empowers our students to proactively take ownership of their own academics. Essentially, through Early Action, our team aims to partner with students to help them reach their goals.”

To learn more about Early Action, talk to your instructor or contact Michalak directly at [email protected].