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Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: Ms. Demetriou, you are the Director for Retention, Office of Undergraduate Education at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Would you describe what led you to this role at UNC?
Cynthia Demetriou, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: With a background in teaching and education, I began working as an academic advisor and developed an interest in supporting students who are struggling academically. I quickly learned that most approaches to working with students who are struggling to persist are deficit-oriented. Such approaches focus on what is wrong with a student and then try to “fix” it. I was very fortunate to have a supervisor and a mentor who encouraged me to, alternatively, develop a strengths-based approach to student success. Our academic advising model focused on what is right with students and how to use student strengths to guide student choices and decisions. When UNC-Chapel Hill advertised they were looking for someone to come in and design a system of academic intervention for students struggling to persist that would take a positive rather than a corrective approach, I jumped at the prospect. My role at UNC-Chapel Hill has provided me the opportunity to develop a positively-framed approach to retaining undergraduate students.
Hibel: As the Director for Retention you work closely with the “Carolina Firsts” program 1 for UNC’s first generation college students. Would you explain the purpose of this program as well as some of the goals the program hopes to achieve?
Demetriou: The purposes of the Carolina Firsts program are to celebrate the successes of first generation college students (FGCS), provide role models for success, make FGCS aware of the campus resources available to help them succeed, and encourage them to utilize those resources. The primary goal of Carolina Firsts is to increase the retention and graduation rates of FGCS at Carolina. We believe increasing campus awareness of the FGCS experience, normalizing help-seeking behaviors, and sharing the stories of successful FGCS will help us attain our goal.
Hibel: According to your website, UNC defines First Generation College Students (FGCS) as “a student from a family in which neither parent has earned a four-year undergraduate degree.” Your website also goes on to say that nearly 20 percent of undergraduates at UNC-Chapel Hill are first generation college students and 50 percent of transfer students at Carolina are FGCS students. A two part question: What type of issues may a first generation college student encounter? And, what types of programs or services are offered to either prevent or overcome these issues to help students succeed?
Demetriou: The obstacles for FGCS on their path to graduation are impressive. Research has demonstrated that being a FGCS is one of the greatest predictors of failure to persist. FGCS are often students from low-income families. In general, FGCS and students from low-income families are among the least likely to graduate. 2 In fact, FGCS are four times as likely to depart from an institution before the start of the second year. 3 Students from low-income families are more likely to have lived in areas where the K-12 schools were under-resourced, making it harder for them to succeed in college. 4 Students from low-income families are also more likely to work while attending school, making it more challenging for them to integrate into the social and academic life of an institution. Furthermore, experience working with FGCS has taught me that students who are the first person in their family to attend college are often self-determining individuals who have persevered independently throughout their educational career. Independence can be a great strength for students; however, it also may result in being unwilling or reluctant to take advantage of university resources. FGCS do not always have a frame of reference of asking for help. For many, it has been outside of their experience.
Carolina Firsts includes a student organization with a peer mentoring program. We have also instituted specific FGCS events within university traditions, including orientation, week of welcome, homecoming and graduation. Having opportunities for FGCS and their families at these events is critical because often FGCS struggle with cultural barriers to an institution. For example, if a student has never sung the alma mater or gone to a basketball game at Carolina, entering that world can be intimidating. Having specific opportunities for FGCS at these events helps break down cultural barriers.
We also reach out to FGCS during the recruiting and admissions processes and we have several opportunities for the parents of FGCS through the Carolina Parents Council. We use peer mentors and role models to highlight the successes of FGCS in our community throughout all of our programs and services. We work with peers and role models to make FGCS aware of campus resources and to send the message that utilizing campus resources, such as the Learning Center, Math Help Center, Campus Health, etc., is the norm. Smart students use university resources. Our work is done in partnership with many units across campus including Scholarships and Student Aid, Admissions, and Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. These partnerships are imperative to our success and enable us to, for example, reach out specifically to students from low-income families and underrepresented populations.
Hibel: According to a recent USA Today article, “24% of college students — 4.5 million — are both first-gens and low income. Nationally, 89% of low-income first-gens leave college within six years without a degree. More than a quarter leave after their first year — four times the dropout rate of higher-income second-generation students.” 5 Considering these statistics, do you think success programs that cater toward the first generation college student are common at most colleges and universities, or is it an area of need in higher education?
Demetriou: In developing our retention initiatives, I learned a lot from successful programs that serve FGCS including the Carolina Covenant and the Minority Advisory programs here at Carolina, as well as the Ohio State Access to Education program, the Clemson First program at Clemson University, and the First Generation Story Project at the University of California, Fresno. There are many excellent programs at colleges and universities across the country. Still, I believe there is a need for more programs and services for FGCS. In particular, early programs for students in K-12 that engage FGCS long before they attend college. Such programs involve active partnerships between institutions of higher education and local school systems.
Hibel: The Council of Opportunity in Education referenced a paper stating that low-income and first-generation students who were involved in the civic engagement activities in their larger community can actually increase their engagement in the campus community, which improves their overall retention rates in college. 6 Do you think community involvement (both local and campus) is a key to helping in the retention of students?
Demetriou: Absolutely. I believe student success is a combination of academics, wellness and engagement. Successful retention efforts take all three of these facets of the student experience into consideration. Community engagement is critical to retention and persistence. Students who are more engaged increase their commitment to an institution as well as their commitment to success at that institution. I am very interested in what successful students attribute their success in college to. When I ask graduating students what they attribute their success to they often indicate community involvement both on and off campus. This community involvement takes the form of relationships and participation in programs based on campus and in prior schools, as well as in service, civic, cultural, political, and religious organizations. In my interactions with students who are the first in their family, and sometimes first in their community, to attend college I have learned there is a great desire to give back to their community during college and after graduation. Carolina Firsts has also drawn interest from faculty, alumni and community members who were once FGCS and would now like to give back to the FGCS community. So, yes, community involvement is key to student retention. I would even say it is more than “local or campus.” Students at Carolina take a global perspective to their education and many pursue their undergraduate studies through opportunities to travel the world. These experiences, while they are traveling elsewhere, actually do retain them at the University. Our Honors program recently developed a new tagline which states, “Come Here, Go Anywhere.” This phrase captures the spirit of Carolina’s undergraduates. Students who come here believe in global community involvement.
Hibel: The government has agreed to make significant cuts to the budgets of the federal TRIO and GEAR UP programs. These programs “motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of a college degree. Over 850,000 low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities — from sixth grade through college graduation — are served by more than 2,800 programs nationally.” 7 What are your thoughts on the budget cuts to these programs and their effects to both college and universities as well as to students?
Demetriou: These grave budget cuts are truly unfortunate. FGCS are an integral part of a vibrant, undergraduate community. FGCS are independent, resourceful and bright individuals who dynamically contribute to the great diversity, cultural and intellectual life of a university. If FGCS cannot attend and succeed in college, it hurts not just FGCS, but all students.
Hibel: Now changing our focus to careers in higher education, what would your advice be to other professionals working with first generation or low-income college students on making their transition to college successful?
Demetriou: My first recommendation would be to study your students. Develop a strong relationship with your department of institutional research so that you thoroughly understand the nature of student success and attrition at your institution. National data is helpful to get a broad sense of student needs, but it is critical to assess what students at your institution specifically need to succeed. Secondly, I would say, consider taking a positive, as opposed to a deficit, approach to retaining students. Also, work with your partners across campus. This includes Admissions, Student Aid, Academic Affairs, Dean of Students, Orientation, Health Services, and current students. No one individual should have the responsibility for retention at an institution. My dean is fond of saying “It Takes a University” to have successful retention efforts. I couldn’t agree with her more. Lastly, I recommend reaching out to students early. Your first student contact should occur before students arrive on campus for the first day of classes.
Hibel: Some of the students you work with may not have a lot of interviewing experience. What are your top three job search tips for a student looking for a position after graduation?
Demetriou: 1. Connect with others. Work with your college’s or university’s career center. Talk to professors, advisors, staff members, friends, family, and peers. Let these individuals know you are job searching. Also, if you had an internship or employment during college, contact your former supervisors to let them know you are job searching and see if they have any leads on open positions.
2. If you do not have interviewing experience or would like more experience, practice. Work with career counselors, friends, and family to hone your interview skills.
3. Prepare for a job interview like you would prepare for a big exam. Make a list of all questions an employer might ask you and practice your answers. Research the employer and learn as much as you can about the organization.
Hibel: I think that is great advice to any job seeker. Do you have any different job search or interviewing advice for your colleagues who may be looking for a new job or a different position in higher education?
Demetriou: I recommend talking to friends and colleagues in higher education. Ask them what they like best about their job as well as what they find most challenging or frustrating. If you believe you would like to change departments or work in a new area, try setting up an informational interview to learn what work in this area is really like. I also recommend finding a mentor/more experienced higher education professional and developing a solid, long-term relationship with this individual. Additionally, make the most of professional conferences. Introduce yourself to colleagues and presenters before and after sessions. Set up informational interviews during conferences to learn more about jobs and other institutions. Finally, identify your strengths and think about what type of position would enable you to most effectively utilize those strengths. People tend to excel at what they do when they find their work gratifying. Ask yourself what kind of work would feel most rewarding to you.
Hibel: I can imagine that helping students succeed in college is very rewarding. What are some things about your job that make it satisfying to come to work every day?
Demetriou: The bottom line of my job is to help students graduate. I find that very rewarding. Still, beyond graduation, my greatest hope is that students will derive meaning and purpose from their educational experience along the path to graduation. Witnessing this development is very satisfying. Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier, I am very fortunate in that we have been able to operate our retention initiatives from a strengths-based perspective. Taking a positive, optimistic, team-oriented and strength-based approach to student success is very rewarding. Many retention approaches focus on filling a retention gap. Instead, we try to focus on how to help all students meet their potential. We study what’s right with students, what they are doing well, and how to help them leverage their strengths against their weaknesses. I am privileged to work in an environment where one of our goals is to identify the characteristics, motivations, behaviors and habits of successful students, then encourage the development of those qualities in all students. I have found working from student strengths is much more generative, hopeful and gratifying both for students and as an employee.
Hibel: Is there anything about your position that you would like to change?
Demetriou: The work we do in Undergraduate Retention is successful because we have very strong student resources like the Learning Center, the Writing Center, Academic Advising, and Counseling and Wellness Services. We work to make students aware of these resources and to take full advantage of them. Our institution, like so many others, is currently experiencing significant budget cuts. These budget cuts threaten the livelihood of our critical student resources. If there was one thing I could change about my position, it would be more resources to keep these essential student services robust, well-staffed, visible, and easily accessed.