Coastal Alabama Community College issued the following announcement on Aug. 25.
Mobile Area Education Foundation and its 75,000 Degrees partners are excited to announce the launching of Ignite Powered by Pack Education, a virtual academic coaching pilot, to support students at Bishop State Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College and the University of South Alabama.
Pack Education, a subsidiary to digital health coaching company Pack Health, applies a digital coaching model to academic advising to increase the graduation rate in Alabama. The innovative initiative creates infrastructure to enhance support for students who may be at high-risk of drop-out through one-on-one engagement. The Ignite program is funded by The Alabama Power Foundation, Ratliff Charitable Foundation, Regions Foundation, and Alabama Community College System. Mobile Area Education Foundation has also been an integral part of the program’s implementation.
The innovative initiative creates infrastructure to enhance support for students who may be at high-risk of drop- out through one-on-one engagement. This virtual support is essential when most campuses are offering hybrid course offerings, which limits on-campus presence, due to COVID-19.
“While national collegiate graduation rates stand at an average of 60 percent, only four of 27 public and private four-year institutions in Alabama meet or exceed this average,” says M’Kayl Lewis, Vice President of Member Services at Pack Education. “The extra support will be instrumental for Alabama students, particularly at a time when they’re learning to navigate a new version of college life created by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Selected students will be paired with an Ignite Academic Coach during the 16-week virtual program for the Fall 2020 semester. Ignite Academic Coaches provide an average of 40 touchpoints, per student, per quarter over text messages, emails, phone calls and social media to provide focus, encouragement, and accountability. This structure provides an additional layer of support as students navigate shifting learning environments due to COVID-19.
The completion of a college degree is directly correlated to building personal value, wealth, and improving economic development. There is extensive evidence that supports the impact of a post-secondary degree on improved employment outcomes and earning potential for individuals as much as 37%.
“The Ignite program is an integral piece to ensuring we reach our goal of 75,000 Degrees by 2030,” said Chandra Scott, Director of Strategic Outcomes at the Mobile Area Education Foundation. “Today’s college students are faced with many challenges and having a multi-tiered support system in place, whether on or off campus, is vital to their attainment of a credential or degree.”
“Sometimes students just need affirmation that they matter, someone cares about their goals, and that they are achievable,” said Alabama Community College Systems Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker. “Ignite will provide that extra attention through a meaningful mentorship in a way that students are most familiar – their phones. This one-on-one, weekly engagement will help students stay focused on achieving their individual goals, while identifying any roadblocks and providing solutions that will lead them to success.”
Original source can be found here.
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