This document provides an overview of Sinclair Community College's holistic student support model called Pathways to Completion (PTC). The PTC model began as an Individualized Learning Plan in 2003 and has evolved over time. It takes a proactive, preventative approach to supporting at-risk students through relationship building, goal setting, and addressing barriers. Data shows students participating in the PTC program have significantly higher term-to-term and year-to-year retention rates than those who do not participate. The program emphasizes developing personalized plans and providing integrated support services to help students overcome challenges and achieve academic success.

1. C O N N E C T I N G W I T H , E N G A G I N G & S U P P O R T I N G
S T U D E N T S W H O D O N ’ T T H I N K T H E Y N E E D Y O U
IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

2. WHO AM I & HOW DO I KNOW WHAT
I’M TALKING ABOUT?
• 20+ years working with at-risk populations

3. A SNAPSHOT OF DAYTON
& SINCLAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

4. Population: 535,000
County Seat-Dayton: 141,500
Median Income: $41,600
Below Poverty: 16.2%
Caucasian: 74%
African-American: 21%
Native American: 0.2%
Hispanic: 2.3%
Asian/Pacific Islander/Other 1.7%
Montgomery County, Ohio
Demographics

5. • Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio
• 125 years of providing affordable, accessible,
high-quality college and workforce training
Sinclair Community College has been recognized as a Vanguard Learning
College by the League for Innovation

10. 2003 TITLE III HOLISTIC APPROACH
TO STUDENT SUPPORT
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLAN TO PAT HWAY TO
COMPLETION

11. INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLAN (ILP)
Model
developed in
2003- Title III
Preventative
and
proactive
support
Belief that
students
should:
1. Get accurate and
timely information
2. Receive consistent
services and
appropriate referrals
3. Develop an action
plan
4. Have a consistent
relationship/Know
they matter

12. EMPHASIS OF ILP
Population
• New, degree seeking students in 2 or more DEV courses
• Income at or below federal poverty level
• Undecided
Goals
• Identify/Support/Case Manage
• Implement systematic, comprehensive counseling
intervention process
• Develop a comprehensive community and college
resource/referral guide
• Develop a web-based case management system
Increase persistence, success, and graduation rates of at-risk students

13. AREAS OF SUPPORT
Relationship with Academic Coach
Orientation to college life
Improve Self-Awareness
Goal clarification
Securing funding
Setting realistic expectations
Creating a successful schedule
Locating campus and community resources

14. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
ILP
Individual Learning
Plan
-Plan created by
student and coach for
student’s success
SSP
Student Success
Plan
-Software used to
create plan and to
track student
progress
PTC
Pathways to
Completion
-Model built around ILP
after Title III ended
-Acknowledges other
pathways to begin
-Services continue until
completion

15. PATHWAY TO
COMPLETION
• A National Award Winning Holistic support model for academically at risk,
economically challenged students
• Connects students to integrated support systems tailored to their specific needs
• Provides targeted, customized coaching to help students navigate the enrollment
process, develop a plan of action and overcome obstacles to their success
• Students who participate in the PTC program have a 98% term to term retention
rate (28% higher than college avg.) and 79% year to year (40% higher than college average)

16. SSP AWARDS
• 2012 ITC Awards for Excellence in eLearning - Outstanding
Student Services
• 2010 NASPA Grand Gold (for Early Alert)
• 2009 NASPA Grand Silver, Gold in Category
• 2008 NACADA Program Merit Award
• 2007 Bellwether Finalist Award - CC Futures Assembly
• 2006 MetLife Best Practice College Award
• 2005 Macromedia Higher Education Innovation Award
• 2005 National Council for Student Development Exemplary
Practice Award
• 2005 League for Innovation Terry O’Banion Shared Journey First
Place Award
• 2004 Educause Excellence in Information Technology Solutions
Award

17. Funding,Partners,Supporter

18. STUDENT CENTERED
APPROACH
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO

20. KEEP THEM ACTIVE
• Texting Agreement
• Survey what they know/Assess your program
(GPA/College/Lingo/SAP/MY.SINCLAIR/Orientation/Attendance)
• Question of the Month (prize drawing)
• Video Tutorials of common college tools
• Streaming quotes on digital screen
• Candy bowl
• Front staff cross trained to answer questions about
campus
• Dream Wall (coming fall 2014)

23. HOW DOES THE SSP PROCESS WORK?
• Students are identified
• Diagnostic Tools, Predictive Models, Demographics
• Student Intake
• Identified students are provided holistic Coaching,
Counseling & Advising
• Journal, History
• Individual Plans of Action
• Academic Plans/MAP (my academic plan)
• Web-based support systems and intervention techniques
assist in removing barriers to success
• Early Alert (Faculty, Coaches, Staff)
• Student Self Help Tools

24. Case Management

25. MAP – MY ACADEMIC PLAN

26. CHALLENGES FOR FIRST GENERATION
STUDENTS
Overwhelmed
by College
Processes
Not
Academically
Prepared
Difficulty
Adapting to
Instructional
Pace
Financial
Barriers
Minimal
Family
Support
Adapting to
College
Policies
Attendance
Issues
Reactive not
proactive
Limited
Transportation
options
Poor
Planners
Parental
Obligations
Unclear or
Unrealistic
Goals
No Self
Advocacy
Skills
No home
Computer or
Internet
Trouble
Assimilating
Minimal
Peer
Support
Don’t
Communicate
Tend to
Procrastinate
Won’t
Ask for
Help
Academically
Apathetic

27. HOW THEY DERAIL
Homeless Family steals
bus pass
Raising 3
siblings
House fire Car stolen
Lost Title XX
Criminal
charge
Victim of
Break in
Domestic
Violence Pregnancy
Parent won’t
cooperate W/
FAFSA
Custody
change
Room mate
moved out
Death in
family
Boyfriend
shot
2 ID’s for bus
pass
Section 8
Voucher
Job
Loss
Warrant
Arrest Hospitalized
Turtle
Syndrome
Stop
Attending
Sick
Child
Campus
Conduct
No
Childcare

28. TOP 5 REASONS STUDENTS WITHDRAW
1. Personal Issues
2. Not doing well
3. Work conflicts
4. Medical problems
5. Missed too many classes

32. ON COURSE COACHING FOCUS
CHOICES OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS... STRUGGLING STUDENTS...
ACCEPT SELF-RESPONSIBILITY,
see themselves as the primary cause of their outcomes and experiences.
SEE THEMSELVES AS VICTIMS, believe that what happens to them is
determined by external forces such as fate, luck, and powerful others.
DISCOVER SELF-MOTIVATION,
Find purpose in their lives by discovering personally meaningful goals and dreams.
HAVE DIFFICULTY STAYING MOTIVATED often feeling depressed,
frustrated, and/or resentful about a lack of direction in their lives.
MASTER SELF-MANAGEMENT,
plan and take purposeful action in pursuit of their goals and dreams.
SELDOM IDENTIFYWHAT’S PRIORITY
to accomplish a desired outcome. And when they do, they tend to procrastinate.
EMPLOY INTERDEPENDENCE, build mutually supportive relationships that
help them achieve their goals and dreams (while helping others to do the same).
ARE SOLITARY
seldom requesting, even rejecting offers of assistance from those who could help.
GAIN SELF-AWARENESS, consciously employing behaviors, beliefs, and
attitudes that keep them on course.
MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS UNCONSIOUSLY
, being directed by self-sabotaging habits and outdated life scripts.
ADOPT LIFE-LONG LEARNING, finding valuable lessons and wisdom in
nearly every experience they have.
RESIST LEARNING NEW IDEAS AND SKILLS
, viewing learning as fearful or boring rather than as mental play.
DEVELOP EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, effectively managing their
emotions in support of their goals and dreams.
LIVE ATTHE MERCY OF STRONG EMOTIONS
such as anger, depression, anxiety, or a need for instant gratification.
BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, seeing themselves capable, lovable, and
unconditionally worthy as human beings.
DOUBTTHEIR COMPETENCE & PERSONALVALUE
, feeling inadequate to create their desired outcomes and experiences.

33. DATA DRIVEN PRACTICE
10 YEARS OF DATA

34. 74%
65%
67%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
ILP No
Show/Non
Participating
Non ILP
Individualized Learning Plan (ILP)
Term to Term Retention
98%
70% 70%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pathway to Completion (PTC)
Term to Term Retention
PTC No Show/Non Non-PTC
Participating

35. 49%
32%
40%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
ILP No Show/Non
Participating
Non ILP
Individualized Learning Plan (ILP)
Year to Year Retention
79%
22%
39%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pathway to Completion (PTC)
Year to Year Retention
PTC No Show Non PTC

36. QUESTIONS
SSP OPEN SOURCE h t t p : / / w ww. S t u d e n t s u c c e s s p l a n . o r g /