What is student success and what does it mean to get to the finish line in college? What are some of the barriers that prevent students from succeeding? During this session you will begin to answer these questions and more as you play as one of 10 students in the The Finish Line - an interactive board game that examines the lives of community college students in their educational journey. During gameplay participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own personal journey. The session will also wrap up with a large group discussion about the numerous factors that influence one’s college journey.

1. The Finish Line Game
Examining barriers to student success

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Agenda
• Background
• Gameplay
• Discussion
• Next Steps

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For low-income students and students of color,
that number is even lower.
Only 36% of freshmen will
earn a degree or certificate
within 6 years
(Achieving the Dream, 2017)

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Structural Inequity
“The ways society and institutions are organized that,
intentionally or not, create greater advantages for some
group of students than others”
-Achieving The Dream (2017)

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Structural Inequity
• Low-income students & students of color enter college with
significantly less resources than white students
• Working students face challenges finding classes that fit into work
schedule
• Public transportation only available in certain places and at certain
times
• Students who live in neighborhoods without grocery stores may be
malnourished
• Difficulty finding and affording childcare

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The Finish Line
• Increase awareness of the barriers to success faced by community
college students
• Demonstrate how institutional, societal, or cultural factors impact the
progress and success of students.
• Focus on underrepresented students
• includes but is not limited to: students of color, American Indian students, first
generation students, undocumented students, LGBTQ+ students, students of
low socioeconomic status, students with disabilities, veterans, and
formerly/currently incarcerated students.

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Guiding Principles
• Safe space to share viewpoints
• Listen actively & respect others who are speaking
• Speak from your own experience - avoid generalizing
• Commit to learning, not debating. Comment to share information, not
to persuade.
• Make space for everyone to speak
• Refrain from: stereotyping and/or mocking of any of the identities
present in the game.

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Game Time!

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Instructions
1.Select a student persona. Take accompanying deck.
2.Take turns reading out loud your bio card.
3.Roll the die to determine who will be first. Highest number first, then
clockwise around table.
4.On each turn:
a.Roll the die, move the designated # of spaces.
b.Draw a card from the top of the deck and read it aloud. Move the # of spaces
shown on your card.
5.Game ends when three students reach the FINISH square.

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Small Group Discussion

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Large Group Discussion
1.Summarize what your group talked about. What themes emerged?
2.What did you learn from participating in this game?
3.How can you apply what you learned on your campus?
4.How did this experience make you feel?

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Next Steps

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• Play this game on campus!
•Invite staff, faculty, administrators
•Opportunity to examine barriers
on your own campus and identify
solutions
•Share your personal story
•What is your “finish line”?
•What has your journey been like?
Take Action

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Thank You