EXPANDING THE FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE

Best practices in transition from a more traditional faculty-led program to

a collaborative, non-faculty-led program serving an underrepresented

and younger student population

Chair:

Erin Santana, CIEE - Portland, ME

Presenters:

Lisa McAdam Donegan, Johnson & Wales University

Shelley Stephenson, Johnson Wales & University

Benjamin Lorch, CIEE Global Institute Berlin

John Roper, CIEE Global Institute Berlin

JWU & CIEE : Expanding the Freshman Experience

• Short History of Custom & Faculty Led Programs

• CIEE & JWU Collaboration

• Structure & Description of the JWU Expanding the Freshman Experience Program

JWU’s previous freshman program model

• Faculty-led course based in Sweden

• 11-weeks, spring term, 4 days/week

• 28 students, each choosing 3 out of 4 courses satisfying Gen Ed requirements

• Accompanying faculty member taught two courses and provided 24/7 student support

• Other courses delivered by local faculty using JWU syllabi

Value of the freshman program

• Recruitment tool: a differentiator for JWU

• Interdisciplinary: joint program between Colleges of Business and Arts & Sciences

• Internationalize student body at an early stage

• Great JWU start for students

• Provides an opportunity for students from all four campuses (Providence, Miami, Denver, Charlotte) to study together

• Contributes to JWU student excellence

Rationale for programming change

• Budget: higher than others in the JWU portfolio

• University Cabinet: could we achieve equal value with academic content delivered elsewhere or in a different format?

• Study Abroad was asked to provide options at a 25% savings

• What variables could be changed?

Programming change options

1. Existing partner

• Shorten the program • Partial hybrid or online course delivery • Local teaching, but 24/7 support staff not possible

within budget 2. University exchange partners

• Not possible within budget 3. CIEE

• Met all academic, logistic & budget requirements

JWU faculty/dean concerns

Concern #1: Who would be teaching our students? Could they be entrusted to teach our material?

Non-university partner, a new model

Concern #2: How would our students fare with no 24/7 JWU faculty supervision?

Age, challenging group dynamics in previous years

Concern #3: Would students identify as JWU students?

Retention fears

Addressing concerns

Concern #1: Who would be teaching our students? Could they be entrusted to teach our material?

Shared as much info as possible on likely instructors

Sent Business College representative on initial site visit

Concern #2: How would our students fare with no 24/7 JWU faculty supervision?

Set selection criteria high, to ensure students have the maturity, independence, and academic skills needed

Concern #3: Would students identify as JWU students?

JWU staff member visited early in the first program, to kick off the program and provide a strong institutional presence

Inaugural program student data

24 students (33 applicants) from three campuses (Providence, Denver, Charlotte)

Female : Male :: 20 : 4

Programs represented:

o College of Arts & Sciences

Criminal Justice

o College of Business

Business Admin, Fashion Merchandising & Retail Marketing, Intl Business, Management, Marketing, Undeclared

o College of Culinary Arts

Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts

o College of Hospitality

BPA & Food Service Mgt, Culinary Arts & Food Service Mgt, Hotel & Lodging Mgt, Sports/Entertainment/Event Mgt, Travel/ Tourism/Hospitality Mgt

Freshman Students

Emerging Adulthood – Arnett, Abarbanel

• The Age of Instability

• The Age of Identity Exploration

• The Age of Self-Focus

• The Age of Feeling In Between

• The Age of Possibilities

There are many firsts

• First Year College Students

• Many are the first to go to college/univerity in family

• First stamp in their passport

•

„Real Cultural Age“ – Roizen

As staff (mentors, guides, diciplinarians) we look closely at our particulart roles within a team/network of challenge & support. Identitiy Factors: gender, class, race, „home town,“ etc

Housing challenges

Decisions to be made:

Apartments vs Hostels vs Global Institute

Space, Services, Security & Support

Physiological Needs : The Base of Maslow‘s Pyramid

Food, Sleep, Water

Space Personal Space

Roommates

10-Weeks is a long time to sleep in a bunkbed

Transportation

CIEE RD & Study Center Role

Establishing & Maintaining Academic Quality

Students & Instrutors

Intercultural Communications

Health, Safety & Security

Alcohol Policy

Discipline

Introductions & Impressions of Berlin – A Metropolis

Challenge & Support – Individualized for each learner, each person

Course instructors/courses

Instructors serve not only as teachers but also as intermediaries – everyday eyes & ears of the program

Basics of study – readin, ritin & rithmatic

Long sessions require us to break up the flow of the classroom sessions into different activities

Use of the city as a classroom & learning to link readings to the environment around them

Multiple learning personalities and styles

Mediating between German & American teaching & learning styles

Dealing with a tight budget

Program Budgets

• Keeping a full calendar without over-programming the students

• Relying on public institutions with little or no entry fees

• Integrating extra-curricular events into classroom teaching/learning

• Spend A Little Extra on Creating Moments of Appreciation & Ceremony

• Bringing Meaning, Clarity, Beginnings & Endings

Personal Student Budgets

• Helping students with money management

• Emergency loans

• Helping to set the right priorities (Should I travel or buy a winter coat?)

Expanding the Freshman Experience Outcomes Two Years Experience

Participants continue to be successful and maintain G.P.A. above 3.0

Participants study abroad again

2014 & 2015 Participants taking part in JWU Global Distinction pilot program

Global involvement on campus

3 students working in JWU International Center

Study Abroad Ambassadors

International Student Orientation Leaders

Student Video

VIDEO

2015 program data

Selection

• G.P.A. requirement reduced to 3.0

• 2 Faculty recommendations

• Essay related to academic, personal and professional objectives

24 students

• 46 applicants from all four campuses (Providence, Denver, Charlotte, North Miami)

Female : Male :: 21 : 3

December 3, 2015 18

Restaurant, Food & Beverage Mnagement (Total Students - 2)

5%

Computer Programming, Associates (Total Students - 1)

2%

Criminal Justice (Total Students - 5)

11%

Sports/Entertainment/Event Management (Total Students - 4)

9%

Risk Management (Total Students - 1)2%Business Administration

(Total Students - 3)7%

Hotel & Lodging Management (Total

Students - 4)9%

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Management (Total Students - 2)

5%

Management (Total Students - 2)5%

Culinary Arts, Associates (Total Students - 9)

20%

Advertising & Marketing Communications (Total Students -

1)2%

Electronics Engineering, Bachelors (Total Students - 1)

2%

Baking & Pastry Arts, Associates - (Total

Students - 4)9%

Accounting (Total Students - 1)2%

International Business (Total Students - 2)

5%

Food Service Entrepreneurship (Total Students - 1)

2%Business Administration (Total

Students - 1)2%

Expanding the Freshman Experience

Expanding the Freshman Experience Study Abroad

Program Applications by Major

2016 Program Revisions

Courses:

Addition of 4.5 credit German language class

2 Required Courses

• History: World History

• Communication: Intercultural Communication

1 Optional Course

• German: beginner or advanced beginner

• Philosophy: Ethics of Business Leadership

Housing/Accommodation:

Move into CIEE Global Institute - intended

Assessment:

JWU has launched a comprehensive Study Abroad Assessment &

Evaluation model through Terra Dotta

Future Programming

1. Expanded Course menu in Berlin

2. Additional Expanding the Freshman Experience location possibilities

• CIEE China

• CIEE South Africa

• CIEE South America

3. Early College Experience

• Expanding the Pre-Freshman Experience

This is the “How” But . . . what about the “Why?” What would a freshman program bring to your college or university? Challenges for you and your institution?

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!