USING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT THE PRE K-16 PIPELINE: THE PERSPECTIVE OF MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA Natalie Dawe MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA member for the College.

USING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT THE PRE K-16 PIPELINE:THE PERSPECTIVE OF MACC AmeriCorps*VISTANatalie DaweMACC AmeriCorps*VISTA member for the College Advising Corps

Background

Mission of AmeriCorps*VISTA: Alleviate poverty

Role of MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs: Community service and service-learning

specialists on college campuses Working group of 11 MACC

AmeriCorps*VISTAs met in January 2011 to discuss our education, access, and success programs

Product of the working group: Guide on the Pre K-16 Pipeline

Goals

Give examples of how to put civic engagement into practice for access and success initiatives

Describe challenges MACC AmeriCorps*VISTAs have seen in their programs

Share lessons learned and best practices

What did it take for you to go to college and

to finish your degree?

Defining Key Terms

Access typically defined as enrollment Success typically defined as educational

achievement and degree attainment These terms limit our discussion I propose we use PREPARATION,

PURSUIT, & PERSISTENCE

Defining Key Terms

PREPARATION: Academic, emotional, & financial preparation

PURSUIT: College knowledge, completing the college

application, understanding how to finance college, choosing a college, enrolling in and transitioning to college, & starting the semester

PERSISTENCE: Accessing the support needed in order to

succeed in college (academic, financial, emotional, leadership support), fall-to-fall reenrollment, financial literacy, & degree completion

The Pre K-16 Pipeline

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

College Bound, Gordon CollegeK thru 2nd

College Bound, Gordon College3rd thru 5th

College Bound, Gordon College6th thru 8th

ACES, Lasell College5th and 6th

Student Bridges,UMass Amherst5th thru 8th

College Advising Corps, MACC9th thru 12th

SPARK the Truth,Wheelock9th thru 12th

MAPP,Middlesex CC13th thru adulthood

Leadership Development & Civic Engagement CertificatesBFIT13th thru adulthood

Student Bridges,UMass Amherst13th thru 16th

Let’s Get Ready,Stonehill College9th thru 12th

Student Bridges-COCA,UMass AmherstMiddle school thru 12th

Public Policy Institute,North Shore CC7th thru 12th

Community Scholarships,Boston UniversityAdulthood

Life Skills,BHCC 6th

Common Interest Communities,BHCC13th thru adulthood

Key

PreparationPursuit

Persistence

Snapshot of 3 Ps Programs Preparation: SPARK the Truth, Wheelock

College Pursuit: ACES, Lasell College Persistence: Leadership Development &

Civic Engagement Certificates, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

All 3 Ps: Student Bridges, UMass Amherst

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

ACES, Lasell College

SPARK the Truth,Wheelock

Leadership Development & Civic Engagement CertificatesBFIT

Student Bridges

Student Bridges-COCA

Student Bridges

Civic Engagement as a Method Method to help others with the 3 Ps

Boston University, Bunker Hill CC (LifeSkills), College Advising Corps, Gordon, Lasell, Stonehill, UMass Amherst

Method to help yourself with the 3 Ps BFIT, Bunker Hill CC (Learning Communities),

Middlesex CC, North Shore CC, Wheelock, UMass Amherst

Target: Youth, K-12 teachers, parents, community members

Curricular vs. extracurricular Desired Outcomes

Starting a Civic Engagement and 3 Ps Program Developed through an existing partnership

Lasell and Boston Renaissance Charter Public School

Initiated by higher ed institution Boston University, Bunker Hill CC

Initiated by a community-based organization Let’s Get Ready (Stonehill), Lynn Housing Authority

(Gordon)

Initiated by students UMass Amherst, Wheelock

**Build a network of allies**

Utilizing Higher Ed Resources Students Faculty Higher ed staff and departments

Senior leadership, admissions, financial aid, academic services, and student affairs

Physical resources Space, scholarships, assistance with books

Partnerships: Who & How to Make Them Work Schools, housing authorities,

community/youth centers, community-based organizations

1) Clear expectations for all partners 2) Reciprocity: Each partner benefits 3) Communication

Challenges

Recruiting college volunteers Retaining college volunteers Youth-led organizations Only one person supporting the program Assessment and evaluation Funding

Lessons Learned & Best Practices Engage with all the pieces of civic

engagement College Advising Corps, Bunker Hill CC, UMass Amherst

Communication between partners Service has rich content Community-based federal work-study Clear and uniform objectives when have

multiple sites and stakeholders Student voice Find allies across the campus

Impact and Outcomes

146 K-12 students tutored and mentored Gordon College, UMass Amherst, Bunker Hill CC

1045 K-12 students who visited a college campus

UMass Amherst, Lasell College, College Advising Corps

1250 high school students who received help with the college application process

Stonehill College, College Advising Corps

168 college students participating in civic engagement programs focused on their persistence

UMass Amherst, Bunker Hill CC, Middlesex CC, BFIT

Questions?

Natalie Dawe, MACC*AmeriCorps [email protected]

Thank you