Midlands Technical College awarded $2.25 million to enhance student services
September 30, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Midlands Technical College (MTC) will use a $2.25 million grant from the US Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program to help improve the success of freshmen students through enhanced academic advising and student engagement. The goal of the project is to improve retention and success of high-risk, first-time freshmen.
“Strong student engagement means students feel connected to their campus,” said Dr. Diane Carr, Associate Vice President for Arts and Sciences. “If a student makes a strong connection with another student, a faulty or staff member, he or she is more far more likely to be successful.”
Under the MTC’s Consistent Advisement to Retain and Engage Students (CARES) program, students will have increased access to faculty and professional advisors and to quality real-time academic information aided by new technologies including progress monitoring, college resources, reminders and automated appointment scheduling.
We see advising as teaching how to be an effective student,” said Carr. “Having that close relationship with their advisors goes a long way with students. And if a student starts to feel overwhelmed, they have someone they know they can go to who can help them figure out where they are. Sometimes it’s not as bad as they thought and they need that perspective. Sometimes it is and they need a plan. A good advisor can help them either way.”
In past years, limited numbers of academic advisors had resulted in less time for student and advisor engagement. Current technology also did not support academic advisement needs.
The MTC CARES project will support better and more consistent practices when it comes to academic advising college-wide. The MTC CARES staff will consists of a project director, three professional academic advisors, an administrative assistant, a data analyst, and release time for up to five faculty members per year.
About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a comprehensive, multi-campus, public, two-year college serving Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The fifth-largest provider of higher education in South Carolina and the largest provider of transfer students to four-year colleges and universities in the state, MTC enrolls approximately 18,000 credit students annually. The college’s Corporate and Continuing Education program, one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast, annually has 15,000 enrollments and provides continuing education to hundreds of area businesses each year. www.midlandstech.edu
