Partnering for Student Success
The Bridge to Clemson University Program
Sue Whorton
Clemson University
National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students
January 23-25, 2008
What will this workshop cover?
 Description
 Bridge
to Clemson Program
 Clemson
Univ./TCTC partnership
 Flaga’s
(2002) model of transfer
transition
 Bridge
Program student success
and transition strategies
 Advising
 Orientation
What will you leave with today?
 Understanding
 Bridge
Program structure and goals
 Clemson/TCTC
 Flaga’s
of
partnership
transfer transition model
 Programmatic
initiatives for successful
transition and transfer
 At
least one “take away” idea
What is the Bridge Program?

Collaborative first-year academic and
residential life program between
Clemson University and Tri-County
Technical College (TCTC)

Complete first-year courses at TCTC

Seamless transfer to Clemson for
sophomore year
What are the Bridge requirements?

Apply for Clemson freshman admission

Complete 30 credits with 2.5 GPA

Live in Bridge Program housing
What factors led to creation of Bridge?

High demand for Clemson degree

Increase access to Clemson

Affordable option

Opportunity for increased
collaboration with local technical
college
What are the Bridge goals?

Increase access to Clemson for qualified
students

Deliver high quality first-year experience

Provide opportunity to complete all
required first-year courses

Prepare students for successful
transition to Clemson

Connect students to Clemson
Bridge Model
Expansion &
Sustainability
Assessment &
Evaluation
Access to Clemson University
Internal and External Collaboration
Student Success Programs
It takes a village….
Clemson University
 Academic Affairs





Undergraduate
Studies
Admissions
Academic Advising
Academic Success
Center
Student Affairs



New Student
Programs
Housing
Parking Services
Tri County Technical College
 Academic Affairs




Arts and Sciences
Division
Academic Advising
Business Affairs
Student Affairs

Office of Collaboration
 Admissions
 Registrar
 Financial Aid
How is Flaga’s (2002) model used?

LEARNING RESOURCES
Tools utilized by students to gain information and learn
about the campus environment and academic system

CONNECTING
Concerned with development of relationships with others
in the academic, social and physical environments

FAMILIARITY
Develops as students internalize information they
gathered and begin to feel more comfortable with their
new environment

NEGOTIATING
Occurs when students adjust their behaviors and
surroundings as necessary to be successful within the
academic, social and physical environment

INTEGRATING
Change that results from student’s processing their
academic, social and physical experiences and
interactions
What assessment tools have been used?

Student Survey

Parent Survey

Review of electronic communications

Review of Bridge Program Documents

Review of grade data

Focus Group
What did students tell us?

Reasons for Selecting Bridge
 Provided
opportunity to attend Clemson
 Opportunity
to use Clemson services
 To
attend a SC university
 To
be near friends enrolled at Clemson
 Lower
first year costs
 Clemson
 Liked
is a family tradition
the connection to Clemson
What did students tell us?

Strengths
 Instruction
at TCTC
 Housing Facility
 Orientation
 Access to Clemson advising staff

Improvement
 Orientation
 Academic
Advising
 Sense of Connection to Clemson
How have we used the results?

Orientation
 Earlier
placement testing
 Addressed registration issues
 Offered two sessions

Advising
 Created
advising manual
 Created course equivalency list
 Created Bridge-specific worksheets
 Monthly visits by Clemson advisors
How have we used the results?

Academic Support
 Increased

SI and tutoring services
Communication
 Creation
of ePortal
 Parent newsletter

Summer Start
 Encouraged
students needing
prerequisite courses to enroll in
summer session
How have we used the results?

Connecting to Clemson
 Access
to football tickets
 Increased communication about
Clemson events
 Instituted monthly all-Bridge meetings
 Invites to Clemson events
What will be the success indicators?

Percentage of students who have
completed required first-year courses for
their intended major will increase

Percentage of students who successfully
complete Bridge Program requirements
will meet or exceed projections

Percentage of Bridge students enrolling
at Clemson for sophomore year will
meet or exceed projections
What will be the success indicators?

Levels of academic and social integration
will be higher for Bridge students than
non-Bridge transfers

Level of student satisfaction with Bridge
Program services will be at “satisfied” or
higher
**
Comparison Groups: Clemson FTF and TCTC
University Transfer (non-Bridge) students
What are our future plans?




Administer student and parent surveys in
spring 2008
Survey CU Bridge and transfer
sophomores and conduct focus groups in
spring 2008
Review of persistence and graduation data
Develop long-range enrollment plan for
growing Bridge Program
For More Information
Sue Whorton
Director, Bridge to Clemson and Transfer
Academic Programs
whorton@clemson.edu
864-656-6256
http://www.clemson.edu/prospectivestudents/
undergraduate/bridge/
http://www.tctc.edu/bridge/bridge_prog.htm