2015-2020 SAFRA Activities
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act
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Contact us:
Director, Sessi S. F. Aboh, Ph.D.
(615) 963-4969
saboh@tnstate.edu
Grant Project Assistant, Linda L. Porter, M.A.
(615) 963-4973
lporter@tnstate.edu
Strengthening Retention, Progression and Completion Initiatives – True to its legislative intent, SAFRA supports the retention, persistence, and academic success of students at Tennessee State University. The grant, through the student services projects it funds, provides an opportunity for Tennessee State University to use success coaching as an original strategy to monitor and guide freshmen and selected second year students, promptly and proactively, toward academic achievement. Academic Success Coaches, working with these projects, use the appreciative advising model as a framework to develop strong relationships with students and empower them, through various skill development sessions, to design realistic and suitable individual academic success plans. These success plans are goal-specific and consistent with personal strengths, values, academic goals, and career aspirations.
Coaching
for Success & Completion
About Coaching:
Every TSU student dreams of success! Coaching involves a one-on-one interaction with students. Through those interactions, we build strong relationships with our students and empower them to achieve their academic and personal goals through goal setting and purposeful action planning. The Curriculum we implement and the methodology we use are designed to help students develop and improve their non-cognitive skills. Through coaching sessions, students identify various strengths to improve academic skills and performance, learn to navigate the campus culture as well as the resources (human, social, and financial) available to enhance success and quality of life. The vision is to assist our students develop long lasting strategies for success. Ultimately, our Success Coaches serve as supportive connection points throughout their students’ college years.
Your Success Coach can help you:
- Transition to College
- Create and Follow an Academic Success Plan
- Develop and Achieve Short & Long Term Goals
- Develop and Apply Better Test & Note-Taking Skills
- Learn and Practice Self-Discipline
- Improve Time Management Skills
- Identify and work through any challenges getting in the way of academic success
- Identify resources to enhance academic success and personal development
- Improve Your G.P.A.
- Graduate on time.
Hours of Operation:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Meet your Success Coaches:
The Pathfinders Project: PATHFINDERS - Increasing the number of minority graduates in Education, Nursing and Health Sciences Project. This Project addresses retention and credit completion through two purposes: (1) increase the number of students who meet the requirements for admission into the Education (Elementary), Nursing, and Health Sciences programs and (2) increase the number of these students who maintain a minimum of 2.5 GPA. Measurable outcomes include grade point averages, credit completion (at least 30 credits per year), and persistence rates. Other evaluation measures include qualitative data such as, interviews, satisfaction surveys, focus groups interviews, and undergraduate research presentations.
Pathfinders/ Staff:
Ashanti Chunn, M.S. Seneca McPhee, M.A.
Activity Director, Pathfinders Project Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Student Success Center, Rm. 107 B Student Success Center, Rm.114
615-963-2288 615-963-5289
Achunn@tnstate.edu Smcphee@tnstate.edu
Anika A. Evans, M.Ed. Nicholas Horton, M.Ed.
Program Coordinator/Success Coach Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Student Success Center, Rm. 113 Student Success Center, Rm.107A
615-963-1584 615-963-1381
Aevans40@tnstate.edu Ghorton01@tnstate.edu
Melissa Watkins, MBA
Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Student Success Center, Rm. 112
615-963-6382
mwatki15@tnstate.edu
The Student Progression for University Retention (SPUR-Project): Enhancing Student Retention and Graduation – The Student Progression for University Retention (SPUR) Project, (Student Services), complements Pathfinders and supports the remaining first ‐ time freshmen as they navigate the completion of first ‐ year courses, specifically Math and English. These courses were identified in 2013 as gatekeepers for the successful completion of general education. Measurable outcomes include students grade point averages, credit completion (at least 30 credits per year), and persistence rates. Other evaluation measures include qualitative data such as, interviews, satisfaction surveys, and focus group interviews. Both Pathfinders and SPUR Staff use Co-Active Coaching philosophy (Kimsey-House et al, 2011) to assist students.
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SPUR/Success Coaches:
Robert Buggs, MBA Brandon P. Haskins, M.Ed.
Program Coordinator/Success Coach Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Holland Hall Suite 200 C Holland Hall Suite 200 F
615-963-6876 615-963-6340
Rbuggs@tnstate.edu Bhaskins@tnstate.edu
Darrell Miller, MBA Donald Perkins, M.Ed.
Program Coordinator/Success Coach Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Student Success Center, Rm. 115 A Holland Hall Suite 200 D
615-963-2025 615-963-6338
dmile14@tnstate.edu
Dperki12@tnstate.edu
Rebecca Thornton, M.Ed.
Program Coordinator/Success Coach
Holland Hall Suite 200 G
615-963-6411
rthorn14@tnstate.edu
Library: Strengthening Library Resources for General Education Core – The Tennessee State University Library will provide access to current and relevant digital databases that support undergraduate research and education targeting the General Education core, Education (Elementary), Nursing, and Health Sciences. Digital collections play a critical role in the education and research expertise of undergraduate students and are available anytime from any place; consequently, the Library will concentrate on providing access to full-text databases to meet the wide range of undergraduate majors offered by the University.
webpage contact:
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