City of Cambridge
Office of College Success
College Success Initiative
Higher-education, non-profit and city partnerships:
Advancing the transition and retention of first generation students
Emily Singer, Coordinator,
City of Cambridge, Office of College Success
June 2017
City of Cambridge
Office of College Success
College Success Initiative
VISION
Low-income graduates of Cambridge Rindge and
Latin School (CRLS), Just-A-Start Youth Build,
and Community Learning Center Bridge to
College Program will complete a post-secondary
credential in six years at a rate equal to their nonlow-income peers.
College Success Initiative Partners
City of Cambridge
Non-profit partners:
Department of Human Service
Programs
• Community Learning Center
Bridge to College Program
• American Student Assistance
• Breakthrough Greater Boston
• Cambridge Economic Opportunity
Committee
• Cambridge School Volunteers
• Cambridge Community Television
• Enroot Education
• Friends of CRLS
• JFYNetworks
• Just-A-Start YouthBuild
• MIT/Wellesley Upward Bound
• Office of Workforce Development
• Cambridge Youth Programs
• Community Engagement Team
Cambridge Public Schools
• Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
Cambridge Housing Authority
Higher education partners:
• Bunker Hill CC
• UMass Boston
• Lesley University
City of Cambridge
Office of College Success
College Success Initiative
College Success Initiative
STRATEGIC GOALS
1
2
3
4
Collaboration
College
Readiness
Family
Engagement
PostSecondary
Supports
College Success Initiative
STRATEGIC GOALS
GOAL 4
College Success Coaching
UMass Boston’s Embedded Coaching Model
Joan Becker,Vice Provost Academic Support Programs
Liliana Mickle, Special Assistant to Vice Provost, Coordinator of SBI
College Success Coaches
• Unpaid contingent employee of UMass Boston. (MOA)
• Reports to Director of University Advising Center
• Attend monthly Advising meetings. Updated on policies and resources.
Coach vs. Academic Advisor
Coaches: connect students to campus-based
resources, address academic and non-academic
challenges, case-management, mentoring, parent
contact, connecting to community supports
Academic Advisors: counsel regarding degree and
graduation requirements, course selection, SAP,
address personal challenges
Benefits
Higher Ed Partner
City/Non-Profit Partner
Student
ALIGNMENT
ACCESS
SUPPORT
 University policies
 Data in real time
 A thriving community of
caring adults and peers
 University retention efforts
 Matriculation support
 Financial/loan assistance
 Student self-advocacy
 Supports on & off campus
 Internship & career
opportunities
 Parent engagement
 Leadership development
Advancement of
University’s mission
& long-term
retention plan
Proactive responses to
student challenges
Students ready for
transition to career
Persistence, performance
& degree completion!
Challenges
 Solutions
Challenges
Investment
Sustainability
 Part-Time vs. Full Time Coach positions
 Develop a long-term sustainable plan for
coaching services

 Align with university’s strategic plan for
retention and completion.
Coordination: Relies upon a skilled
person to coordinate multi-stakeholder
effort, and manage non-profit coaches
 Collect data that demonstrates value of
investment
College Success Initiative
City of Cambridge
Office of College Success
Data
UMB
Math/ELA Completion
Major/Graduation Requirements
Cohort: Freshmen/Transfers
All
City of Cambridge
High School Math/ELA
High School GPA
Progress
Performance
Persistence
Success Boston
Remedial Completion
Cohort:1st Fall Enrollment
Cohort: Graduating Class
College Success Initiative
City of Cambridge
Office of College Success
Questions &
Discussion
Discussion
College Success Initiative
City of Cambridge
Office of College Success