“Comm” and Stay:
Creating and Sustaining
the First-Year Experience
at a Community College
Kapi`olani Community College, Honolulu, Hawaii
Colette
Higgins, Assistant Professor
Keith Kashiwada, Professor
Paige Wilmeth, First-Year Experience Coordinator
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One of 10 campuses in the University of Hawai`i system
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The largest community college with over 7,000 students
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Established in 1946 as Kapi`olani Technical College;
renamed Kapi`olani Community College in 1965 when it
became part of the University of Hawai`i system
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Student to faculty ratio of 15:1
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Forty-three programs offered, including 23 associate
programs, 10 certificates of achievement and 10
certificates of completion
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Nationally recognized programs in culinary arts, health
sciences, emergency medical services and legal assistance
KCC Students
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Mean age of 25 years
Approximately 56% are enrolled full-time
Nearly 11% are international students
Diverse student population
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21% Japanese
14% Filipino
13% Caucasian
12% Mixed ethnicity
11% Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian
8% Chinese
3% Pacific Islander
18% All Other
First-Year Students at KCC
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Local (State of Hawai`i) high school graduates
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High school graduation in academic year
preceding KCC enrollment
Finding Common Ground:
Faculty and Staff
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Support of administration vital to success
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Ability to justify the need
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Spread the word: administration, department
chairs, faculty senate
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Self-selection of participants, making it a grass
roots effort
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First year spent “finding ourselves”
Finding Common Ground:
Students
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What we’ve done:
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Challenges
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Identified “first-year” population
Mandated New Student Orientation attendance
Extending FYE beyond orientation
Creating a “singular” first-year experience
Future planning
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Collaboration with Academic Affairs to infuse FYE into
curriculum
Creating programs that carry FYE into the co-curriculum
Fostering Communication:
Faculty and Staff
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Task Force as vehicle for
campus-wide communication
Discussion in Task Force
meetings leading to recurring
themes
Defining commitment for
volunteer Faculty Advisors
Allowing members to define their
intended level of involvement
Collaboration between FYE and
other campus programs to
strengthen presence
Fostering Communication:
Students
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What we’ve done
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Primary communication about NSO
FYE statement on syllabi: Are you a first- or second-semester
student with questions about campus services available to you? Do you
need to know who to contact for advising about courses for your major?
If so, you are invited to visit the First-Year Experience (FYE) office at
`Ilima 104C, email them at <[email protected]> or call 734-9245.
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Challenges
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Identifying effective communication strategies
Ensuring consistency of messages
Future planning
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High School Advisory Council
Newly created Communications Team
Building Community:
Faculty and Staff
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Creation of strategic plan and Task Force
NSO Dream Team
Participation in Faculty Advisor training
Serving at New Student Orientation
Kahikoluamea
Building Community:
Students
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What we’ve done
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Challenges
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Welcome Bash
Commuter population
Full-time enrollment can be as little as two classes
Future planning
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Network of peer leaders, starting with NSO
Articulating hallmarks of FYE, so that FYE at KCC can be
seen in action
Sustaining Commitment:
Faculty and Staff
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Debriefing meetings to evaluate and improve
Thank you letters to faculty for dossiers
Public recognition for volunteers in the campus
bulletin
Hiring a full-time FYE coordinator
Goal of additional funding and support for
facilities and personnel
Sustaining Commitment:
Students
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Future planning
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Curricular requirements built into academic programs
Mandatory NSO for all students
Mandatory first-year seminar
Infusion of peer mentors/leaders into more elements of
curriculum
Questions?
Colette Higgins
[email protected]
Keith Kashiwada
[email protected]
Paige Wilmeth
[email protected]
808-734-9742
808-734-9181
808-734-9581