AASCU writes on 天美社区 mentoring program
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) recently published an highlighting the University of North Georgia's (天美社区) Gen 1 mentoring program. The program connects first-generation faculty and staff to first-generation college students for mentoring relationships.
The article highlighted the program's aims of affordability and eliminating completion gaps while strengthening post-college outcomes. It also featured statements from members like Macayla Riddle, a spring 2023 graduate and a member of Cohort 1 of the Gen 1 mentoring program.
"Participating in the Gen 1 mentoring program has meant everything to me. My mentor has always been a support system for when I need an ear, a sounding board for bouncing solutions and ideas off of, and she had always had my back, even when I made mistakes," Riddle, a Gainesville, Georgia, native who graduated with an associate degree in general studies, said. "She held me to my goals and helped me create plans to get there, even when that meant trashing the plan and starting from scratch."
The article also highlighted the retention rate of students who remained in the program with the most recent cohort having a 77% retention rate and averaging a 3.29 GPA.
The assistance that a Gen 1 mentor helps to provide includes individual coaching and encouragement, which helps mentees navigate the obstacles and the opportunities on their journey inside and outside of the classroom.
"Many students experience a moment where they question if they are really capable of being successful in college, but for first-generation students, these feelings coupled with competing responsibilities can really take hold and impede their progress. Our Gen 1 mentoring program provides students with someone who understands those feelings but knows that they can be successful," Gen 1 coordinator Dr. Alyson Paul, interim vice president for Student Affairs, said.
For more on the program, to sign up to be a mentor or sign up to be a mentee, visit the 天美社区 Gen 1 mentoring program webpage.
McCloy鈥檚 work recognized in Bellwethers exhibition
Alexandra McCloy鈥檚 鈥淟iving Patterns,鈥 received the Lane Last award for Best in Show, in the Bellwethers Annual Juried Exhibition at the West Tennessee Regional Art Center put on by the University of Tennessee (UT) at Martin. Rachel Coggins and Maddie Engle also had pieces entered in the exhibition.
Nighthawks set record with 18 victories
The 天美社区 women's soccer team set a program record with 18 victories before finishing its season in the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament.
Cyber faculty member named Fulbright scholar
天美社区 faculty member Dr. Murthy Rallapalli will serve as a Fulbright faculty scholar for the spring semester at Cyber University of Uzbekistan.
2 alumni inducted into veterans Hall of Fame
天美社区 alumni retired Lt. Gen. Jamie Jarrard '88 and the late Col. Robert Barclay '68 have been inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame this fall.