July 2007 - Southern Adventist University

More documents

Recommendations

Info

$(Southern Adventist University \302\273 Undergraduate Catalog ...$

Cover Story FeatureStudentsDream of SuccessBy Katie ShawStephanie Sanchezis a successstory even thoughshe hasn’t been acceptedyet to thenursing programat Florida HospitalCollege of Health Sciences(FHCHS). But,Stephanie’s dream ofbecoming an RN—athird generationnurse in her family—gets closer every daythanks to the StudentSuccess Center.While a studentat University HighSchool, Stephaniefirst heard aboutFlorida Hospital Collegeat the OrlandoSpanish church, herhome congregation. She made thedecision to attend FHCHS and beganher first experience in an Adventistschool the summer before her freshmanyear. Stephanie signed up forDestination College, a three-weekprogram offered at the College forstudents wanting to prepare themselvesfor the rigors of collegiatelife. Here Stephanie met LenoreBrantley, Ed.D. “Dr. Brantley notonly helped me during DestinationJulia Tkachuk, a second-year Nursing student, tutors Navreet Kaur who hasjust begun the nursing program. Julia remembers how challenging the firstsemester of the program was and wants to help other students understand howto study the difficult concepts.Paul MartinCollege, but she has kept in contactwith me ever since, making sure thatI have the resources I need to besuccessful,” Stephanie commented.Another key to Stephanie’ssuccess is Patty Wooley, tutoringcoordinator. Patty trains tutorsthat support the general educationcourses offered at FHCHS, andalso lends her expertise in math toaid struggling students. Stephaniecredits Patty for helping her understanddifficult mathconcepts. “She hasa way of applyingthe math assignmentsto daily lifeand making it soeasy to understand,”Stephaniestated. “She’s agreat tutor!”Sometimes thestudent becomesthe teacher. JuliaTkachuk’s successstory began a newchapter when shewas accepted inthe nursing programin the fallof 2006. “Before Ibegan the nursingprogram, I was a4.00 student,” Juliarecalled. “But the classes were so differentfrom what I was used to, and Istarted to have trouble academically.”Julia sought help from Susan Wooley,professional program tutor and apracticing nurse. “She was so greatand helped me a lot,” Julia stated appreciatively.Now that Julia is in herthird semester of the nursing program,she gets great satisfaction fromtutoring first-semester students andsharing her experiences with them.4 T IDINGS • J u l y 2 0 0 7
The Student Success team at Florida Hospital College: PattyWooley (left), student worker Alina Oramas, Lenore Brantley,Neal Smith, Karen Tilstra, and Betty Varghese.The Student Success Center iswhere many students’ dreams spark,grow, and become realized. KarenTilstra, director of the Center forStudent Success and Retention, is anessential campus resource. “The creationof the Success Center was deliberateon the part of the administration,”Karen stated. “They realizedthat to produce successful students,we must provide them with thetools that will ensure that success.”During the 2006-2007 school year,peer tutors assisted more than 500students. In addition, supplementalinstruction was provided for certaincore general education courses.After these classes meet, studentsare invited to stay and speak witha tutor to immediately clear up anyconcepts they didn’t understand.Both students and professors arefinding this resource invaluable.True student success doesn’tstop with tutoring. Neal Smith,testing and statistical coordinator,administers the ACT, Nurse EntranceTest (NET), and CLEP test.Students are also given the optionof taking learning-style evaluations,career interest inventories, and astrengths-finder survey. “We reallyfeel strongly that a student can startoff successfully by identifying andfocusing on their strengths insteadof their weaknesses,” Karen commented.“It’s so empowering for astudent to understand their strengthsPaul Martinand to applythose in theiracademic and personallives.”As coordinatorof academicadvising and DestinationCollege,Lenore Brantleyhelps facultyadvisors learn thebest ways to assisttheir advisees.Regularadvisors’meetings,mentoring workshops,andinstruction instrengths-basedadvising make theStudent SuccessCenter a place for faculty success aswell. An electronic tracking systemlinks at-risk students, their professors,and the Center to track students’progress. The system helpsidentify a student that may needextra help in a class based on theirgrade, reports this to their professor,advisor, and the Success Center, andthen alerts the professor and advisoronce the student has received tutoring.“It’s an amazing system that hasworked so well for us,” Karen said.“Each person involved realizesthat they can’t do it alone, butthis system allows all piecesto work together and providesaccountability.”Betty Varghese nurturesstudents with another avenuefor success: an opportunityto sit down and discuss anychallenges in their lives. Bettyis a full-time mental healthcounselor and is committed toproviding confidential supportin private or group settings.Future plans for the SuccessCenter include adding astudent intervention coordinator.This individual will be responsiblefor case-managementof at-risk students, will mentorstudents on academic probation,and will serve as the Collegedisability officer.The Student Success Centeris committed to helping students realizetheir dreams. In fact, DREAMShas become the mantra for thedepartment—Delivering Resourcesthat Empower And Motivate Success.Students who visit the Centerare constantly reminded of theirown value and ability. “Success is adecision,” one framed picture says.Another charges: “Dare to dream.Choice, not chance, determinesdestiny.”“I believe that Florida HospitalCollege is a better place for everyonebecause of the Student SuccessCenter,” stated Steve Roche, vicepresident for student services. “Itis evident that each team memberwants only the best for all of thestudents on campus, whether theyhave visited the Success Center ornot.”Stephanie and Julia are alreadysuccess stories because of theirown talents and strengths, but theStudent Success Center has beena stepping-stone, support group,and cheering section for them. Andsomeday soon, both will have fulfilledtheir dreams and will becomenurses.Katie Shaw is director of recruitingat Florida Hospital College ofHealth Sciences.Stephanie Sanchez (seated) receives support forher dream of becoming a nurse from Betty Varghese,the College’s mental health counselor.Paul MartinJuly 2007 • TIDINGS 5
Page 2 and 3: Vantage PointThe B-I-B-L-E: Yes,Tha
Page 6 and 7: Kentucky-Tennessee FeatureRecognizi
Page 8 and 9: Carolina NewsEddlemonAnnual GolfTou
Page 10 and 11: Florida NewsPrayer Summit Provides
Page 12 and 13: Georgia-Cumberland NewsDoss Statue
Page 14 and 15: Gulf States NewsTeam Completes Sixt
Page 16 and 17: Kentucky-Tennessee NewsErik Carter
Page 18 and 19: South Atlantic NewsSouth Atlantic R
Page 20 and 21: Southern Union ConferenceHealth Pro
Page 22 and 23: South Central NewsCollege Hill Chur
Page 24 and 25: South Central NewsJosette Paschal A
Page 26 and 27: Southern Union FeaturePeruvian Bles
Page 28 and 29: Southern Union FeatureInto RussiaBy
Page 30 and 31: Oakwood College Feature‘God Has P
Page 32 and 33: Southern Union FeatureSeparation of
Page 34 and 35: 34 T IDINGS • J u l y 2 0 0 7
Page 36 and 37: LAW OFFICESofVillard Bastien, LLCAd
Page 38 and 39: AdvertisementsH o w t o S u b m i t
Page 40 and 41: AdvertisementsMISCELLANEOUSSINGLE A
Page 42 and 43: SouthernUnionRevolvingFund...Your i
Page 44: NOctober 11-14, 2007TennesseeAshvil

July 2007 - Southern Adventist University

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?