July 2007 - Southern Adventist University

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