International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
higher education, leaving them at an elevated risk for lower success rates in school (Valdez, 1993; Berger, 2000,
Walpole, 2003, Wells, 2008b).
Similar to national trends, FGLIU students at Tufts were also historically at risk for transition and persistence
difficulties impacting their retention rates. Therefore, in recent years institutional attention was directed toward
their lower retention rates and transition challenges, and as a result, the Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts
(BEST) program and Bridge to Liberal Arts Success (BLAST) program were created in 2010 & 2012,
respectively. The purpose of these programs is to support, develop, and retain engineering and liberal arts
students who may be first in their family to attend a four-year college, and/or have attended an under resourced
high school, and/or have worked with a college access agency. Through these programs Tufts aims to address
this gap in capital possession, sense of belonging, and retention for FGLIU students.
METHODS
Purpose of the Case Study Approach
To explore how FGLIU students were experiencing, and succeeding at Tufts, we utilized a single-site case
study approach, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data on the Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts
(BLAST) program and the Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) program, our two summer bridge
programs that provide continued support through graduation. Our approach utilized case study methodology as
we conducted an “in-depth and detailed exploration” of both programs (Rossman & Rallis, 2012, p. 103). As
Rossman & Rallis (2012) further note, case studies are often complex and multilayered, utilizing a variety of
techniques to collect data over time. Furthermore, case studies are context-dependent, as exemplified in our
single-site case study, in which we are examining both of these programs within the broader context of the Tufts
environment. Moreover, as referenced above, case studies are multilayered; as such, we have collected
quantitative data in the form of student surveys, demographic information, and institutional data (such as grade
point averages and retention rates), along with qualitative data in the form of written student narratives and
student interviews. The triangulation of this data has provided us with a rich description of the student
experience of FGLIU BLAST and BEST Scholars at Tufts.
Overview of BLAST and BEST
The BLAST program
Implemented in 2012, The Bridge to Liberal Arts Success (BLAST) vision is to develop a strong cohort of
scholars from diverse backgrounds who demonstrated academic excellence in their secondary education. The
purpose of the program is to support and retain students who may be first in their family to attend a four-year
college, and/or have attended under resourced high school and/or have been affiliated with a college access
agency; the majority of BLAST scholars are also FGLIU students. Supported by a strong and varied Tufts
network, BLAST Scholars begin their experience with a six-week intensive, residential summer program. In this
segment of the program, Scholars find themselves immediately immersed into the “Tufts experience.” BLAST
Scholars take two courses that will allow them to fulfill requirements toward their Tufts degree. This program
prepares students for a rigorous college curriculum, orientates them to the Tufts culture, and provides the
resources for a successful transition. Although preparatory, rather than remedial, students are required to
demonstrate success in their summer courses in order to matriculate to Tufts in the fall.
The goal of the program is to make certain that BLAST Scholars begin their college experience empowered
and ready to take advantage of everything that Tufts has to offer. As the four-year program progresses, the
BLAST program provides the scaffolding to support Scholars for the variety of opportunities, challenges, and
experiences that characterize a Tufts undergraduate education. A focal point is building a strong sense of
community within the program and to the larger Tufts community. A number of teambuilding activities and
events bring the Scholars together as a group, creating a cohort that they can turn to throughout the course of
their continuing years together. In addition, the program strives to provide students with the capital to understand
the academic culture inherent to any college or university. As the BLAST Scholar ends the six week session,
s/he will be ready to make a seamless transition from any type of secondary school setting to Tufts’ rigorous and
exciting undergraduate environment.
An overview of the demographic breakdown of the two BLAST cohorts is as follows:
BLAST Size Gender Economic College status
Cohort % Male % Female Financial Aid Recipients First Generation
933