Jarvis Christian University has a two-tiered approach to advising in that students who have earned between 0-60 semester credit hours are advised by professional advisors and students above 60 hours are advised by faculty in their respective educational programs. Prior to the pandemic, the University strengthened its capacity to increase persistence rates by implementing an early warning and holistic student success management system, the Educational Advisory Board's Navigate.

Faculty identify at-risk students through the Navigate early alert system during the first four to five weeks of the semester. Using a cross-representative team of faculty, staff and professional advisors, the Navigate system was programed to send automated emails to students based on the early alert that was generated. The system provides students with detailed instructions along with the next steps they should take to get back on track.

Following early alerts, professional advisors invite students to schedule an appointment to discuss the early alert and offer any assistance needed. For severely struggling students, professional advisors will work with residence hall managers and the like to track the student, and if possible, meet with the student to mitigate failure risk and identify resources as needed.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

PROGRAM OUTCOMES: 78% of faculty completed 2,506 progress reports, indicating at-risk factors, for 732 unique students; 63% (N=461) were marked at-risk in at least one class for which intervention was provided through specialized email support. Of the students marked at-risk, 348 (75.5%) had a "C" or lower at midterms in at least one class, but almost half of the "Cs" were increased by 1+ letter grade(s) at finals. Further, all of the at-risk students who increased their grades from midterms to finals, re-enrolled for the spring 2020 term at a higher rate (77.3%) than the rest of the institution (62.4%).

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Division of Student Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Yolanda Jones at yjones@jarvis.edu or 903-730-4890

The Early Start Summer Program (ESSP) was implemented summer 2017, a summer bridge-style program for high school graduates who will be first-time entering freshmen. Designed to accelerate credit accumulation, enhance self-confidence and self-efficacy, and foster a sense of belonging, ESSP included a full-bodied cohort college experience in a summer term. Much like the CUNY ASAP program, students are placed in blocked courses, are offered supplemental instruction opportunities, are assigned a peer mentor, participate in social and civic activities such as community service, and receive specialized advising and orientation. Students can earn up to 12 semester credit hours in transferrable coursework and receive a substantive reduction in tuition.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

PROGRAM OUTCOMES: One cohort, students entering as first-time freshmen in the summer of 2017, has matriculated through to completion. The ESSP students within this cohort had a higher graduation (four-year) and retention rate than that of the 2017 total entering freshmen cohort. Due to its model of credit acceleration, nearly half graduated early (i.e., within 3-3.5 years). Post-program focus group data revealed that students preferred to receive the same degree of support throughout their entire first year.

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Division of Student Success Services

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Yolanda Jones at yjones@jarvis.edu or 903-730-4890

Jarvis Christian University (JCU) Counseling Services is rethinking our approach amid an influx of student mental health demands during the mental health crisis, post the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting and understanding our students' needs is critical, therefore Counseling Services increased the number of outreach activities and one-on-one counseling sessions with students. In March of 2023, 82% of the students who participated in the Healthy Minds Study stated that students' mental and emotional well-being is a priority on campus.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: The Office of Counseling Services

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Kishia James at kjames@jarvis.edu or 9037304890

Jarvis has instituted a variety of programs to increase the affordability of degree attainment and student completion.

Project Comeback is a one-time opportunity that affords stopped-out students a second chance at earning a degree. For qualifying students, prior balances are forgiven in order to increase the capacity of students to return to college and complete their degree without the onerous challenge of paying past and current debt. Balance forgiveness is contingent upon degree completion.

The current eligibility criteria includes:
--current debt must be $10,000 or greater;
--have a current GPA of 2.0 or greater;
--be eligible to receive financial aid or pay out-of-pocket; and
--have not been enrolled in college for at least 5 years.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Small-scale (reaches fewer than 10 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Division of Enrollment Management

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Cleopatra Allen at callen@jarvis.edu or 9037304890

Jarvis has a multifaceted approach to mentorship in that students can receive mentorship a number of ways and at various periods throughout their matriculation, hence the umbrella term of mentorship.

First-Year Faculty and Staff Mentors: The aim of this initiative is to connect first-year students with a faculty or staff mentor group to increase retention/persistence to completion. Mentor teams, comprised of faculty, staff and a processional advisor, are assigned a mentor group by educational discipline. Students meet monthly in groups with their mentor team to engage in opportunities (e.g., free-form or guided discussions, social or academic activities, trips, etc.) that foster a sense of belonging, build connectedness to the institution and ease college navigation.

Alumni Mentors: With the same desired goals and outcomes as that of the first-year student mentor program, all students classified freshmen through seniors have the opportunity to connect with alumni mentors based on outcomes and characteristics that are meaningful to the student such as the potential mentors occupation, affiliate groups, location, etc. Students and alumni mentors control the nature of this relationship and the frequency of contact.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Division of Academic Affairs

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Antoinesha Hollman at AHollman@Jarvis.edu or 903-730-4890