Academic coaching is an interactive process that focuses on the personal relationship created between student and coach. An academic coach helps students navigate obstacles they may encounter during their academic career by using individualized and holistic approaches. They guide students in understanding and adapting their learning behavior by challenging students to think about personal and/or professional goals as related to academic/educational goals. Academic coaches help empower students to take responsibility for your own learning.

• Help students thrive by adopting a holistic and transformational approach.
• To help students become self-reflective and determine a path toward success.
• Equip and empower students to be able to identify context-specific methods, processes, and integrated strategic approaches to learning, problem-solving, motivation, and time management.
• To provide Academic Coaches with campus wide support as they identify trending barriers students face.
• To encourage intentional departmental and hopefully systemic change with awareness of barriers faced by subpopulations of our students.

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: UTRGV Learning Center

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Leslie Kimberling Jones at leslie.jones@utrgv.edu or 956 882-7059

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is committed to maintaining the highest standards of excellence regardless of the course delivery format. The Center for Online Learning and Teaching Technology supports and fulfills the university's mission by providing professional development such as the Blueprinting Process that integrates the best pedagogical practices in quality online education. Blueprinting Process is based on Quality Matters. It is designed to prepare faculty to design, develop and deliver high-quality and accessible online courses and programs that provide students with a good quality learning experience.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

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

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 100

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants are automatically enrolled in this program if they meet eligibility requirements

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Center for Online Learning and Teaching Technology

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Francisco Garcia at francisco.garcia@utrgv.edu or 956-882-6667

The University College’s First Year course offerings assist students as they transition from high school to the university and have been tailored to assist students based on a number of criteria including, major, prior college hours, class rank and academic performance.The UNIV 1301 Learning Framework course is the most popular and widely taken first-year experience course offered. Here, students will learn about the psychology of learning and develop the skills that will enable them to be successful college students. The Learning Framework course is organized by college, so students will also learn about program specific requirements depending on their major. In addition to the Learning Framework course, UTRGV also offers, UNIV 1101: Self-Discovery for Academic and Career Success. This one-hour course connects students to university resources as they navigate their first year at UTRGV while also helping them identify and develop a plan to achieve their academic and professional goals. Finally, the UNIV 1001 and UNIV 1300: Living and Working by Design courses encourage new students to think about and build out multiple college experiences by incorporating design thinking principles. Here students are given a safe and supportive space to think about possible majors and careers without any fear of judgment or critique. Students then work through potential major/career pathways by thinking about the actions they need to take and the resources they need in order to make their pathway(s) a reality.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

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

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 3500

HOW TO ENROLL: We do not automatically enroll, however, it is a first-year requirement for students who meet the criteria.

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: University College

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Cynthia Saldivar at cynthia.saldivar@utrgv.edu or 956-882-7483

JumpStart is a supportive five week academic program designed to aid students towards meeting Texas’s College Readiness standards while enhancing their ability to access and connect with the vast resources and opportunities available within the university. JumpStart Scholars are incoming freshmen who are working towards meeting the Texas College Readiness standards. The purpose of the program is to create a network of resources for the participants. Guidance from peer mentors and personal tutors provide critical support. Students are connected with a network of UTRGV academic & campus resources, including Financial Aid, the Library, the Learning Center, Writing Center, and more. Each student is enrolled in developmental coursework based on their area(s) of need: 3 hours of integrated reading/writing and/or 3 hours of math. Students are also enrolled in a corresponding English 1301 and/or math course that is directly connected to their developmental education course which will help them apply what they’ve learned and be even better prepared to do well.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program is in-person only.

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

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 690

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants are automatically enrolled in this program if they meet eligibility requirements

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Office of Student Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Cynthia Saldivar at cynthia.saldivar@utrgv.edu or 9568827483

UTRGV has developed a model for student success partnerships that brings together faculty alongside staff from our Center for Teaching Excellence, Center for Online Learning & Teaching with Technology, Learning Center, and Writing Center, with the goals of 1) analyzing student success data in key gatekeeper courses and 2) co-designing strategies and initiatives that will positively impact student persistence and completion. Faculty and Student Success staff work together to better understand students' unique needs and to determine how to best address them. Specific strategies implemented include integrated academic supports such as embedded peer collaborative learning, targeted professional development for faculty teaching gatekeeper courses, opportunities for trained student assistants to provide feedback to faculty on their course materials and pedagogical strategies, and "second chance" opportunities for students who haven't mastered course material to extend their semester by a few weeks in an effort to avoid having to re-enroll in the course the next semester.

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)

PROGRAM OUTCOMES: Preliminary grade data from Spring 2023 is trending in a positive direction year over year, with notable decreases in DFW rates in ENGL 1301 and MATH 1314. Preliminary data from student surveys has yielded positive feedback, as well, noting that students are experiencing a greater sense of understanding of course content and greater confidence to interact with peers and university resources. These early indicators are usually markers for persistence and retention.

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Office of Student Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Jonikka Charlton, Associate Provost of Student Success at jonikka.charlton@utrgv.edu or 956-665-7919

Rebranded and launched in 2020, the Student Experience Internship (SEI) Program, formerly known as Student Employment Initiative, was created through the Career Center in partnership between Office of Student Success, Human Resources, Dean of Students, and Academic Advising. The SEI Program is an initiative that provides on-campus internship opportunities for undergraduate students to grow in skill, expand in learning, and realize their potential through an enriched internship experience.

The Student Experience Internship Program will:

1. Allow colleges and departments of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to develop and offer quality internship experiences with learning outcomes related to a student's field of study
2. Provide opportunities for department supervisors, faculty, and mentors to train and guide SEI talent throughout the entire program
3. Allow students to engage with faculty, staff, and peers of different backgrounds and acquire social, cultural, and ethical development
4. Positively impact our students' time to graduate
5. Offer student the opportunity to obtain knowledge and experience that will be beneficial to their career and professional development
6. Provide students with skill development and improve their leadership abilities

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 73

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants must apply to enroll in this program

WEBSITE TO APPLY: Handshake, the university's job platform

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Career Center

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Jack Kaufold at jack.kaufold@utrgv.edu or 956-665-2246