Metro State Works To Boost Retention, Graduation Rates

With the most ethnically diverse student body and workforce of any four-year college or university in Colorado, Metro State has a number of programs in place to improve retention and graduation rates and recently ranked first in the state for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

"We are focused on retention of all students but in particular students of color," said Yolanda Ortega-Ericksen, vice president of student services. The college provides a number of programs designed to recruit students of color - who make up 23 percent of the student body and are often first-generation college students - and to give them support once they enroll.

Ortega-Ericksen says it all comes down to providing individualized attention. "That's what is making our programs successful. When students need additional assistance, they get it."

The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) provides financial and other support to students from Colorado migrant farmworker families. Student Support Services, a federal program, provides low-income students individual academic counselors, tutoring, special leadership programs, mentoring and advocacy. Through private scholarships, the PaceSetter program provides similar services. "We're enjoying great retention rates - 90 percent of the students who started the Pacesetter program in year one returned for year two," Ortega-Ericksen said. (The program enters its third year this fall.)

Numerous scholarships are designed to attract Hispanic students, and the college has worked to connect Hispanic faculty and staff with Hispanic students through special orientation sessions, mentoring programs and Hispanic organizations.

Ortega-Ericksen would like to extend this individualized attention to all students. "It's simple," she says. "Students are more likely to finish college if they develop some kind of connection to the institution." Ideally, students - from the time they're recruited to the time they graduate - should be able to easily access the information and support they need to succeed. For a freshman student, that may mean additional assistance in getting registered and navigating financial aid. In the second year, it's time for help in declaring a major and exploring career choices. During a student's junior and senior years, the focus is on meeting major and minor course requirements, as well as developing a job search strategy.

"Everyone at the college who works with students has to know a bit about areas outside of their own area so they can provide meaningful support to students," Ortega-Ericksen said.