Executive Summary
College/Career Transition
Eastern Iowa Community College District along with local sponsors will offer a college/career transition event to high school seniors, senior parents and guidance counselors. This event will not only reinforce the importance of post-secondary training, but also connect students to resources and strategies to successfully creating and/or completing a post-secondary educational and career goal.
The college/careertransition event will provide seminars that will equip students with information on college and/or major selection, local career options, strategies for academic success, multiculturalism, financial aid and firsthand accounts of first year college experiences.
By engaging and educating the parents and guidance counselors on various resources, financial opportunities, and training options for their students, we will prepare them to address areas of concern that may arise for their student(s).
We as a district know that retention begins prior to students entering the classroom. Addressing prospective college students’ needs prior to college admission, aids in the transition process and consequentially retention. Moreover, we acknowledge the link between completion of post-secondary training and employability skills.
Goals
- To increase awareness of strategies for academic success in a post-secondary learning environment, particularly for first generation graduates, low socioeconomic populations, and students of color.
- To provide a platform for local career inquiry, career planning, and exploration
- To prepare the future workforce with tools and strategies to enhance their 21st Century skills.
- To increase retention and completion rates for post-secondary educational institutes.
Outcome for the Community
With nearly 25% of high school seniors from Davenport Schools attending Scott Community College, we as well as local sponsors have a responsibility to develop and retain qualified individuals to ensure success and economic development. It is essential to equip our future workforce with the skills gained through post-secondary education. These skills advance career opportunities for individuals, benefit local employers, and ultimately translates to economic growth for our community.
Conference Format
The conference format will include morning and afternoon sessions with all students congregating at lunch. Students will attend 3 college transition workshops of their choice based on their personal interest and needs. The workshops will be informative and engaging. In addition to relative workshops, the peak of the event will be a dynamic keynote speaker that can speak not only to overcoming personal obstacles, but also demonstrate the importance of being tenacious and hardworking. This speaker will need to have material that is relevant to encouraging students to look for guidance along their educational journey and connecting with likeminded individuals. Information provided must also be appropriate for parents and guidance counselors. The keynote will address the attendees over lunch that will be provided.