Academic Enhancement Presents at National Conference
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 23, 2012) — Academic Enhancement, located in The Study, is well known throughout the UK Community, but The Study’s staff also shares its expertise and research nationally.
This past February 17-21, Academic Enhancement staff, graduate students and undergraduate students presented in San Antonio at the 31st National Conference on the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, hosted by the National Resource Center.
Director of Academic Enhancement Karin Ann Lewis and Associate Director Jim Breslin presented “Addressing Student Readiness for the First-Year with an Integrated Intervention: The University of Kentucky’s Academic Preparation Program - The APP for Student Success.”
Breslin said that he and Lewis shared “an overview of the structure of this seamless continuum of support” and highlighted “key assessment results,” with the audience.
Dana Malone, an EPE 174 Instructor, and Assistant Director Anna Gatewood presented “Pulling back the veil of college student success: A unique intervention initiative targeting students on academic probation.” The goal of this presentation was to introduce participants to EPE 174 Theories of College Student Success, a three-credit hour problem-based, conceptual course offered at UK to give first and second year students an introduction to the field of higher education.
Breslin, along with Assistant Director Megan Beach presented a poster titled, “Creating Opportunities or Building Barriers: Framing Placement Testing as an Impactful Part of the First-Year Experience.” In this presentation Beach and Breslin looked at the effectiveness of placement testing in predicting the preparedness of students for college success. They also examined how placement testing can help contribute to institutional initiatives.
Beth Neiser, assessment coordinator, and Breslin presented a poster titled “Keeping up with Cats: Assessing First-Year Programs.”
“I had many people from colleges and universities across the country that were highly impressed with our assessment plan here in Academic Enhancement,” Neiser said of her experience at the First-Year Experience Conference. “It was so exciting to have people compliment the way we use assessment. It is such an integral part of success, and it is working!”
Additionally, three of The Study’s undergraduate student program coordinators, Kristen Hamilton, Stephanie Sipp and Emilia Witt, presented a concurrent session, “If you really knew me: Opening the Dialogue on Diversity,” Support from the Office of Undergraduate Research helped make this possible.
Academic Enhancement’s scholarly work produces on average seven professional conference presentations or publications annually. To read more, visit www.uky.edu/AE and check under the “About Us” tab.
For more information on the National Resource Center and its annual conference on the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, visit http://www.sc.edu/fye/index.html.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Geegan, (859) 257-5365; sarah.geegan@uky.edu