Students in their first year of college were in ninth grade when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Coming of age in this time of anxiety, uncertainty and remote learning had a range of impacts—some of which are just being discovered.
During fall orientation, advisors for the College of Education and Human Service Professions (CEHSP) noticed incoming students weren’t as prepared as their predecessors had been. It’s not surprising, as the pandemic was essentially a pause in their progression.
“Developmental things that typically happen during high school either didn’t happen or are still happening now,” explains Ann Miller, director of CEHSP Advising and Academic Services.
Considering these changing student needs, the advising team recently shifted its approach. “It’s about meeting students where they are at and not where we think they should be at,” asserts Miller.
One key focus has been on reassuring students and making sure they feel like they belong at UMD. “The most important thing for students in orientation to hear was, ‘You’re going to be okay here,’” Miller says. “‘You’re going to have the space and the cheerleaders to support you.’”
Miller and Associate Dean Scott Carlson have been working to educate faculty and staff that students may need additional support and resources to thrive. This could be as basic as improving study skills or learning methods for time management. It might require pointing students to professionals who can help address mental health needs.
CEHSP faculty leaders are participating in a reading group to learn about and discuss best practices. In addition, Carlson and Miller curate “Belongingness Tips” to send out in a regular email to faculty and staff.
The emails highlight resources and opportunities for further learning and give faculty tangible calls to action that are simple to build into classroom practice. Examples include learning student names, reaching out when a student has repeatedly missed class and providing materials that represent diverse viewpoints and communities.
Encouraging a sense of belonging isn’t about getting students to assimilate, it’s about getting them to be comfortable being their authentic selves, according to Miller. The emphasis is on student success and retention. She points to the literature on the subject. “If students feel like someone cares or they have a safety net, they’re more likely to be retained.”
Miller notes that students have thanked their advisors for “reaching out and noticing they have dropped the ball.” In some cases, students are experiencing a family emergency or mental health crisis. Being in touch with advisors and faculty can help them navigate challenging situations—and hopefully, reengage with their coursework.
Although retention is important, CEHSP is focused on student belonging “because we feel it is the right thing to do for our students,” says Carlson. “This is a moment when people feel more isolated and disconnected from each other than in the past. Anxiety and depression related to that can interfere with students reaching their goals. We want to let all our students know we value them, that we want them here, and that we think they belong here, because we do.”
This article originally appeared in CEHSP's Synergy newsletter