Workshops & Webinars
Workshops and Webinars
The SREB Go Alliance annual workshop series helps college access professionals improve student outreach programs and communications campaigns that to encourage first-in-the-family students to plan for, apply to and succeed in college.
Workshops and webinars are free and open to education professionals in Go Alliance member states.
Social Listening: Using Social Media Analytics for Qualitative Research
June 4, 2019
2:00PM – 3:00PM EDT
Campus Sonar is a specialized social listening agency that helps education institutions identify and track online conversations that matter—from engagement opportunities with key audience members to informing social media strategies for college access programs and postsecondary institutions. Join Amber Sandall, Research Manager at Campus Sonar, to learn more about what social listening is, review key industry research, and learn some tips on how to get started putting social listening to work for you.
Presenter
Amber Sandall is Campus Sonar’s Research Manager. She brings expertise in marketing, communications, and data analysis and reporting to her role of managing Campus Sonar’s social listening research program and team of Social Media Data Analysts. Amber and her team perform social listening research customized to each institution and collaborate with the Client Success team to unearth actionable insights that inform our campus partner’s institutional goals. When she’s not thinking about research projects or learning about business administration in her MBA program, Amber enjoys a good taco and a new book.
Re-Engaging Adult Learners: Mississippi’s Complete to Compete Campaign
July 16, 2019
2:00PM – 3:00PM EDT
The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board have partnered together to identify non-completers, categorize target groups, launch a website and comprehensive marketing plan, implement adult learner services, and re-engage adult students to help them complete their degrees through a state-wide initiative called “Complete 2 Compete.” This program is a partnership between the eight public universities, 15 community colleges, and one medical center in MS. This webinar will highlight the implementation and development of the program, as well as barriers identified, policy development, tracking and monitoring, and a system-wide policy for adult degree completion programs for the eight Mississippi public universities. Presenters will include a brief overview of data collection, grant funding sources, adult learner grants, best practices, and lessons learned.
Presenters
Stephanie Bullock, Project Coordinator for Complete 2 Compete for the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi, executes the state-wide initiative, Complete 2 Compete, and is charged with increasing education attainment, employment, and subsequent wage gains in Mississippi. She has a total of 16 years of professional & sales and management experience; both in retail and higher education. Stephanie has served in higher education as an Undergraduate Recruiter, Re-Admissions Administrator, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Southern Mississippi & Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Mississippi University for Women. She has been featured as a Primary Presenter at national conferences such as Higher Education User Group, Council for Adult & Experiential Learning, SHEEO Higher Education Policy, and will present in February at the League for Innovation in the Community College. She has also served on National Advisory Committees. Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication at the University of Southern Mississippi and is currently working on her Masters of Workforce Education Leadership at Mississippi State University.
Casey Prestwood, Assistant Commissioner for Policy & Strategic Initiatives for the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi, works closely with K-12, community college, university, and industry partners to support a seamless kindergarten through college to workforce educational system. Prestwood has served as the Associate Registrar and Director for Teacher Education Accreditation, specializing in student records, program implementations, assessment, and accreditation, at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Prestwood received an associate’s degree from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, a master’s degree in human nutrition, and a doctorate in higher education administration from The University of Southern Mississippi. She has taught as an adjunct instructor at Pearl River Community College and The University of Southern Mississippi.
College Access Reimagined: Leveraging virtual reality and artificial intelligence to increase match and fit
August 13th, 2019
2:00PM – 3:00PM EDT
Recent research demonstrates higher levels of college-knowledge, and a higher likelihood of having conversations with school personnel about college for middle school students who experienced a campus tour. Given the importance of a campus tour and connections to campus personnel to ensure proper college match and fit, it is essential students explore as many campuses as possible. The challenge is time and distance. Virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) can address these challenges. This session will showcase GEAR UP North Carolina’s phone app features and research to date on effectiveness. The GEAR UP VR app enables students to explore all University of North Carolina and some North Carolina Community College System institutions from anywhere at any time through an immersive 360 degree virtual reality tour, connections to social media, exploration of college majors, and chatbot for 24/7 response to questions.
Presenters
Carol Cutler White is the former Principal Investigator/Director of GEAR UP NC. Dr. White is currently an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership at Mississippi State University.
Nikki Liles, MPA, is Interim Director of GEAR UP NC overseeing the statewide GEAR UP VR project implementation.
Supporting and Engaging Generation Z Students
December 18, 2018
1:00PM – 2:00PM EST
This webinar, led by Rachel Weatherly, Director of Digital Communication Strategy at American University, outlined the key characteristics that define Generation Z, how these students differ from the Millennials Generation (Gen Y), how to communicate effectively with these students, and how to help them meet their postsecondary goals. Topics that were covered included:
Counselor Tools for Helping Students Understand Financial Aid
November 6, 2018
3:30PM – 4:30PM EST
Affordability is key for many students and families when choosing colleges. In this webinar, presenters outlined specific ways to approach the issue, including how to interpret, share, and translate information from tools like financial aid award letters, the College Scorecard, and net price calculators, and how to help students navigate the financial aid application process, even if they are selected for verification.
Reaching out to Reduce Melt: Strategies and Interventions for Student Success
August 16, 2018
1:00PM – 2:00PM EDT
Research finds that an estimated 10-20% of high school graduates who intend to go to college (and have been accepted) succumb to “summer melt” and never show up to campus in the fall.
How College Access Programs Can Partner with Schools: What Professional School Counselors Want You to Know
July 25, 2018
2:00PM – 3:00PM
Go Alliance continued its 2018 webinar series on how college access programs can partner, support, and more closely align with school counselors to better serve students.
A Win-Win for Students: How Michigan College Access Network Supports School Counselors
June 28, 2018
10 am – 11am EST
Go Alliance is hosting a three-part webinar series that will focus on how college access programs can partner, support, and more closely align with school counselors to better serve students.
College Signing Day 2018
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
3 pm – 4 pm EST
Mark your calendars! Reach Higher is celebrating the 5th National College Signing Day in May!
As you know, May 1st is the deadline by which many high school seniors tell colleges where they plan to attend in the fall. And we are thrilled to invite Go Alliance partners to join us again to host celebrations of support for all of your students who commit to continue their education after high school.
WEBINAR The Kresge FAFSA Completion Challenge: How 22 Cities Increased FAFSA Completion by High School Seniors
Friday, March 2, 2018
1 pm – 2 pm EST
In 2016-17, NCAN and The Kresge Foundation challenged 22 U.S. cities to raise FAFSA completion rates by at least 5 percent for the high school graduating class of 2017 over the completion rates for the class of 2015. Overall, the cities met this goal, and ten of the cities increased FAFSA completion by more than 6 percentage points.
Understanding ourselves in the Equity and Access Equation
Friday, January 19, 2018
11 am – noon EST
This presentation, led by Mark Williams, assistant professor at the Community College of Baltimore County, addressed the current and sometimes difficult conversation concerning the complexity of equity and its potential impact on implementing effective student support programs. This session provided an overview of background research on high impact practices and guided pathways as they relate to equity and provided a deeper understanding of equity’s role in designing effective high impact practices.
Increasing Postsecondary Access and Success: Tennessee Higher Education Commission
December 7th, 11 a.m. EST
To support Tennessee’s mission to increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s (THEC) Division of College Access and Success was established in 2005 to bring together many of the state’s college access and success initiatives. The Division designs and implements programs and initiatives with the goal of empowering communities, local education agencies, and other partner organizations to create a statewide culture of college-going and attainment.
College Count$: Evidence of Impact
November 15, 3 p.m. EST
Since 2005, Arkansas Community Colleges have been at the forefront of an innovative welfare reform experiment that uses federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families welfare dollars) to send low-income Arkansans into the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative leading to higher wage, high-demand jobs.
Using the Up Next Texting Tool to Increase FAFSA Completion
September 22, 2017
2 to 3 p.m. EDT
This webinar provided an overview of Up Next, a free tool for students and their families to help navigate the postsecondary planning, college application, and financial aid processes. Texting support can also help students stay in education after high school and complete a postsecondary credential.
Michigan College Access Network
Increasing Postsecondary Access and Success for all Students
This webinar, led by Executive Director Brandy Johnson, provided an overview of MCAN’s statewide strategy and programs.As the leader in the Michigan’s college access movement, Michigan College Access Network’s mission is to increase Michigan’s college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college going students, and students of color. MCAN’s strategies include the development of Local College Access Network, advocacy and leadership, coordination and partnerships, professional development, and statewide initiatives.
Effective Strategies to Increase FAFSA Completion
April 19, 2017
Go Alliance staff presented an strategic planning outline for how plan and implement a statewide FAFSA completion campaign. Representatives from Tennessee and West Virginia, who lead the nation in FAFSA completion rates, shared best practices, lessons learned, and effective strategies for engaging, training and supporting partners, as well as grassroots marketing tactics that compel students and families to take action.
Celebrate College Signing Day!
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is committed to helping students reach higher by completing their education past high school. She continues to celebrate College Signing Day to recognize the hard work of students who pursue and complete their postsecondary education, whether at a two-year school, four-year university, or through an industry recognized credential. Mrs. Obama will celebrate Signing Day 2017 on May 5th, and she encourages all schools and communities to celebrate their students, too.
1-2-3 Go! Virginia’s Three Steps to College: How Our Bundle Was Born
The 1-2-3 Go! initiative, spearheaded by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), includes three distinct components: Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) College Nights events, Virginia College Application Week and the Super FAFSA Project. These three services provide students with critical assistance from counselors, advisers and experts on how to prepare, apply and ultimately pay for their higher education. The webinar occurred on November 10, 2016.
An Overview of LOSFA’s (Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance) College Access Programs
Tireka Cobb, Director of Field Outreach Services, and colleagues from LOSFA led a presentation on what they and their state partners are doing to increase postsecondary access and success. The webinar occurred on December 15, 2016. Topics included:
- Professional development
- Comprehensive mentoring
- TOPS/FAFSA/scholarship/financial literacy workshops
- College and career counseling and advising
- College and career access support
An Overview of Delaware’s College Access Programs
January 26, 2017
Karen Keegan and Julie Murawski of the Delaware Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, led a presentation on the Delaware Goes to College programs, including texting support, College Scholars, Getting to Zero campaign, Access to Opportunity Tour, and “Take the Leap! Be First” video series.
Early Awareness Strategies to Increase College Access and Success
October 4, 2016
Carrie Warwick and Bill DeBaun of the National College Access Network discussed best practices and recent research on the effectiveness of early awareness strategies. They also recommended policies to improve strategies at the state level and provided an overview of tools that practitioners can use in their work. Bill discussed how to measure the effectiveness of early awareness programs.
Understanding and Supporting LGBTQ Youth
Feb 26, 2016
This webinar provided an overall understanding of LGBTQ youth, the issues they face in education today, and what supports these students need in planning and applying to college. Specific topics that were addressed included:
• LGBTQ Student Needs
• Identity Development
• Considerations for Career and College Planning/College Advising
• High School Climate Changes
Presenter: Dr. Ken Jackson, Decatur High School (GA)
Developing a Strategic Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan: Lessons Learned From Research and Practice
In this webinar, Dr. Kyle Reyes showed how Utah Valley University developed and implemented a campus-wide, strategic inclusion and action plan to increase diversity and retention. Dr. Reyes addressed various phases of the planning process he used, including: guiding principles and questions, frameworks and structure, leadership and committees, target goals and timelines, action steps and deliverables, budget and resources, and accountability and assessment. In his presentation, Dr.
Increasing Degree Completion and Academic Success: How Georgia State is using Big Data to Make a Big Difference
Georgia State University in urban Atlanta has been recognized nationally for its work to improve retention and graduation rates, prevent students from taking unnecessary classes, and ultimately lower college costs and student-loan debt. In this webinar, Tim Renick and Allison Calhoun-Brown provided an overview of the steps they and their colleagues have taken to transform student success and Georgia State.
The Georgia State Story
Webinar: Strategies to Increase Parent Engagement in Postsecondary Planning
May 18, 2016
This webinar provided a brief overview of parent engagement strategies that have proven successful in the following programs:
Webinar: How to Help Homeless Students and Youth in Foster Care Succeed in Education After High School
Each year, approximately 1.5 million children and youth experience homelessness, and 400,000 youth are placed in foster care. This webinar provided a national overview of the academic and support needs of this student population, particularly in planning for, applying to, selecting, and successfully transitioning into education after high school. Presenters highlighted the promising support practices underway by NAEHCY, GEAR UP and other national and state programs. Topics covered included:
On-demand Webinar: State Policies That Support Effective School Counseling
February 4, 2016
This webinar provides an overview of state policies that grant students access to qualified, professional school counselors who help students plan for college and careers. The webinar also included an explanation of how each policy was planned and eventually enacted by state. Policies included in the discussion:
Career & College Impact of School Counselors
Misti Ruthven, Colorado Department of Education; Paula Gumina and Eve Pugh, Colorado Department of Higher Education
From policies to programs, Colorado school counselors have assisted in leading the career and college conversation from a state-based grant program to counseling standards and FAFSA completion. This high-level discussion shared Colorado’s strategies for aligning systems and reinforcing collaboration.
Launching Institution and Nonprofit Partnerships: Lessons Learned from College Advising Corps
Jennifer Cox Bell, College Advising Corps
In this webinar, Jennifer Cox Bell, National Director of Programs and Partnerships, offered perspective and lessons learned on starting multi-member partnerships anchored in higher education in addition to sharing insight on how College Advising Corps selects and helps launch programs at new partner institutions.
Razor C.O.A.C.H.: A University and High School Partnership Focused on College and Career Readiness
Josh Raney, University of Arkansas
The Razor C.O.A.C.H. program is a three-year, grant-funded partnership between the University of Arkansas Counselor Education program and local high schools to assist at-risk students in college and career planning.
Path to College: A Year of College Access Events for High School Students
Kate Derrick, Troy Grant and Mary Laphen, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission created a comprehensive, annual series of Path to College events to meet the needs of high school students: College Planning Nights, College App Week, College Goal Tennessee and College Signing Day.
Encouraging Collaboration and Data-Sharing in Utah through StepUP READY Grants
Christie Fox and Melissa Miller Kincart, Utah System of Higher Education
This presentation shared the process and outcomes of entering into data-sharing agreements with school districts to track student college-going patterns and first-year achievement data.
MoveED for Goal 2025
Rosa Zamora and Alayna Herr, MoveED
This webinar provided an overview of www.MoveEd.org, a new website sponsored by Lumina Foundation. MoveED brings together organizations committed to helping low-income students, students of color, first-generation students and adult learners attain a postsecondary credential.
Designing a College Access Website for the Mobile Age
Desiree Colonna, CEO, Bella Web Design
In this webinar, led by the CEO of the award-winning Bella Web Design, attendees learned how to get your college access site designed cleanly and optimized for a mobile world. Content covered how to design websites for a seamless mobile experience and how that design affects your visibility in Siri and Google searches, including:
Fostering Success Michigan
Maddy Day, Fostering Success Michigan
Fostering Success Michigan is a statewide initiative that aims to increase awareness of, access to and success in higher education and postsecondary opportunities among youth and alumni of foster care, by building a network to support college campuses and local community organizations.
Txt 4 Success! Two-Way Texting to Improve Matriculation and Persistence
Brian Kathman and Miranda Palter, Signal Vine
Making Sure They Make It: How Academic Mindsets and Support Programs Impact Postsecondary Success
This webinar provided an overview of how academic mindsets and other psychological factors impact student success at the postsecondary level. A summary of resesarch to date on postsecondary dropout prevention programs — what programs seem to be working and why — was presented, followed by a discussion of how similar programs can be implemented in postsecondary systems in SREB states.
Presenter: Alice Anne Bailey, SREB
There’s an App for That: Free or Low-Cost Technology to Manage Workflow
Never before has information been so prevalent and available. Never before have we had so many ways to connect with our stakeholders. And never before have we been so overwhelmed. Technology can help us to cope with information overload, manage workflow, and work more efficiently.
This webinar provided an overview of technology that can used to keep track of the latest research, collaborate with partners scattered across the country, and provide around-the-clock support for students.
Summer Melt and Beyond: How Technology-Based College Counseling Interventions Can Improve Postsecondary Outcomes
As a follow-up to last year’s presentation at the Go Alliance annual meeting, representatives from uAspire in Boston shared the latest information on how high school counselors are using a variety of outreach methods (phone, email, text and Facebook messaging) to stay in touch with low-income, college-bound students during the summer after high school graduation. As a result, college enrollment rates have increased significantly among students who would be the first in their families to attend postsecondary education.
Insights from Behavioral Economics: Implications for College Access and Success
Anthony Barrows and Katie Martin, ideas42
Many well-intended programs have been designed to tackle the challenge of postsecondary completion, but few work as expected. Behavioral economics offers a reason why: People (students included) don’t behave the way we expect.
The Nudge is Mightier than the Sword: The Future of SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing
Rand Fishkin, Moz
The days of bludgeoning algorithms, networks and people are over. Modern marketing in channels such as search engines, social media, content marketing and email requires subtle “nudges” to achieve success.