New Annual Report 2023-2024 Early Outreach and Support Programs

I. Mission Statement

The mission of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is to provide access and support services to first-generation college students who have experienced economic, educational, and/or environmental barriers, but display the potential to succeed in post-secondary education and to assist the university in the matriculation, retention, and graduation of EOP students.

II. Program Accomplishments - A highlight

• Proudly Owning Who We Are
  • EOP proudly embraces its identity and history. We successfully partnered with the Valene L. Smith Museum to present a pop-up exhibit celebrating 55 years of service at Chico State. Our staff remain active and engaged within the campus community, consistently collaborating with various departments (across Academic Affairs and Student Affairs) to ensure our students receive the highest quality support.

• Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do
  • The EOP Second Year Success program was instrumental in providing a foundation for increasing retention rates of our EOP students. The program was successful in ensuring students were enrolled in a minimum of 12-15 units, successfully resolving any grades assigned as “Incomplete” and providing guidance to students placed on Academic Notice, with a success rate of approximately 50% by the end of the spring semester.

• Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

III. Program Statistics and Assessment for Past Year

 *2019 based on 5 year total

• Microsoft Bookings reflected the number of appointments made during the 2023-24 Academic Year:
  • 1653 from Aug-Dec
  • 1330 from Jan-May
• Increased use of Microsoft 360 reflects 636 advising notes entered for the 2023-24 Academic Year

IV. Integrate Unit Objectives with Strategic Action Plan in 2024-25

Proudly Owning Who We Are

• Every spring semester, we coordinate the EOSP Graduation Celebration that honors the achievements of graduating EOP students, recognizing their hard work and perseverance. Our engagement efforts will increase to encourage more of our graduating students to attend the celebration.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

• Establish a partnership with the Financial Wellness Clinic (Marketing and Finance Department) to provide EOP students with tailored financial literacy workshops and one-on-one counseling sessions, aimed at improving their financial management skills and reducing student debt.

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

• Continue to provide a comprehensive Summer Bridge program to support incoming EOP freshmen, focusing on academic preparedness, campus integration, and personal development.

I. Mission Statement

The Chico State Dream Center serves as a student success and resource center for the hundreds of undocumented students currently enrolled, as well as other students from mixed-status immigrant families. We advocate for, and facilitate, equitable access to educational opportunities, and support student success and well-being in a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment.

II. Accomplishments - A highlight

Proudly Owning Who We Are

• Participated in the first statewide Dream Centers Conference hosted by CSU Long Beach where best practices were share and legal service representatives were able to share updates.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

• Collaborated with the Butte College UndocuCenter in community events such as Education without Borders and Transfer Student Socials with prospective students.

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

• Continued partnership with immigration legal services provider, The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and hosted three in-person clinics for Chico State students, staff, faculty, alumni, and immediate family members.

III. Program Statistics and Assessment for Past Year

IV. Integrate Unit Objectives with Strategic Action Plan in 2024-25

Proudly Owning Who We Are

• Continue to advocate for a designated space solely for the Dream Center and preliminary planning discussions for anticipated new location designated for the academic year 2024-2025.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

• Implement a Peer Mentoring program this academic year to strengthen the support we offer our Dream Student

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

• The Dream Center will continue progress towards intentional programming on post-graduation and community building opportunities by hosting a minimum of two workshops each semester.

I. Mission Statement

II. Accomplishments - A highlight

• 10-year milestone – PATH Scholars celebrated 10 years of student success with an incredibly impactful student panel, alumni and current students in attendance, along with campus and community supporters and donors. In alignment with the strategic plan, our 10-year anniversary event truly celebrated our student population, proudly highlighted our remarkable students and their successes and shared compelling stories about how PATH Scholars impacted their Chico State experience. Strong and continued collaborations with campus and community supporters demonstrated how our services are impactful, progressive and innovative.

• The program has made significant progress towards securing our own dedicated PATH Scholars Center and ensuring a stable footprint on the Chico State campus. This improvement advances our influence and further supports the work that we do, as well as championing student success beyond the classroom by providing a space to build community and holistic opportunities to promote development and growth.

• Over the last year, PATH Scholars program staff dedicated time to work in collaboration with Creative Media & Technology to bolster Outreach tools for use with specific audiences in mind, such as prospective students, Foster Youth supporters (high school personnel, social workers, Independent Living Program case managers, etc.) as well as donors. For example, we are sharing student stories by way of short videos to capture and highlight student success while overcoming intense barriers, in addition to emphasizing program services that are impactful, progressive and innovative in the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

Former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless minors are less likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree due to a variety of challenges and lack of opportunities. Our students experience and overlap in complex ways of intersectionality, including age, gender, ethnicity, color, nationality, migration and neurodivergence to name a few. PATH Scholars approaches students in a holistic and strengths-based lens to support in retention and graduation.

III. Program Statistics and Assessment for Past Year

• For Spring 2024, PATH Scholars served 103 students. We celebrated 18 graduates for the 23/24 academic year; two of those graduated with Master’s degrees!

• PATH Scholars employs an anonymous End of the Year Survey to measure student satisfaction, program goals and student feedback. This survey was emailed to all 103 students at the end of the academic year and received 29 responses. Here are a few highlights:
  • Twenty students answered the question – “Please rate how helpful Accessing the PATH Scholars Center (for computers, printing, meet with staff, Lunch at the Center, socialize with peers, hang out/relax, etc.) to your overall success as a student this academic year.” Ninety five percent (95%) of those respondents stated that it was Extremely Helpful or Very Helpful to their overall success.
  • Nineteen students answered the question – “To what extent did your individual meetings/sessions with program staff impact your success in Identifying and/or applying for additional financial resources, such as textbook funds, Basic Needs, CalFresh, PATH Scholars Emergency Funds, graduation related costs, etc.).”Eighty four percent (84%) of those respondents stated that it had a Significant Impact or Moderate Impact on their overall success.
  • Twenty-two students answered the question – “What is your overall level of satisfaction with your PATH Scholars experience?” Ninety one percent (91%) of those respondents stated that they are Very Satisfied or Moderately Satisfied.
    • One respondent shared this additional comment: It gave me college experiences that I likely wouldn't have had because of COVID and provided the assistance, snacks and support when I really needed it most! Marina and Coral are the best as far as support, checking in and following up, which is what you need when you don't have people in your life that do that for you. As a PATH Scholar student you can use all these things more so than a regular student because you don't always grow up with the guidance, support and structure needed to navigate college, but these ladies make sure you hold yourself accountable now with the proper knowledge and resources to get you there!

IV. Integrate Unit Objectives with Strategic Action Plan in 2024-25

Proudly Owning Who We Are

• Regenerating the campus Foster Youth Committee –Capitalizing on the strengths, expertise and passion of folks across campus departments will continue to promote the mission of the University. Reviving and reimagining the focus of this committee will be essential to student success.

• Reunite the Foster Youth Committee at least one time per semester.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

• Successful move-in to the new PATH Scholars Center – This program location offers a safe and community-driven space for participants. This “sense of belonging” promotes student success beyond the classroom and actively provides holistic opportunities focused on development and growth (i.e. networking, independent living skills, self-actualization, self-advocacy, etc.) that transcends into life after college, as Chico State alumni and community citizens.

  • Continue working closely with university leadership to move into the new PATH Scholars Center by winter break.

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

• Increase program professional staff to meet the current needs and further expand– While this student group has unlimited potential, access to and retention in higher education proves challenging due to countless and unique adversities and barriers. Current services, such as dedicated campus partners and key department liaisons, are undoubtedly making a positive impact. Consequently, program expansion is only possible with additional staff.

  • Increase program staff from two to three professional staff by the end of the spring 2025 semester.

I. Mission Statement

II. Accomplishments/Highlights

• Monthly Workshops – ETS advisors visited their assigned schools each month to present grade appropriate workshops and advising sessions on topics such as college requirements, career/major awareness, financial literacy, resumes, interview tips and writing personal statements. In addition, Advisors guide seniors step-by-step through the college, financial aid, and educational support programs (EOP, SSS, EOPS and REACH) processes and applications.

• College Visits (112 scholars) – 35 scholars in middle school visited Sacramento State and participated in interactive exhibits to learn about California’s rich, diverse history at the California Museum; 77 scholars in 11^th grade visited UC Berkeley, UC Merced, Sacramento State, Fresno State and San Jose State. Scholars envision themselves as college students as they learn about the campuses through admissions presentations and campus tours. Scholars also had the opportunity to explore some of the beautiful San Francisco cultural sites.

• STEM Academy (102 scholars) – in collaboration with the Chico State’s student organization, Latinos in Technical Careers and Chico State MESA Engineering Program/Chico STEM Connections Collaborative, 7^th- 11^th grade scholars experienced hands on, interactive workshops to motivate them to attend college and pursue a STEM career. Students built foil boats with the American Society of Civil Engineers, learned about DNA from the Chemistry Club, put together solar cars/airplanes with the Alternative Energy Club, built launchers with the National Society of Black Engineers and Scientists and built motor cars with Latinos in Technical Careers.

• Hosted conferences at Chico State to motivate students to attend college –
  • ETS Scholar’s Day hosted at Chico State (40 scholars) – keynote speaker Keith Hawkins inspired students to find value in all people, and lead in a way that others will follow. Dr. Marie Patterson, Chico State Construction Management Department Chair facilitated a Lego hotel activity and introduced students to the CM major, courses, and internship opportunities. ETS alumni shared about their college experiences and answered questions students had.
  • Jumpstart to College (event August 15^th) – hosted to combat summer melt for first-time college freshman attending school this fall. Dr. Nandi Crosby will share her personal journey to becoming a professor and stress the importance of developing a rapport with professors. The WellCat Counseling Center and Financial Aid & Scholarship Office will also present valuable information. To promote academic success, ETS staff and ETS alumni will share resources on college campuses, tips on navigating in-person and virtual learning, and what they wish they had known before going to college.

• 92 ETS seniors applied to Chico State for Fall 2024/Support of Chico State ETS Alumni – scholars are welcomed every semester to the ETS office to use computers, printers, receive school supplies, and to grab a snack. ETS staff serve as positive role models and check in with ETS alumni to see how they are doing academically and emotionally. This fosters a sense of belonging to remind students they are valued and provide support to encourage them to graduate from Chico State. ETS alumni graduating from Chico State are recognized and celebrated for achieving their personal and academic goals!

III. Program Statistics and Assessment for Past Year

Program Objectives:

1. Secondary School Persistence: 93% of non-senior participants served each project year, will complete the current academic year and continue in school for the next academic year, at the next grade level. Exceeded – 100% of non-senior participants completed the current academic year and continued in school the next academic year, at the next grade level.

2. Secondary School Graduation: 84% of seniors served during the project year will graduate during the project year, with a regular secondary school diploma. Exceeded – 99% of seniors graduated with a regular secondary school diploma.

3. Secondary School Graduation, Academic Rigorous: 46% of seniors served during the project year will complete a rigorous secondary school program of study and will graduate during the project year with a regular secondary school diploma. Exceeded – 77% of seniors that graduated completed a rigorous secondary school program of study.

4. Postsecondary Education Enrollment: 77% of participants who have graduated with a regular secondary school diploma during the project year will enroll in an institution of higher education by the fall term immediately following high school graduation. Exceeded – 90% of participants who have graduated with a regular secondary school diploma, enrolled in an institution of higher education the fall term immediately following high school graduation.

 
Class of 2023 Postsecondary Enrollment – ETS strives to ensure that students get the information and assistance needed to select the postsecondary institution that best suits their needs and wants. The following summary provides an overview of which colleges the 2023 ETS senior class chose to attend.

Postsecondary Attainment: 36% of participants served during the project year who enrolled in an institution of higher education by the fall term immediately following high school graduation, will complete a program of postsecondary education within six years. Exceeded – 51% of participants served in the 2016-17 postsecondary enrollment cohort earned a credential.

Ongoing Assessment Efforts - Annual Objectives for 2023-2024: we constantly evaluate our program to best serve our students’ needs. Ongoing assessment efforts include an annual performance report submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, scholars’ evaluations after every event attended,
and an overall program evaluation before scholars graduate. After closely assessing the program, staff meet in June to plan for the following year.
 
Below is a summary of the ETS college enrollment rates for the past ten years:

V. Unit Objectives with Strategic Action Plan in 2024-2025

Proudly Owning Who We Are

• Update the ETS Website

• Be more active on the ETS Instagram and ETS Facebook to keep students, families and community informed of ETS program.

• Share personalized ETS annual report with each school site that includes names of students from their school that participated in ETS events and where ETS seniors enrolled in college.

• Zoom meetings with ETS parents so they are informed on ETS services and can meet the ETS advisor that serves their student.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

• Continue to provide leadership conferences, STEM Academy, Scholar’s Day, Jumpstart to College and college visits to motivate and prepare our students for postsecondary education.

• Survey students and school contacts to see if we are truly meeting their needs. Are there ways we can improve the services we offer?

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

• Continue to partner with Educational Opportunity Program, Student Support Services, REACH, Office of Admissions, Scholarship and Financial Aid Office, WellCat Counseling Center and the MESA Engineering Program (MEP)/Chico STEM Connections Collaborative to serve the needs of our scholars and schools while providing much needed support for low-income, first-generation college scholars. Continue to partner with MESA Engineering Program (MEP)/Chico STEM Connections Collaborative, Latinos in Technical Careers and other student organizations to host the annual STEM Academy at Chico State.

I. Mission Statement

The TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program at CSU, Chico is committed to increasing the rates of academic achievement, retention, and graduation among historically underrepresented students. This is accomplished by providing holistic and individualized support services that maximize students’ innate abilities and draw upon available resources within and outside of the University to benefit students, families, and the larger community.

II. Accomplishments - A highlight

• The TRIO SSS Director was successfully onboarded in December 2023, undergoing a week-long training provided by the EOSP Director. Training included understanding policies and procedures at Chico State and within EOSP. In addition, the TRIO Director met with various campus departments to learn about partnerships with SSS.

• With the support of Chico State Enterprises and EOSP’s Data Technology Specialist, the TRIO Director successfully re-wrote and submitted the TRIO SSS grant to the U.S. Department of Education. The grant renewal is important because it will allow for five more years of direct student support services at Chico State.

• The TRIO SSS Staff participated in a Spring 2024 Retreat where student staff shared program feedback and developed program goals and objectives for the upcoming semester.

• TRIO SSS continued its partnerships with the Financial Aid Office, Academic Advising Programs, Basic Needs and even expanded partnerships with the Accessibility Resource Center and McNair Scholars.

• TRIO SSS joined the Student Training Collaborative as committee members and supported the initiative of campus-wide training for student staff.

III. Program Statistics and Assessment for Past Year

• 35 TRIO SSS students graduated in the 2023-2024 academic year.

• 125 total students received direct TRIO SSS support in the 2023-2024 academic year. Services included one-on-one advising, personal and professional development workshops and study sessions to name a few.

• 24 TRIO SSS students participated in a virtual financial wellness seminar. This included topics such as budgeting, loans, mortgages and credit cards.

• 95% of TRIO SSS students were in good academic standing during the academic year. To ensure students were on good academic standing, TRIO SSS constantly ran progress reports and provided additional academic support where needed.

IV. Integrate Unit Objectives with Strategic Action Plan in 2024-25

Proudly Owning Who We Are

TRIO SSS will continue its involvement in the Student Training Collaborative to ensure student staff is fully equipped, knowledgeable and prepared to excel in their professional positions at Chico State while ensuring they are also provided with skills necessary to expand their professional horizons upon graduation.
 
Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

TRIO SSS will continue its efforts to promote and develop holistic opportunities beyond the academic setting through Community Building Events. CBE’s are opportunities for TRIO SSS to come together as a community and participate in non-academic activities such as creating vision boards, participating in mental health awareness workshops, learning new skills through art and more. CBE’s are specifically tailored to the interests and needs of the SSS student which are identified through student surveys and in-person feedback.
 
Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

TRIO SSS will continue with the Life After College Series developed for third year students and beyond. This series of workshops and professional development will consist of learning topics such as preparing for graduate school- from exploring graduate school programs to financing the program to understanding the application and admissions process. In addition, other topics will include preparing for the workforce after graduation- this includes preparing a strong resume and cover letter, interview etiquette and understanding a job offer along with benefits. The series will conclude with a graduate and career focused field trip to allow students to explore and expand on knowledge learned through the Life After College Series. Pre and post participant surveys will be conducted to further understand the needs of TRIO SSS students.

I. MISSION STATEMENT

Upward Bound

The mission of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.

Upward Bound Math and Science

The Upward Bound Math and Science program is designed to strengthen the math and science skills of participating students. The goal of the program is to help students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science and to encourage them to pursue postsecondary degrees in math and science, and ultimately careers in the math and science profession.

II. ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Proudly Owning Who We Are

Established a New Scholarship - Our connection with Upward Bound alumni is strong and many indicate a wish to give back to Upward Bound after leaving our program and graduating from college. In the spring of 2024, Richard Watters, a 2017 Upward Bond graduate, established a new scholarship for CSUC Upward Bound high school students. Richard awarded three $1,000 scholarships and one $500 scholarship to four deserving students who will begin their college journey this fall. Richard has pledged to award five $1,000 scholarships in 2025 and continue giving in future years so that more Upward Bound students could begin their college experience without having to worry about economic barriers.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

Awarded a New Grant - Our decades long history of linking academic and occupation skills learning paid off as we were awarded a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title I Grant. This Department of Labor federal pass-through grant is renewable for four years and the total funding exceeds $250,000. These dollars will be allocated towards wages for participants who attend the Upward Bound summer residential program and are placed in a summer long worksite to learn job and soft skills. This grant helps us further assist our students with financial support.

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

CAASPP Workshops – In the summer of 2024, we offered a day long California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) exam workshop for sixty incoming high school juniors attending the Upward Bound summer residential program. Workshops were led by credentialed HS English and math teachers (Gilberto Guerrero Zamora and Shaina Dickerson) who offered test tasking strategies, how to break down questions, eliminate wrong answers and reviewed the test format. The goal is for students to be better prepared for the CAASP exam they’ll take in the spring of 2025, which will be used for English and math placements in college. In the past several years, the number of students achieving proficiency status has significantly declined. Our intent is to annually provide this workshop to inform participants of the importance of the exam and help them better prepare. Follow up workshops led by the same presenters will be provided to students in early spring of 2025, so that they refresh their knowledge of exam strategies weeks prior to the exam.

III. PROGRAM STATISTICS AND ASSESSMENT

The following six performance objectives are dictated by the U. S. Department of Education.

1. Academic Performance Grade Point Average (GPA): Participants served during the project year will have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better at the end of the school year.
2. Academic Performance Test: Graduating seniors served during the project year, will have achieved at the proficient level on state assessments in reading/language arts and math.
3. High School Graduation: Participants served during the project year will continue in school for the next academic year, at the next grade level, or will have graduated from secondary school with a regular secondary school diploma.
4. Rigorous Curriculum (A-G): Participants will complete a rigorous secondary school program of study and graduate that year with a regular secondary school diploma.
5. College Enrollment: Participants will enroll in college by the fall term immediately after high school graduation.
6. College Completion: Participants who enrolled in college, by the fall term immediately following high school graduation will attain either an associate or bachelor’s degree within six years following graduation from high school.

V. UNIT OBJECTIVES THAT ALIGN WITH STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN IN 2024-25

Proudly Owning Who We Are

We need to be better at telling our story and highlighting our decades of success at Chico State. In 2024-2025, we will create a database of program alumni and use that contact information to reconnect with them and inform them of mentorship and giving opportunities. Our year one target is to collect the contact information of 50 alumni and in year two, grow the database to 100 Upward Bound alumni. Project staff will create an annual newsletter highlighting Upward Bound’s accomplishments and alumni success stories to share with alumni. This will all be created in time to participate in Chico State’s 2025 Giving Day campaign.

Leveraging Our Strengths in What We Do

Aside from the weekly academic tutoring we offer all participants, we aim to meet the evolving needs of our students outside of the classroom. To do that, 100% of our students will complete a survey in the fall of 2024 specifying what additional services, resources, education they would like the project to offer (mentorship, speaker series, skill building, mental health, etc.). Staff will review survey results and work to implement the most requested services beginning in spring of 2025.

Advancing Our Influence by How We Do Our Work

Upward Bound students and their parents visit the Chico State campus throughout the year for Upward Bound hosted events. We aim to enhance those events by collaborating with the CSUC Office of Admissions and other campus partners to provide information and resources to UB students and their parents they wouldn’t otherwise receive. Project staff will host one collaborative event in 2024-2025 that will benefit Upward Bound students and/or their parents. The goal is to inform students and parents of the many services and resources available on a college campus as well as better prepare students for college with the help of campus partners.