By: Jennifer Harvey
Director of the University of Nebraska Kearney Thompson Scholars Learning Community

One question I continue to ask in our department and on our campus is: How are we changing our practices and policies to be student-ready, rather than expecting students to be college-ready? At-promise scholars entering college have many pressures and responsibilities that we need to acknowledge and adapt to for students to not only be successful academically, but for them to experience positive well-being as well.

In order to proactively support our at-promise scholars, the University of Nebraska Kearney Thompson Scholars Learning Community (UNK TSLC) intentionally schedules meetings through multiple initiatives when our scholars first arrive on campus. For instance, mentors, professional staff and faculty all have initial meetings with new scholars in the first six weeks of students’ first semester, where we ask varied questions to help us know what responsibilities students are managing on top of their academic commitments. 

Building trusting relationships matters. Through classes, orientations, programs and messages via email and social media, we also normalize the realities that at-promise students experience in college; for instance, students may have responsibilities to families, experience financial pressures that necessitate working and/or deal with life circumstances that are often beyond their control. However, as we acknowledge and discuss these realities, we use an asset-based lens to let them know that we will partner with them to use their strengths to navigate barriers and that their aspirations to succeed are very powerful.

Since at-promise students have complex time demands, UNK TSLC has built in reflective practice through meetings and programs. This is important, as it promotes students taking the time to recognize their efforts, name their successes and to make meaning of their college experience. We have found that taking the time to slow down and reflect is an effective strategy in supporting students’ time navigation, which often relatedly affects their well-being. Through the mentor-guided meetings each week, students reflect on concepts learned during their academic skills class and discuss how to integrate those skills into their academics. Additionally, mentors take time to reflect with students on their positive risk taking and growth in the college environment, validating that they belong at UNK. At each program, after learning about a particular aspect of campus life, first year scholars spend time with their mentor groups reflecting about how they will implement what they learned. For instance, after learning about study abroad experiences, mentors and students discuss which program may be a best fit for their academic needs and the timing they might consider for studying abroad as undergraduates. UNK TSLC also conducts mid-term meetings with scholars after their mid-semester grades are reported by faculty. We then create opportunities for self-reflection by asking questions about how they are being successful students, what academic habits they are intentionally integrating and how their effort aligns with their “why” for being in college. These interactions highlight how students have agency in the collegiate environment to set goals, adjust habits if they are encountering difficulty and receive encouragement from caring staff members. If students are struggling, staff can also help them navigate to resources and provide follow-up to help them make informed decisions that support their academic and personal goals.  

Knowing that the pressures of academics impact student well-being, UNK TSLC is proactive in how we approach student development and academic skill building. One course required of all first-year Thompson Scholars was created through collaboration of three academic departments, with an emphasis on identity development. The course provides an opportunity for students to consider their identities through mental health (Counseling and School Psychology), autobiographical writing (English) and intimate relationships (Family Science). Learning about identity in community with their peers helps them to develop a sense of belonging and mattering. 

Another course is taught by learning community staff members, where emphasis is placed on their ability to be successful students. The curriculum is designed with structured opportunities to learn from experts through online modules and then implement skills such as note-taking, reading comprehension and time navigation. We have also recognized that collaborations with campus partners are vital in meeting the well-being needs of scholars. Tailored opportunities to access emergency loans through the financial aid office and finance office, funding to access on-campus health care such as screenings for depression, anxiety and ADHD and a “resource drawer” in the UNK TSLC office with basic snacks and hygiene items acknowledge the holistic needs of students.

As educators, our work must adjust to the realities of the student population so that all have an educational environment in which to successfully transition, develop and thrive as scholars.