Texas State Technical College recently added an additional resource to ensure that students succeed during their time in college.
Progress Pathway, formerly known as Early Alert, is a feature that allows students, faculty and staff to submit a referral about a student who they feel may be falling behind in the curriculum. The referral will then lead to assisting that student to help them make it past the bump on their educational journey.
Christina Vargas, assistant director of enrollment management at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus, said that the system was created to help students get back on track when they may be struggling.
“If there is concern that a student is having problems with not only their courses, but maybe another issue, we can submit a referral that goes directly to the student’s enrollment coach,” she said. “Once the referral is submitted, the coach will reach out to the student. We have resources at TSTC to address many of the types of barriers that impede student success.”
“The objective of Progress Pathway is student success,” added TSTC enrollment analyst Robert Foshie. “We want to ensure students, staff and faculty have a way to express concern that may negatively impact a student’s ability to persist through their degree.”
He said that the tool will allow appropriate parties to offer assistance when a student needs it.
“Progress Pathway allows Enrollment Management to intervene and provide resources or additional funding as needed to ensure students stay on course to graduate.”
Issues that students may face go beyond the classroom. Access to technology, funding for supplies, or personal dilemmas are all factored into the solutions that Progress Pathway can make happen for students.
“We know there are a number of issues that could be causing a student to fall behind,” Vargas said. “The issues that can be reported on Progress Pathway reach beyond academics. Whether it be financial struggles or a lack of child care that an instructor suspects is causing the student to struggle, a referral will work in the same way.”
Foshie said that the new feature helps continue to enable TSTC’s mission of building the Texas workforce.
“Being able to assist a student with their needs is often the determining factor for whether or not a student can persist to graduation,” he said. “Our mission is to place more Texans in great-paying jobs, and our team strives to make what is impossible for some a success in their journey.”
To learn more about TSTC, go to tstc.edu
