by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Student Success Center has implemented a new program to help students stay on track to graduate with their associate’s degree.
My Plan, which was first implemented in spring 2016, allows students to plan their courses in accordance to the degree they are seeking. Shawn Derritt, assistant dean of student services, said studies have shown that when students have a plan of action in place, they are more likely to stay in school and complete their post-secondary education.
“My Plan will make sure students are not aimlessly taking classes,” he said. “The classes they take will relate to their major.”
Derritt said when students come into the Student Success Center to meet with a Student Success Adviser, the student’s degree track will be reviewed. A personalized plan will then be created of what classes need to be taken to successfully graduate. Before the student leaves, they will be given a copy of this plan to keep with them, so it can be referred to throughout their college career. Each semester, the plan can be reviewed and updated so students can have an accurate idea of what needs to be done to complete their degree.
Currently, the Student Success Center is creating these plans manually. However, in the future, My Plan will be integrated into the new student planning system, allowing students to go online to look at their plan whenever is convenient.
“Students are 30 times more successful in college when they have a written plan,” Derritt said. “Our goal is to be here for students and help them be successful at KCKCC. Having a written plan will make them more successful.”
Derritt said by taking classes in their sequence, students will stay on track and finish their education earlier, ultimately saving them money in the long run. He said students who have gone through the My Plan process so far, have really liked it and are excited to have something to take with them that they can refer to as enrollment approaches each semester.
“Whenever we have a student that comes into the Student Success Center, we do My Plan automatically. Some programs already require this type of thing, but now we are looking to have all students complete the My Plan process,” he said. “A lot of times we have students that start taking courses, but have no idea how those classes fit into a potential major. There are so many detours, that they have no idea where they are going. This is a way to save money, save time and be more efficient.”
Non-enrollment time is a perfect time for students to create their My Plan with a student advisor. Students can visit the Student Success Center at any time in Room 3344 in Upper Jewell. For more information, call 913-288-7696.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.