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ENHANCING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

STUDENT PERSISTENCE WITH

CATHERINE J. SONGER AND MITCHELL R. WILLIAMS

Dr. Mark Shields and Dr. Cathy
Songer, Co-Advisors of Coastal’s
eXtreme science club pose in a
recently completed portion of the
eXtreme science garden. Students
moved 4.5 tons of materials
during the winter to construct
the gardens along the side of
Garden Party. Some of the early construction in the garden along the side of the Student Services Building. the Student Services Building.

Community college leaders and stakeholders have increasingly higher education for those North Carolina community college
focused their attention on student persistence. Providing access graduates who have earned an Associate in Arts or Associate
is not sufcient, unless access is coupled with mechanisms in Science degree. North Carolina community colleges can
to facilitate student persistence and student attainment of continue to track the academic success of students who have
educational goals (Vaughan, 2006). Administrators, faculty, and transferred to a UNC institution of higher education.
counselors have an obligation to create a collegiate experience In 2002, the mathematics and science faculty of Coastal Carolina
that facilitates student persistence (Sorey & Duggan, 2008). Community College and North Carolina State University
Te North Carolina Community College System is comprised met to determine if any measures could be implemented
of 58 community colleges. Within their respective service areas, during the students’ time at Coastal that would enhance their
these community colleges provide many types of services to academic success afer they transferred. One comment in
meet the needs of their communities. One role is to provide the meeting indicated that Coastal students in the classroom
the frst two years of college transfer coursework. Revised were academically prepared; however, as the science students
in 2014, Te North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation progressed to upper-level, feld-based science courses, some
Agreement Between Te University of North Carolina and Te students became disillusioned by the rigors of the feldwork.
North Carolina Community College System (“Comprehensive A suggestion was made that Coastal’s science faculty needed
Articulation Agreement,” 2014) assures admission to one of to fnd more opportunities for students to engage in activities
the 16 University of North Carolina (UNC) institutions of where they would get cold, wet, and dirty.

LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.2 Fall 2014 9

Client: The Chair Academy Job: CHAIRAcademy_Journal_20.2 fall 2014
Final size: 8.5” x 11” Colors: CMYK Bleeds: Yes
Created by: Goldfsh Creative - Laura Dvir • 602.349.2220 • goldfshcreates@q.com