Presented at the 2013 NPEA conference by: The SEED Foundation http://www.educational-access.org/npea_conference_speakers2013.php

1. The Persistence Pipeline:
The Intersection of Advisor and Student Roles
on the Path to College Success
NPEA 2013 Annual Conference; April 11, 2013

2. The Persistence Pipeline
Introduction
Study Design
Data
Findings
Questions and Closing

3. Introduction
The SEED Foundation
• Opens college-preparatory,
public boarding schools
designed for students who
need a 24-hour learning
environment to achieve their
full potential
The SEED Schools
• Provide an outstanding,
intensive educational
program that prepares
students, both academically
and socially, for success in
college and beyond

4. Introduction
The SEED Foundation’s
College Transition &
Support Program
• Provides college transitional
support by encouraging
academic and personal
excellence in the lives of
SEED School graduates
• Helps SEED graduates
achieve their postsecondary
goals through a variety of
programs and services

5. Introduction
The SEED Foundation’s
College Transition &
Support Program
• Personal, academic, financial
aid, and career advising
• College transition programming
• Visits to graduates at college
• Scholarship support
• Winter and summer social
activities
• Professional development

6. Introduction
SEED DC Demographics
and Graduate Data
• Student body, grades 6-12
o 99.7 percent African American
o 75 percent low income
• SEED graduates
o About 80 percent are first-
generation college-bound
o 93 percent have been
accepted to a 4-year college or
university
o 92 percent have enrolled in
college

7. The Persistence Pipeline
Introduction
Study Design
Data
Findings
Questions & Closing

8. Study Design
Intrusive Advising
• An advising style that sets an expectation and creates a
safe space for students to provide access to personal,
financial, and academic information for the benefit of the
student
o Information is also collected through other resources including
family, friends, community agencies, college administration, and
social media
• Includes temporarily accepting roles traditionally held by
the student, family, and college administration for the
purpose of educating and empowering the student

9. Study Design
Intrusive Advising
Enablement Empowerment
Educational Ownership

10. Study Design
Research Method
• Case Study
o Nuances
o Narrative
o Story

11. Study Design
Protocol
• Purpose: “The impact of CTS advising on the
postsecondary progress of SEED graduates”
o What are the hurdles impeding the post-secondary
progression of our graduates?
o What are the successes contributing toward the post-
secondary progression of our graduates?
o When and how do CTS advisors intersect SEED
graduates’ post-secondary trajectories?

12. Study Design
Subjects
• Selection
• Consent
• Confidentiality

13. Study Design
Procedure
• Semi-structured interview protocol
o Open-ended questions
o Conversational style
• Three interviews
o Recorded
• Transcription
o Summary method

14. Study Design
Data Analysis
• Collaborative Effort
• Key Findings & Themes

15. The Persistence Pipeline
Introduction
Study Design
Data
Findings
Questions and Closing

16. Victories
Barriers
Graduate
Advisor
G: “ There were times, where like, you would be
there to help me. And then you were like trying to
Graduate/Advisor Partnership tell me to do things, so I could do it on my part; so
I could learn. So I could do it myself just in case
G: “CTS has been extraordinary about keeping in contact with
there was a time you wasn’t’ there.”
students. I’ve never met any other organization that does that.
That’s really helpful to me. I see it. I can see it from my eyes
SEED Foundation Leadership & Outside Resources G: “ That’s the only person that really
helped me through that situation …
that it’s helpful…It makes us feel like somebody’s there;
somebody’s always wanting you to excel. That pushes you;
was Ms. ______.” that gives you that extra boost. ”
Key Roles
A: “I had to not only communicate
with Ms. _________, I had to go talk
to her supervisor; I had to talk to
her supervisor’s supervisor.” Although Vince persists, so do the systematic problems with
funding and RSA. Vince and his advisor often check in with one
another to keep him on track for postsecondary success.
Still persisting…
G: “She keeps on top of me. She’s always
contacting me to make sure my financial
situation is going right … and grades … A: “It’s a constant struggle to figure
coming to check on us, visit us, twice a year is out where you’re going to lay your
crazy … real appreciative.” head; that becomes your priority.
How are you going to eat; that
becomes your priority…. Classwork
takes a back seat when you’re just
trying to meet your basic needs.”
A: “Being told that things were being
taken care of, (but) going in and G: “If I didn’t have the help of the CTS
checking his account and still seeing team, I probably would have went to
that he had a bill. But being the army … I probably wouldn’t have
reassured from the people at _____ been able to go to school in the
that everything was fine; that the spring trimester. First of all, I didn’t
money is probably coming. It’ll be fine know how to get the payment
before he leaves school.” through without anyone else’s help… Buy SmartDraw!- purchased copies print this
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Withdraw from school; join Army (Plan B)

17. Data (summer/fall first year)
• Establishing relationship

18. Data (winter first year)
• Obstacles surface

19. Data (summer/fall second year)
• Overcoming the obstacles

20. Data (winter/spring second year)
• Persisting

21. The Persistence Pipeline
Introduction
Study Design
Data
Findings
Questions and Closing

22. Findings
Vince’s Vince’s
Barriers Relationship
Victories
• Systems failure Vince CTS Advisor • Uninterrupted
o Systems that • Determination • Determination Progression
were supposed • Fight • Optimism • Satisfactory academic
to support him • Appreciation • Supportive performance
hindered him • Understanding of • Consistent/accessible • Found off-campus
• Financial constraints CTS supports • Various Roles housing for 3rd year of
• Loss of housing • Various Roles o Parent/Coach/ school
• Limited family support o Self- Teacher • Though delayed,
• Lack of heuristic Advocate o Investigator balances were paid for
knowledge o Student o Researcher first two years of school
o Researcher o Student • Personal growth
o Cheerleader
o Liaison/Middle
Negative Emotions Man
o Advocate
• Frustration o Expert
• False sense of o Connector
resolution
• Defeat SEED DC Supports CTS Supports Independence

23. Findings
Applying Research Findings to Practice
• Focus on relationship building
• Develop a safe and informed space for graduates to
share information
• Take a strengths-based approach; expect students to
be capable of doing whatever needs to be done
• Utilize all resources to communicate with graduates
• As a program policy, require graduates to sign a third-
party release form
• Track student data (i.e. enrollment, expected financial
aid, contact information…)

24. The Persistence Pipeline
Introduction
Study Design
Data
Findings
Questions and Closing

25. Resources
www.seedfoundation.com

26. Resources
Melissa Freedman, College Support Manager
melissa@seedfoundation.com
Joi Baker, College Support Advisor
jbaker@seedfoundation.com
Tiffany Blacknall, College Support Advisor
tblacknall@seedfoundation.com