OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: REFINEMENT — PROGRAM-LEVEL ASSESSMENT

We will continually refine the First Scholars program to ensure it is meeting the needs of first-generation college students. To do this, we ask our partner universities to provide ongoing data about their participants so that we may measure results and make changes as necessary.

Our comprehensive program evaluation framework, designed and coordinated by Career and Educational Consulting Services, collects data at the scholar and program levels relative to program refinement:

• Scholar-level data includes gathering information from students regarding program satisfaction and their intention to continue with school, as well as barriers they are facing.
• Program-level outcomes include measuring scholars’ classroom performance and interactions with First Scholars program staff. We look at each scholar’s development and completion of his or her individualized strategic plan, participation in advising and mentoring sessions, use of campus resources, and development of academic and career plans.

Beginning with scholars’ second semesters and continuing through the end of their college education, we will analyze the information collected and use it to evaluate how well we assist our participants. We will identify effective methods for assisting participants, and share these strategies across our network of affiliated universities. Initial scholar results will be available in the spring of 2011.