Navigating Student Engagement with the
GPS LifePlan (Goals + Plans = Success)
Presented by:
Michele Jersak, Counseling Faculty at Century College and MnSCU GPS LifePlan Coordinator
Brief History
College Version
Developed at Century
College in 2006 – used
by over 20 institutions
in MN State Colleges
and Universities
beginning 2007
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Military Version
Developed in
Partnership with
MnSCU, the MN
National Guard and the
MN Department of
Veterans Affairs in 2009
WorkForce & Secondary
Developed in
Partnership with
MnSCU, DEED, ISEEK,
ABE Staff, MN
WorkForce Center
Staff, High Schools, Girl
Scouts and Junior
Achievement in 2011
Program
Components
•Website
•eFolio
•Campus Activities
•Curriculum Integration
•Student Success Day
•Student-Faculty
Interaction
•http://www.gpslifeplan.org
www.gpslifeplan.org
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Topic Areas
•Self-Assessment
- Interests
- Skills
- Work Values
- Personality
•Career Research
•Links to Education
•Decision-Making
•Marketing Yourself
- Job Search
- Resume and
Cover letter
- Networking
- Interviewing
•Managing Job Loss
and Transitions
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Topic Areas
• Degree/Program
• Course Planning
• Study Skills
• Learning Styles
• Grade Issues
• Transfer Planning
• College Readiness
• Library and
Research Resources
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Topic Areas
•Financing Education
- Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- Tax Related
Benefits
- Military Education
Benefits
•Budget
•Debt Management
•Credit Management
•Identity Theft
•Saving for the
Future
www.gpslifeplan.org/mnscumilitary
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Topic Areas
• Leadership Skills
• Resources for
Leading
• Civic
Engagement
• Service Learning
• Global
Competence
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Topic Areas
• Life Transitions
• Stress
Management
• Relationships
• Fitness and
Physical Health
• Child Care
• Housing
• Transportation
• Mental Health
•Health Insurance
Information
•Legal Resources
•Reintegration
for Veterans
www.gpslifeplan.org/WSURochester
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Topic Areas
• Life Transitions
• Stress
Management
• Relationships
• Fitness and
Physical Health
• Child Care
• Housing
• Transportation
• Mental Health
•Health Insurance
Information
•Legal Resources
•Reintegration
for Veterans
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Integration Throughout Campus
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New Student Orientation
Counseling appointments
Workshops throughout the semester
Student Success Day
eFolio
Student Life
Curriculum Integration
Curriculum Integration Examples
 Developmental English
― Budget Analysis, Understanding Your Credit, Getting out of Debt, Goal
Setting, and Scholarship applications (FinancePlan)
― Creating your Own Vision Mission (CareerPlan)
 Marketing (Professional Development)
― Leadership Styles (LeadershipPlan)
― Stress Management Project (PersonalPlan)
 Dental Hygiene
― Learning Styles Assessment and Class Instruction (EducationPlan)
― Develop a S.M.A.R.T. goal to identify a study skill the student would
like to improve (EducationPlan)
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Curriculum Integration Examples
 Developmental Reading
― Multiple Intelligences, Bloom’s Taxonomy of Critical Thinking
(EducationPlan)
― The Differences Between High School and College; Resiliency Activity
and Mental Health Issues (Personal Plan)
 Public Speaking
― Leadership Philosophy, Articulating a Vision (LeadershipPlan)
― Interests, values, skills, possible careers, major of study (CareerPlan)
― Persuasive speech on finance related topic (FinancePlan)
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Scenario 1 – Claire K.
Displaced homemaker after 15 years of marriage
Location: Metropolitan Area, MN
Age: 35
Previous education: GED and 10 semester credits
earned in her early 20’s
Dependents: Son (6 yrs)
Transition Needs:
Situational
• Readjust to a new budget
• Determine resources to finance education
• Seek funding for after school day care
• Needs more affordable housing and transportation
• Requires legal resources for pursuing child support
Educational and Career
•Assess how her interests, values, skills, and personality align with various fields
•Explore labor market needs and job opportunities in the Metro Area
•Research which education programs prepare her for the chosen career path
•Determine how previous credit applies toward her chosen education path
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GPS LifePlan Resources for Claire
• CareerPlan: Career
assessments
• FinancePlan: Create a
budget
• CareerPlan: Career
exploration
• FinancePlan: Financing
options for her education
• LeadershipPlan:
Leadership style
assessment
• EducationPlan: Determining
• PersonalPlan: Child care
education goals
options
• EducationPlan: Transfer
information for credit review • PersonalPlan: Housing
resources
• EducationPlan: Time
• CareerPlan: Exploring
education options
management
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• PersonalPlan: Legal
resources
Scenario 2 – Danny T.
U.S. Army Veteran (Five Years Service)
Location: St. Cloud
Age: 28
Previous education: High school diploma and
military training
Dependent: Spouse and Daughters (2 and 5 yrs)
Transition Needs:
Situational
• Returned from service working as automotive production supervisor past 4 years
• Currently laid off, has wife, two children, and mortgage – needs retraining
• Eligible for unemployment benefits and has severance package
• Severance package includes 6 months training benefit
• Needs to explore other state, federal, and VA displaced worker/training programs
Educational and Career
• Investigate what and where are the job opportunities in the St. Cloud area
• Explore educational programs closely related to his military/professional experience
• Determine where to get maximum education credit for military/professional work
• Struggles with test anxiety – needs to explore strategies
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GPS LifePlan Resources for Danny
• CareerPlan: Career
networking
• FinancePlan: Veteran’s
benefits
• CareerPlan: Training options • FinancePlan: Seeking
financial help
• CareerPlan: Exploring
• LeadershipPlan:
Leadership philosophy
• EducationPlan: Determining
• PersonalPlan: Grief and
education goals
loss
• EducationPlan: Transfer
information for credit review • PersonalPlan: Managing
stress
• EducationPlan: Test
education options
preparation and anxiety
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• PersonalPlan: Change
and resiliency
Scenario 3 – Ashley S.
First semester student
Location: Duluth
Age: 18
Previous education: Recent high school graduate
Dependent: None
Transition Needs:
Situational
• Having roommate difficulties
• Has many questions about relationships
• Has been feeling lethargic and unmotivated after the first 10 weeks of the term
• Parents financial situation has changed and so she needs to find a PT job
• Has recently lost her health insurance coverage due to parent’s circumstances
Educational and Career
• Is undecided – needs to learn more about herself and explore her options
• Decide which classes to take next semester even though she is undecided
• Struggling with her academics, needs to learn more about academic support,
learning styles, and study skills
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GPS LifePlan Resources for Ashley
• CareerPlan: Exploring
education options
• FinancePlan: Financial aid
• CareerPlan: Job postings
• FinancePlan: Tax related
benefits
• CareerPlan: Resume and
interviewing
• LeadershipPlan: Campus
involvement
• EducationPlan: Determining • PersonalPlan: Roommate
tips
education goals
• EducationPlan: Study skills • PersonalPlan: Managing
stress
and strategies
• EducationPlan: Learning
styles assessment
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• PersonalPlan: Depression
screening test
Support for Learners
Study Skills, Transition to College, Health Resources, Time Management
Academic Challenge
Meaningful connections to course objectives
Student Effort
Increase in motivation and student ownership
Student-Faculty Interaction
Faculty learn more about students and students feel more validated
Active and Collaborative Learning
Students can interact though creating eFolio & topic discussions
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Community College Survey of
Student Engagement
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Benchmarks for
Century College
2005
2009
2011
Active and
Collaborative Learning
Student Effort
48.2
50.5
52.0
Change
2005 to
2011
+ 3.8
51.1
52.0
52.6
+1.5
Academic Challenge
50.8
50.9
52.2
+ 1.4
Student-Faculty Interaction
44.1
47.6
50.3
+ 6.2
Support for Learners
45.7
50.2
51.9
+ 6.2
80%
Reading 0080 AQIP Project
Re-enrollment fall to spring rate
76.9%
75%
70%
67.5%
65.7%
65%
64.1%
60%
55%
Fall 04
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Fall 05
*Fall06
**Fall 07
How faculty Use the program
SP09
20.0%
Informational class visits
14%
32.6%
Student Success Day workshops
15.7%
Other workshops
24.2%
Class assignments
Required 19% Extra 10%
12%
17.8%
Statement in course syllabus
51.5%
38%
16%
Conversations with students
7.3%
eFolio requirement
11.5%
In class student presentations
0%
10%
20%
Century College Faculty Survey Fall 2006 (N=130)
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37%
38%
30%
40%
50%
60%
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Faculty support of the program
and view it as worthwhile (F2006)
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Century College Faculty Survey Fall 2006 (N=130)
Faculty support of the program
and view it as worthwhile (SP 2009)
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Century College Faculty Spring 2009 (N=150)
Student rating of the program to help
with career and education plans
N=99
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Century College Student Online Graduation Orientation Survey 2007
Student rating of the program to help
with career and education plans
N=2031
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Century College Student Online Graduation Orientation Survey 2009
Student rating of the program to help
with career and education plans
N=1259
Note:
Response
of students
who used
the
program
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Century College Student Online Graduation Orientation Survey 2009
http://www.lifeplan.project.mnscu.edu/
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Thank you!
Contact information:
Michele Jersak (Michele.Jersak@century.edu) or 651-779-3221