1. Gateway to Student Leadership
A Program to Increase Advising Support and Student Engagement
Katelyn Reese
St. Louis Annual NACADA Conference 2017
October 13, 2017

2. Overview Background information Research support Overview of program
How you can get started
Student Video!
Questions and discussion

3. Be thinking about…
How can I implement a program such as this in my institution/department? OR
What aspects of this program can be used in my current program or a new program I want to start?

4. A little bit about our university…
Large 4-year R1 institution
A little over 75,000 total students enrolled
5 campuses in the Phoenix metropolitan area and large online program
Our Psychology department resides at the Tempe campus
Tempe campus has over 50,000 enrolled

5. A little bit about our department…
1900 Psychology majors and growing!
5 Professional Academic Advisors and 1 Assistant Director
Each advisor also coordinates a program or project outside their advising caseload
Challenges of our department:
Retention to major and the university
Meeting the needs of our students with a busy advising schedule
Adequate staffing of our 22 first-year seminar courses

6. Why is Student Involvement Important?
Astin’s Theory of Involvement (Astin, 1984)
Student organizations can serve as support groups for college students by providing opportunities for them to develop connections with other students (Fischer, 2007).
Being a member of a student organization also has a positive relationship with the cognitive outcomes, such as public speaking, leadership, and interpersonal skills (Astin, 1993; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005).

7. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – What is it?
4 semester sequence of courses
Students assist with Orientation, Teaching/TAing PSY 191, and peer advising throughout the program
Each semester increases responsibility and leadership expectations
Semester 1
Psychology Orientation Assistant
Semester 2
Teaching Assistant for Psychology First-Year Seminar
Semester 3
Advising Assistant at Orientation & Instructor Prep
Semester 4
Instructor for Psychology First-Year Seminar

8. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) - Purpose
Developed in response to departmental challenges.
Increase student engagement within our department.
Assist advisors during busy seasons – enrollment & orientation.
Student leaders make connections with first-year students through first-year seminar courses.

9. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) - Recruitment
Recruited through PSY 191 (First-Year Seminar course)
Announcements are made to all students
PSY 191 instructors identify the “stand-out” students
If needed, s are sent after the fall semester ends to students who meet the criteria for the program to encourage further enrollment in the program

10. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) - Requirements
Freshman or sophomore status
Psychology major at the Tempe Campus
3.0 minimum cumulative GPA
Recommendation from their PSY 191 instructor
Good standing with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

11. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 1
Orientation Assistant/Peer Advisor
Students enroll in 1 credit PSY 294 class
Class focuses on leadership, customer service, employee trainings, and learning the Psychology degree requirements.
Student leaders assist in our office as peer advisors during enrollment season and to prep for orientation
Student leaders assist at orientation and other department events

12. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 1 Class Information
Date
Class Schedule
Assignment Due (by 11:59PM unless otherwise noted)
1/11/17
Syllabus & Expectations/Get to know you activities
Bring a “get to know you” activity/Ice breaker to share with the class
1/18/17
Communication Styles
1/25/17
Leadership
Leadership Reflection due by 9:40AM
2/1/17
Diversity at ASU
2/8/17
Title IX Training/FERPA Training
Meet in CPCOM 107
Reflection Paper – Topic #1
2/15/17
Academic Requirements/Critical Tracking
Title IX Quiz & FERPA Tutorial/Quiz
2/22/17
Customer Service
Academic Requirements Assignment
3/1/17
Information Security Training/ Academic Integrity
3/8/17
Spring Break – No class!
Enjoy your break!
3/15/17
Student Resources/Academic Success
Information Security Tutorial/Quiz
3/22/17
Class Canceled
3/29/17
Orientation Training
Reflection Paper – Topic #2
4/5/17
Orientation Training – Mock Orientation Sessions
4/12/17
Career Services/Careers for Psychology Majors
Reflection Paper – Topic #3
4/19/17
Introduction to Lesson Planning & PSY 191 TA Expectations
4/26/17
Review of Semester & Party
Reflection Paper – Topic #4 due by 4/26
Participation hours and Orientation hours due by 5/5

13. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 2
Teaching Assistant for first-year seminar course (PSY 191)/Peer Advisor
Students enroll in 1 credit PSY 294 class
Students focus on gaining experience in teaching and leading a group, which can then be applied to teaching their own first-year seminar course
Peer advising and department events

14. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 2 Class Information
Class time:
Discuss any issues they are having as a teaching assistant
Meet with the instructor they are a teaching assistant for in order to plan for their PSY 191 class
To pass the class:
Complete 35 hours
Weekly logs
Satisfactory midterm and final evaluations
Must attend all PSY 191 (first-year seminar) courses

15. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 3
Advising Assistant/Peer Advisor
Students enroll in 1 credit PSY 294
Students focus on learning to teach a first-year seminar course including lesson planning, classroom management, professionalism in the classroom, and creating their syllabus.
Orientation advisors and department events

16. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 3 Class Information
Date
Class Schedule
Assignment Due (by 11:59PM unless otherwise noted)
1/11/17
Syllabus & Expectations/Get to know you activities
Bring a “get to know you” activity/ice breaker to share with the class
1/18/17
Communication Styles
1/25/17
Lesson Planning
2/1/17
Classroom Management and Expectations
Lesson Plan #1
2/8/17
Title IX Training/FERPA Training
Meet in CPCOM 107
2/15/17
Starting your Syllabus/PSY 191 Class Schedule
Title IX Quiz & FERPA Test
2/22/17
Academic Requirements/Critical Tracking
Lesson Plan #2
3/1/17
Information Security Training/ Academic Integrity
Lesson Plan #3
3/8/17
Spring Break – No Class!
Have a great break!
3/15/17
Blackboard Training/Grading and Rubrics
Information Security Quiz & Lesson Plan #4
3/22/17
Class Canceled
Rough draft of syllabus
3/29/17
Orientation Training
Lesson Plan #5
4/5/17
Orientation Training – Mock orientation sessions
4/12/17
Final Presentations
Final presentations due by class time
4/19/17
4/26/17
Review of Semester & Party
Final syllabus due by 4/26
Orientation hours due by 5/5

17. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 4
Instructor/Peer Advisor
Student leaders teach their own first-year seminar course
Students leaders enroll in 3 credit PSY 394 class

18. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Semester 4 Class Information
Class time is used to discuss any issues they are having as an instructor and discuss how their lesson plans/teaching can be improved
To pass the class:
Complete 130 hours
Weekly Logs
Must attend all PSY 191 (first-year seminar) courses
Satisfactory midterm and final evaluations

19. Psychology Advising Leaders (PALs) – Continuing Students
Student leaders can return to teach one additional semester of the first-year seminar course.
Student leaders enroll in the PSY 394 course for 3 credits, once again.
Student leaders are given a teaching assistant (student in the second semester of the PALs program) as additional responsibility.
Student leaders are also able to mentor first-year student instructors.

20. Program Benefits Getting connected to advising
Teaching a class as an undergraduate student
Earn college credit toward their major
Learn good transferrable skills for future employment
First-year students make connections with upper level students
Advisors benefit from peer advisors

21. Program Improvements
Stricter requirements for joining and staying in the program
Better recruiting practices
Incorporating peer advising into the program
One-on-one meetings with PSY 191 student instructors
Classroom observations

22. We have grown!
2017
2016
2015

23. Program Feedback
“The student teacher was excellent and incredibly helpful. I ed her for help multiple times throughout the semester.”
“*Student Instructor Name* was the most wonderful instructor. Very knowledgeable in all that we discussed, a very studious individual and she was always openly willing to help all of us if we needed help or had questions. She was also very encouraging about continuing on to med school and following our dreams.”
“The instructor was very attentive to students' needs and she was very understanding.”

24. Retention & Growth
First-Year Retention of Psychology students to the Psychology Department
45.8% in  53.6% in
First-Year Retention of Psychology students to the university
73.5% in  80.5% in
PALs Program Growth
9 students in Spring 2012  18 students in Spring 2017

25. How YOU Can Get Started!
Identify the need for your department for student assistance  what is the goal of the program going to be?
Work with your department to determine the compensation (course credit, paid, etc.).
Get advisor buy-in to assist with your program.
Develop a sequence that increases responsibility over time.
Determine the requirements to join and who should be recruited.
Develop a syllabus and/or plan for your program, which will be constantly changing as you see what works and does not work well for your program.
Submit program proposal to your department for approval.

26. Student Video
Janell – Has completed the PALs program - was a student instructor for PSY 191 in Fall 2016 Jessica – Has completed the PALs program - was a student instructor for PSY 191 in Fall 2016 Joseph – Currently in the fourth semester of the PALs program (Instructor)

27. Questions?

28. Contact Info
Katelyn (Katie) Reese
leaders-pals-program

29. References
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297–308. Astin, A. W. (1993). What matter in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Berger, J. B. & Milem, J. F. (1999). The role of student involvement and perceptions of integration in a causal model of student persistence. Research in Higher Education, 40(6), Fischer, M. J. (2007). Settling into campus life: Differences by race/ethnicity in college involvement and outcomes. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(2), Pascarella, E. T. & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college effects students: A third decade of research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.