Bekha Wampner no longer worries about the start of her college career.
Wampner, from Tipton, feels better prepared to succeed in her classes and navigate the Indiana University Kokomo campus after attending its first-ever summer bridge program.
“It’s eased my fears,” she said in a press release. “I’m glad I came. I’ve learned a lot about all the ins and outs and stuff you probably wouldn’t know as a freshman just coming in. We met with faculty and talked about what they expect from us in the classroom, so there is a little less of the unknown involved.”
Research shows that a key factor in degree completion is the quality and success of a student’s first-year experience and the level of support received. With the bridge program, IU Kokomo helps first-time students make a successful transition from high school to the more challenging university environment, with a goal of increasing academic success and keeping them on track to earn a degree.
Instructors Minda Douglas, assistant professor of fine arts, and Karla Stouse, lecturer in English, taught academic skills needed to make the transition from high school to college and introduced the 24 students to the campus and resources available to them. It also was a chance to make friends with classmates before the fall semester began on Aug. 25. Students each earned one college credit for completing the free program.
“As we talk about study skills and how college differs from high school, we hope to show these students that they are capable of creating their own success,” Stouse said. “We’re helping them gain knowledge about the campus and procedures, but also helping them gain confidence about being an IU Kokomo student. We want them to develop a sense of belonging to our campus community and encourage them to take leadership roles in it.”
Classes met for seven hours daily over a two-week period, and included a campus tour, meetings with administrators, a field trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and lessons in goal setting, time management, class formats, international travel opportunities, career planning and how to get involved on campus.
The campus had hosted a bridge program in the 1990s for at-risk students. This program targeted a different audience, Stouse said.
“We’re focused on students who take the initiative to get a head start on college,” she said. “Most of the participants are strong students with clear academic goals and lots of previous academic success. We have IU Kokomo athletes, scholarship winners, and honor society members in our group.”
Deni Harris said the bridge program offered a chance to make friends before classes start.
“I’m kind of shy, and this was a step out of my comfort zone,” the Kokomo resident said. “Now I know where to get help if I need it, and that it is OK to ask. I feel more comfortable now coming back when classes actually start.”
Rachel Echelbarger, Greentown, gained reassurance that people on campus want to help her succeed in her nursing studies.
“Now I know what resources are available to be to be successful,” she said. “It’s given me a lot of information I am sure I will use. I feel there are really great people here who want to help us.”