Organization: Project GRAD Akron (PGA)

Location: Akron, OH

Programming Summary

Since July of 2023, Project GRAD Akron, or PGA, was able to provide the planned services and supportive programming that they had hoped to, as well as some additional programming as needs arose. Programming and support services were provided in the areas of academic support, social emotional support, mental health wellness, college-going information, campus resources, individualized supports (personal and financial), high school seniors with college preparations, rising seniors with a campus experience, and college student campus supports, individualized supports, and a peer-to-peer support network.

Demographics

The student demographics for the two schools PGA serves collectively are:

• 50% male, 50% female
• 76% Black, 13% white, 8% multiracial, 2% Latino/a, and 1% Asian-American/Pacific Islander
• 98% socio-economically disadvantaged

Of the 135 Class of 2023 students served during the 2022 - 2023 school year, 76% planned to enroll in college, 21% planned to search for a job, and 2% planned to enlist in the military.

Of the 135 students, 36 are current participants in the Bridge to College Program, the precursor to GRADs Persist (GP). Of these students, 36% are male and 64% are female, 80% are Black, 9% white, 5.5% Latino/a, and 5.5% multiracial.

Additionally, the Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 students currently participating in their GRADs Persist program include a total of 37 students, of which 76% are female and 24% are male, 95% are Black and 5% are white. 

Identifying Programmatic Needs

What were the main needs identified in your initial assessments?

Students report their primary need is for emotional support from trusted sources.

Mental Health supports. Specifically, students have confirmed numerous Adverse Life Experiences (ACES), food insecurity, educational inequality, social isolation, income inequality, and housing instability. These are all risk factors for common mental health disorders, especially depression and anxiety.

Individual needs as they present, including emergency financial assistance and individual referrals for campus related assistance.

Implementation of Strategies and Ideas

What were the key activities undertaken during the project?

Program Activities from August 2023 - Summer 2024 included:

Summer of 2023:

• Bridge to College Sessions: The Bridge to College program ran from June 21, 2023 to July 26, 2023. The six-week program included sessions on understanding summer melt, budgeting for dorm needs, building a semester budget and credit, financial aid including student loans, deciphering financial aid award letters, the importance of creating community and joining student organizations, understanding advising and how to connect with an advisor, placement testing, differences between high school counselors and college academic advisors and how to access accommodations, communication with professors and other university staff, how to ask for help, making and keeping appointments and tips for communication with university personnel.
• NCAN FAFSA Summit: Program Lead Tiffany Haddon attended the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) FAFSA Summit in 2023. The sessions around the changes to the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the page by page walkthrough provided invaluable information to utilize when working with current high school and college students. The high schools they work with have seen an increase in Latino/a families over the last two years. The in depth information about mixed-status families and the FSA workarounds were beneficial this year since this is new territory for PGA. Gaining this knowledge allowed for educating school counselors at two high school sites and community scholarship grantees on the language and process changes to FAFSA. In addition, the knowledge supported the facilitation of multiple financial aid nights for families of high school seniors and one parent workshop for student athletes and their families.
• GP Alumni Dinner: PGA hosts an annual GP Alumni dinner each June for all returning college students. 12 members of GP attended the June 2023 dinner. Of those in attendance, two were attending for the first time. Students shared the highs and lows of the school year including changing majors, shifting graduation dates, roommate challenges, joining student organizations, and finding community. Students offered support and solutions to one another throughout the event. Students shared that they enjoy and appreciate the annual gatherings provided by GPA as a way to reconnect with friends from high school, maintain engagement with the organization, and get caught up on what’s new in the financial aid world.

Fall of 2023 and Spring of 2024: Provide details and outcomes

• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Refresher: All staff participated in the QPR Refresher course to maintain their status as a QPR Gatekeeper.
• New Staff Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: New staff and interns completed the course to gain their Certificate as a Youth Mental Health First Aider.
• Hire part-time staff: PGA hired a part-time staff person to work on this project, working from October 2023 through May 2024.
• NCAN National Conference: Program Lead Tiffany Haddon attended and presented with other ECMC grantees at the 2023 NCAN National Conference in Dallas, TX. She was able to share with those in attendance the pilot program goals and activities and mid-grant outcomes as well as field questions during and after the presentation about PGA as an organization and how they have implemented the GP program.
• FAFSA Events/Financial Aid Night: Over the last year, PGA provided two formal and two more informal Financial Aid Nights at each school they serve. Additionally, FAFSA instruction and support was offered on an on-going basis to students and parents/guardians.
• Mental Health Wellness Workshops: Contracted with Minority Behavioral Health Group to provide four workshops for our senior students. A total of 114 hours on task for 76 students for January.
  • Program Objectives: Educate on and empower use of healthy living strategies, promote understanding of biopsychosocial-spiritual model, prevent risk factors of suicide, promote self-esteem and self-acceptance, and enhance protective factors including racial socialization and black identity development.
  • Workshop Details: The facilitators focused on creating a space to reflect, connect, learn and share by hearing and talking. Media was a tool used to allow space to explore and process and the participants enjoyed this element and it led to the final session that was very engaging around music. Coping and wellness strategies included but were not limited to: breath work, meditation, grounding poetry, support systems, grounding, emotion identification, clarifying feelings, understanding behaviors, empathy/seeing the impact on relationships, identifying thoughts, family/community engagement, celebration, and cultural and spiritual strengths.
• Scholarship Marathons: Class of 2024 students at Buchtel Community Learning Center (CLC) were invited to participate in three monthly scholarship marathon events during the second semester. This pilot program was to increase the number of scholarship applications being completed.
  • 46 seniors attended the events and 103 scholarship applications were completed and submitted out of the events. Student participants received a catered lunch for three completed applications and an entry into a gift card raffle for five completed applications.
• Etiquette Luncheons: Class of 2024 students attended an etiquette luncheon to prepare them for attending Scholarship Award events.
• RU Verified Initiative: Both Buchtel CLC and East CLC senior classes participated in the RU Verified Initiative. 108 total seniors met with PGA staff to verify their post high school plan. Of 108 total verified seniors, 91 confirmed FAFSA completion and an enrollment plan and 18 confirmed an employment or enlistment plan.
• Writing for Your Future: 38 rising seniors attended the three-day, two-night on campus workshop at Kent State University. The students each completed an essay for the Common Application. In addition, they experienced campus life and learned about college expectations.
• Campus Meet-ups: Spring campus visits were completed. Staff coordinated two meet-ups for each college. A total of 33 students at The University of Akron, Stark State College, Kent State University, Tri-C, and The Ohio State University participated. Exit tickets for meet-ups resulted in the following responses:
  • 94% of students agreed, "this campus meet-up made me feel supported by the GP program." 88% of students agreed, "this campus meet-up increased my feelings of belonging and community with others in the [GP] group." 94% of students agreed, "I know I can reach out to [GPA] and its staff for academic and financial aid support”.
• The students attending out of state campuses received a virtual meet-up to check in.
• Students, especially freshmen and sophomores, regularly reached out and requested one-on-one support for scheduling classes, understanding financial aid status changes, understanding how to submit external scholarship information to their schools, talking to academic advisors, and managing housing arrangements.

June - July 2024: Provide Details

• Bridge to College: As of June 7, 2024, 28 graduates of the Class of 2024 have registered for this year's Annual Summer Melt initiative. Students will complete this post survey for program evaluation. Bridge to College Course Evaluation
• GRADs Persist: GP participants completed three separate surveys throughout the grant period. They included a mental health assessment at the beginning and end of the 2023-24 school year, a belongingness survey that reviewed feelings toward their specific campus and this program, and an exit ticket at the end of each campus meetup to measure the effectiveness of the meetup.

Outcomes and Impact

What have been the major outcomes of the project for your organization?

PGA's 2023-24 college freshmen were a much more engaged class in GP compared to previous years. Their openness has driven the growth they have experienced.

• Enhanced Support Systems: PGA's scholars overall expressed enhanced support systems including feeling confident to reach out to on-campus counseling services as needed. The scholars have created a stronger peer support group that provides them with essential emotional and psychological support.
• Educational Persistence: PGA is seeing higher college persistence rates. Currently, all of PGA's students are reporting their plan to return to college in the fall.
• Skill Development: Ongoing development of coping strategies and resilience-building skills among scholars, equipping them with tools to manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges effectively.
• Belongingness: A strengthened sense of community and belonging among first-generation students which has fostered a supportive network where students can share experiences and encourage each other. Students have taken a “One Akron” perspective and relaxed the high school identities that have in the past been the source of conflict and competition.

How has this project impacted the support systems your organization has been able to create to support the mental health and wellness of students?

With the implementation of on-campus meetups and the increase in engagement from the 2023-24 college freshman, PGA received more feedback from college students which informed what their high school offerings were in the area of mental health and wellness. This school year, PGA added in class mental health workshops for the seniors at one high school as a pilot. It was successful and the students were engaged and expressed a desire to continue after the scheduled sessions were complete. They will continue to take in feedback from the incoming college students to inform their additional high school offering.

How has this project impacted the mental health and wellness of students?

“I learned about depression, trauma, and social awareness “

“This can help me with hard situations”

“This platformed information that would not have been available otherwise”

“This increased my awareness of trauma”

“This helped me understand what people go through”

“I learned that mental, emotional and physical abuse is real”

“This makes me better and more aware”

“I was pretty aware but I’m glad this workshop exists”

“This opened my eyes to the signs of trauma”

Responses showed an increased understanding of depression, grief, trauma, and the causes of violence and anxiety. Discussions uncovered the connected factors that influence health and wellbeing. The approach to handling trauma was integrated to work with all aspects of their experience.

College Students - Campus Visit Survey Results: 65% of students reported that the campus meetups made them feel supported by PGA. 50% stated the meetups increased feelings of belonging and community with others in the GRADs Persist group. 80% stated they knew they could reach out to PGA and its staff for academic and financial aid support.

How has participating in this project impacted your organization?

GP is only in its fourth year and the program offerings this year confirm the belief that their students do need a higher level of support during the first two years of post high school education. They will work to secure funding to provide these services consistently in the future.