A wide range of units across the University have received a well-deserved boost in the form of new BU 4U Retention and Graduation Grants.<\/p>\n
The $250,000 of this year’s available funds, which contribute to an increased level of retention and graduation rates amongst Brock students while also preparing them to positively influence others, were divvied up between 27 projects from across the University.<\/p>\n
Having impacted nearly 16,000 students in 2017-18, this year\u2019s grants aim to support accessibility, mobility, student-centred learning and pedagogy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aim of these grants is that every student who starts at Brock also graduates,\u201d said Brock Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management and International, Jamie Mandigo. \u201cWe want to remove barriers to ensure the students who come to Brock are as successful as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with expanding existing initiatives such as the Smart Start and BaseCamp orientation programs, funding has also been allocated for first-time initiatives that include increasing graduation rates among marginalized students, providing new academic advising resources for undeclared science students and offering additional resources for first-year students in the second half of their first semester through a support program called Survive, Revive, Thrive.<\/p>\n
Brad Clarke, Director of Student Life and Community Experience and team lead on Survive, Revive, Thrive, said the new funds allow for students to more easily access the many support programs the University already has in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelping new students to successfully navigate a time when they may be overwhelmed with assignments, worried about their progress and stressed over final exams is a key aspect of our overall retention goal of preparing and supporting students to succeed at the University, both in their first year and throughout the entirety of their studies,\u201d said Clarke.<\/p>\n
Mandigo said the funds are distributed at a grass-roots level to projects like Survive, Revive, Thrive to make an immediate impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese grants provide resources to people on the front lines who deal with students every day,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to ensure the money is going where it is most needed and can be most impactful.\u201d<\/p>\n
With new partnerships forming between initiatives, Mandigo is hoping that participating units will further their collaborations to better the outcome of projects across campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cProjects that took place in one Faculty last year are now exchanging notes and helping similar initiatives start in other Faculties,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is an engaged community forming here to learn from best practices and implement them in a way that continues to draw upon Brock\u2019s reputation as having one of the best student experiences in Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s retention grant recipients are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n