PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — NMCC instructors Jennifer Graham and Dr. Lynne Nelson Manion have submitted a research paper for consideration to the National Symposium on Student Retention annual conference. Their second contribution to the symposium, it focuses on sharing research that supports student success from enrollment through graduation.
The research submitted by Graham and Nelson Manion centers on the strategies used at NMCC to improve the retention of liberal studies and conditionally-admitted students, most notably how involvement by faculty impacts retention efforts.
“When we attended the conference last fall, conference participants asked us what motivated us to engage in retention research as faculty members. This was the catalyst for our newest research endeavor,” said Graham.
Traditionally retention has been an administrative concern; however, arts and sciences faculty at NMCC have been focusing on retention for the past three years. As a department, arts and sciences wants to provide a supportive environment for NMCC students.
“At the community college level, faculty members are not expected to engage in research activities,” said Nelson Manion. “So our work is unique in the field of retention research because it is from a faculty perspective, and it examines community college retention efforts.”
The symposium will take place in Orlando, Florida in November, and the collaborative research by Graham and Nelson Manion has already passed the first review process.
“We were thrilled that our first research project examining the impact of learning communities of first-year NMCC students was so well received and resonated with the conference attendees last year,” said Graham.
Learning more about nationwide retention initiatives put the programs at NMCC into a different perspective for Graham and Nelson Manion. “When our paper was selected to be published in the Conference Proceedings, we realized that the work being done at NMCC was unique and widely applicable,” said Nelson Manion.
The instructors credit the participation by all the faculty in the arts and sciences department and the Student Services office at NMCC for making the research possible. The collaboration between various departments on campus is essential for the success of such initiatives.
According to David Raymond, chair of the arts and sciences department, “Our faculty have always been student-centered teachers who strive to provide the academic foundation needed by our students to succeed at NMCC and at the baccalaureate level. The work of Graham and Nelson Manion will enhance our efforts by providing evidence-based data to guide us toward higher levels of retention.”
