Lansing Community College: Retention Level of Students Research Paper

Introduction

This paper talks about Lansing Community College (LCC) and how it plans to accomplish the school’s goal of continuing the schools’ good reputation when it comes to the retention level of its students, particularly that of the continuously growing population of Latino students.

Through the different focus group activities, surveys, and varied data analysis, a new program (now coined as the LUCERO program, ‘an English acronym standing for Latinos United with Energy, Respect and Price’) was established in 2003. LCC made sure that this program will b effectively facilitated by giving enough assistance and subsidy for the needs of the Latinos in elation to their retention rates.

Included in the LCC’s support are:

1. Technology in the form of availability of laptops that Latino students can have access with (and can even keep afterward). However, Latinos students must adhere to the guidelines that they will attend the meetings, participate in the community activities initiated by the school or even tutor other students if possible.
2. Connections from the community in the form of socializing with other Latinos who have become group leaders and/or joining some activities with other students
3. Workforce preparation by giving some career path seminars and giving some tips to the graduating students about interview etiquettes. LCC even try to provide local employers who can act as the mentor of the students to give professional advice about their chosen careers.
4. Academic achievement by providing some tutorial lessons for the students who may be needing it and having regular ‘reading, writing, and assessment exams coupled with a 2-week summer program to prepare the students academically for college-level work.
5. Support and mentoring through frequent interaction with other students and the program coordinator to evaluate the performance and discuss issues and concerns of the students. In this support and mentoring, the parents are also highly encouraged to join.

Conclusion

1. Because of such commitment, LUCERO is said to be a very big success.
2. “In the first year, spring of 2003 through spring of 2004, the program had an 80% retention rate (in comparison to the college’s overall rate of 56%). The average GPA is currently 2.63, and the average credits taken per semester are 11.”(Cunningham et. a., 2006)