Through PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions), students have access to weekly group study sessions for historically difficult courses, and participants have shown to obtain a high degree of sucess.supplied
Along with community colleges across Canada, Mohawk College plays a critical role in our society’s progress and economic growth, and nothing is more fundamental to the post-secondary education institution’s mission than the success of its students.
Across Mohawk College campuses, students are supported by a range of services dedicated to success in all facets of their life. When it comes to academics, student success advisors are embedded in each academic area to support students through connections to resources like the Learning Support Centre (LSC), Accessible Learning Services (ALS) and Counselling. Advisors undertake proactive outreach to faculty to identify and support students who are academically at-risk. Over the past academic year, this team received close to 4,000 requests for support.
The LSC at Mohawk College offers a variety of one-to-one peer tutoring supports, English-as-a-Second-Language services, and PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) – weekly group study sessions for historically difficult courses.
More than 13,000 students have attended PASS since its introduction in 2013. PASS participants earned an average of 17 points higher on their final grades compared to non-participants in the winter 2023 semester. As well, 81 per cent of PASS participants passed, compared to 60 per cent of non-participants, and 94 per cent of participants remained enrolled in their course, compared to 79 per cent of non-participants.
“Students who attended PASS sessions have stated that participating in PASS made them more confident in their skills, helped them persist with a difficult course, and made them feel like Mohawk College cares about their success,” says Victoria Wylie, acting manager of the Learning Support Centre. “The Learning Support Centre staff and its team of 80 to 100 peer tutors and PASS leaders are here to help students succeed all year long, through multiple support options. We value every individual student and strive to accommodate their learning needs.”
For approximately 2,000 students each year who require specialized academic support, Accessible Learning Services provides academic accommodations, equipment loans, learning strategies, assistive technology training, disability-specific counselling and transition to employment supports.
“Transitioning to college for students with disabilities is a huge step for many students,” says Toby Merritt, director of Accessibility and Testing Services. “For the ALS team, it’s about providing one point of contact for any issues, concerns or needs. The ALS team at Mohawk focuses on the relationship with students because an ALS staff member will follow a student from the time they enter college until graduation.”
Mohawk College prepares students for the workplace in many ways, including one-to-one career advising, employer events and the Future Ready Premium Program (FRPP) through Student and Graduate Employment Services. The FRPP student micro-certificate offers free course modules focused on employability, networking, professional communication and more. Students are also able to connect with a career coach.
“The newest addition to the program is employer modules, which feature many of our future-ready premium employer partners. Through these modules, students and alumni gain a unique insider view into these partner organizations, which increases their employability,” says Pearl Mendonça, manager of Career and Student Success Advising. More than 1,400 students are currently enrolled in the modules.
While academics and career preparation are at the core of its mission, Mohawk College understands that students are whole people, with life experiences, responsibilities, challenges, barriers and aspirations.
The Health and Wellness Centre at Mohawk College provides a one-stop interdisciplinary team of health-care professionals and counsellors who support students and pave the way for positive outcomes. Some learners are balancing work and school, some are caretakers, some are newcomers, some are experiencing mental health symptoms, and some are struggling financially.
The Health and Wellness Centre helps with everything: from health and nutrition to stress management and emotional regulation to the seamless transfer to college life.
“It is critical that students feel cared for and supported in their educational journey,” says Allison Hallman, director of Campus Wellness. “By ensuring we have supports that provide care for each student, we encourage students to engage in the services that meet their needs and make success feel just that much more attainable.”
Mohawk College is so committed to student success that it founded the College Student Success Innovation Centre (CSSIC) in 2018. It is Canada’s first research centre on a college campus dedicated to college student success. CSSIC has implemented and supported more than $5-million in funded research and has launched a first-of-its-kind research fellowship to generate evidence-based student success interventions.
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with Colleges and Institutes Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.