Motlow Awarded $68K Relational Advising Grant to Increase Retention Rates
October 12, 2022
Motlow State Community College was awarded $68K for the 2022-23 fiscal year as part
of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Relational Advising Grant to increase first-year
retention rates.
In 2018, the Governor’s Office began providing re-occurring funds for scaling relational advising across the 13 community colleges in Tennessee. As part of the Relational Advising Grant, Motlow incorporates peer-to-peer mentoring and connects peer mentors with professional advisors or success coaches.
“Peer mentors are integrated into advising centers or other campus offices, into assisting professional advisors or student success coaches,” according to an article on Inside Higher Ed. Advisers facilitate interactions where students can be acknowledged, listened to, and valued.
“The advising relationship plays a critical role within a college student’s experience,” said Charle Coffey, interim vice president for Student Success. “Advisors and mentors build relationships with students to facilitate communication inclusively and respectfully. These interactions promote student understanding, and facilitate problem-solving, decision-making, planning, and goal setting.”
Relationship-building is critical to advising success. Motlow has multiple peer mentors to support students on the College’s various campuses. These mentors report to the Relational Advising Supervision Team. Motlow advisors and mentors are proactive and relationally focused. They help new students connect with helpful resources such as tutoring, math lab, and the writing center and enhance their time management skills.
“At Motlow, Peer mentors are connected with first-time freshmen who may need a helping hand to navigate their first year. The mentors work with students who are enrolled in First Year Experience to help them bridge to the next semester and eventually the next year,” said Kyle Macon, assistant director of Student Success.
Learn more about Motlow Completion Coaches.