Welcome to the third newsletter of the College STAR Student Support Network! We are excited to connect with all of you and share what’s happening this quarter with our new national network!
Welcome to the third newsletter of the College STAR Student Support Network! We are excited to connect with all of you and share what’s happening this quarter with our new national network!
In this issue:
- Quarterly Brieng
- Working Group Updates
- Best Practices & Strategy Share
- Campus Spotlight
- Staying Connected
Quarterly Briefing
The College STAR (Phase V) grant from the Oak Foundation and will begin August 1, 2020. This grant will enable continued support for developing our website, the virtual conference, and support for bringing campus representatives together when it is possible to gather in person again. We now have started tracking downloads for the ThinkUDL podcast. Just since March we’ve had 2,200 downloads. Featured on the podcast have been Laurel Grigg Mason, Dody Pelts, and Paula Cocce.
We are looking forward to continued conversations at our next Zoom meeting on Tuesday, September 1 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST. We hope to see you there!
Working Group Updates
K-12 Team
The College STAR Virtual Conference: Preparing students who learn differently for college success, will be on OCTOBER, 27th. There will be more information VERY SOON!
Research Team
What a busy summer it has been! This summer, the research working group has been working on data analysis for the current student survey. Some interesting takeaways from the survey are as follows:
- When students work, 31% of them disclose their disability to their employers.
- Students who disclose their disability to their employers do so:
- during the application process (21%)
- after they are hired (5%)
- after they are given a task that is impacted by their disability (5%)
- To reduce the impact of their LD, most students plan on arriving early to work (27%) and using time management strategies (23%).
We are excited to continue this work in the fall semester. In addition to searching for dissemination opportunities, we will be working on the Alumni Survey. Please stay tuned for more information regarding opportunities for your program to participate in network research. We hope everyone has a smooth start to the new academic year!
Resource Team
During the last virtual meeting, the Resource working group developed a more routine schedule to keep our facebook page active and engaging for all of our members. Please continue to invite your coworkers to our page!
Best Practices & Strategy Share:
Digital Collection of Resources for Students
With classes and meetings moving virtual, and students moving off campus in the Spring, it was invaluable for the Learning Effectiveness Program (LEP) at the University of Denver to have a digital collection of resources for students to access. The Digital LEP Canvas site was created in Summer 2019 and is intended to be a toolkit of resources for LEP students to access and move through with their LEP Academic Counselor, as well as a tool for students to use when problem solving on their own. LEP Staff worked with partners across campus to create an accessible set of holistic resources in a “one-stop shop” for our students.
The Digital LEP is focused on 6 core areas that meet the holistic needs of LEP students:
- Utilizing the LEP
- Academics & Learning
- Survival & Self-Care
- Careers & Callings
- Social & Intrapersonal
- DU Journey
Our analytics data shows that students are frequently using this resource and is helping students build independence and self-determination. In the 2019-2020 academic year, students viewed over 21,000 pages on our canvas site.
Our Canvas home page allows students to visually determine what kind of resources they are looking
for. Students can also navigate through the modules section of Canvas.
Each landing page for our 6 core areas brings you to relevant types of resources. In “Academics and
Learning” students have access to course resources, time management tools, study skills tips, and
more.
Campus Spotlight
University of Denver – Learning Effectiveness Program
The Learning Effectiveness Program (LEP) was founded in 1982 as an academic support program for University of Denver (DU) students with learning disabilities. Since then we have developed some of the most comprehensive and innovative support services provided at the postsecondary level. Our nationally recognized program serves over 300 students each year.
The LEP is student-centered, student-focused program. It is also student-directed. This means that the student is expected to take the lead in using the resources and support available through LEP. We can guide, direct, recommend, and encourage, but the student has to make it happen.
A few members of our staff working with campus partners to promote the values of neurodiversity
across campus.
Support Services for Students
The Learning Effectiveness Program (LEP) offers a variety of individualized academic services to help support LEP students in their journey through college.
- Academic Counseling – Designated one hour individual weekly meeting with academic counselor. Students maintain consistency and continuity by meeting with the same counselor throughout their time in the program.
- Subject Specific Tutoring – Tutoring staff provides individual tutoring services, as needed. Tutors have received training in working with and meeting the academic needs of diverse learners. LEP tutoring is certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).
- Executive Functioning Support Services – Experienced specialist provides individual support to assist with developing executive functioning abilities of our neurodiverse student population.
- Mentoring – Students are invited to serve as mentors for local elementary and middle school school students.
- Social Skills and Events – The LEP offers a variety of social events and social skills building programming throughout each quarter to help students build community and practice social skills.
Journey to Empowerment Through Transition (JETT) – Pre-Orientation Transition Program
JETT is a comprehensive transition experience for students enrolled in the LEP that provides them with the “skills for navigating change.” Traditionally a weekend long program, LEP staff have been working hard throughout the summer to create a month of virtual programming to help our students transition to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each week will focus on a different area of transition, including:
- Utilizing the LEP
- Academics & Learning
- Taking Care of Yourself and (Virtual) Campus Tours
- Social Opportunities and Major & Career Planning
Sessions will take place over Zoom and will incorporate information sessions as well as opportunities for students to start building their social communities with other incoming students.
- Mondays: Live session(s) in the late afternoon
- Wednesdays: Group time with other incoming students and your JETT Group Leader in the late afternoon
- Fridays: A guest speaker from campus and/or a Q+A in the late afternoon.
Do you have questions about JETT or want to learn more about our transition programming? Email JETT@du.edu
Incoming LEP students meeting with their group leaders during JETT 2019
Introducing the New Director of the LEP – Scott van Loo
Scott van Loo recently moved to Denver from Summit County and he is excited to join the University of Denver. Scott grew up in a family of educators in Greeley, CO where he developed his love for working with and serving people.
With over 26 years of experience in pk-12 public education and higher education, he most recently was an Assistant Principal at a dual language, International Baccalaureate elementary school in Dillon, CO. Scott loves working with students of all ages and his professional experiences include elementary and high school special education instruction, central oce and building-level administration and he is the former Director of the César Chavez Cultural Center at the University of Northern Colorado. His areas of expertise are in Special Education, English Language Learners, Homeless Education, Equity and Inclusion, leadership, administration and parent programs.
For over 20 years, Scott has facilitated equity workshops and institutes at Colleges, Universities and school districts across the U.S. and he has presented at several professional conferences. Scott is passionate about creating transformational and embodied experiences that promote and challenge individuals’ thinking and growth and he is thrilled to be working with the LEP staff and larger DU community.
We are excited to welcome Scott to the University of Denver and LEP!
Finding More Information
If you are looking to find more information regarding the program, please click the icons below, or email sarah.mooney@du.edu – the LEP’s CollegeSTAR representative.
Staying Connected
Please mark your calendars for our quarterly full-group meeting opportunities via Zoom:
Tuesday, September 1 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST
Tuesday, November 17 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST