Seamless Support

Most of us have been on the wrong end of a call or request that essentially sends us on a wild goose chase lled with more questions and dead ends. e College of Education wants to help students avoid that situation, especially as it relates to nding the right resources to help them graduate with a degree in education.

Established as a behind-the-scenes group, COMPASS works to connect undergraduate students with the right people and the right resources. Members of COMPASS are a collection of 14 college staff and faculty appointed by the dean. Some members interact directly with students at diff erent stages in the program—from recruitment to graduation— and each brings diff erent expertise and knowledge. Th e result is a purposeful, holistic approach to student support.

COMPASS members facilitate social-emotional support, fi nancial assistance, and academic support from the time students enter the university until they graduate. For more than 10 years, leaders in the college have met monthly to raise awareness of student issues, proactively solve problems, and work as a team to fi nd pathways to get students what they need. Th e group is seeing more requests for support in the areas of mental health and fi nancial assistance.

Maria-Renee Grigsby, Director of Recruitment and Retention, and Tracy Stokes-Hernandez, Student Advising Director, provided some examples of how COMPASS members help connect students to the right people and the right resources.

One student had a degree in French and wanted to return to complete a degree in French teaching. e student reached out to Stokes-Hernandez to understand the requirements and the path to graduation. Another COMPASS member, Elizabeth Finsness, Director of the O ce of Field and International Experience, helped facilitate student teaching. And Grigsby helped connect the student to nancial support options.

“Without having students run from offi ce to offi ce, COMPASS members work together behind the scenes on a collaborative approach using everyone’s unique set of resources, knowledge, and skills,” said Stokes-Hernandez.

Another student wanted to pursue a double major: special education and Spanish. “It is very hard to double major when you are in a teacher prep program because it requires student teaching, which doesn’t o er an evening option,” said Grigsby. Grigsby connected with each program to help facilitate communication; the representatives from the programs and Stokes-Hernandez worked to identify di erent course pathway options that would allow the student to meet requirements in both programs.

“COMPASS members are strategically placed in situations where students need support,” said Grigsby. “We try to make COMPASS a one-stop shop. We know who to reach out to and how make connections effi ciently.”

Th ese connections oft entimes are the diff erence between a teacher candidate dropping out or graduating.

Chandler Gooding, ’19, said, “Support in the College of Education was huge, it really helped get me through the program. Th e Teachers of Tomorrow program was a study group, a support group, we even fi lled out scholarship applications together and they made sure we had the resources to get through licensure.”

Gooding also appreciated the campus keynote speakers on diversity. “Seeing other educated, powerful Black men as keynote speakers inspired me. I learned a lot from them and gained a deeper knowledge of Black culture and how we can share it in schools and other areas to increase diversity.”

And when Gooding reported a negative experience with a mentor teacher, he was listened to, supported, and reassigned to another school. “Th e situation was taken care of quickly. I had a new mentor who helped me become comfortable in my own skin and excel as a teacher. We still talk every day.”

Although he had never heard of COMPASS, Gooding transferred to Minnesota State Mankato because of its reputation for excellence in education. Working together, COMPASS members provided enrichment opportunities and supported Gooding to reach his goal of becoming a teacher. And now a new generation of potential teachers has support to reach their goals.