CALES LEARNING LAB: TRANSFORMING THE COLLEGE JOURNEY

MATT SWANSON,

CALES Learning Coach

LAUREL GRIGG MASON

Director of Bartlett Labs

Fabiola Mendoza found the community she needed when she started her first year at the University of Arizona. She grew up in Nogales, Sonora, a small border town in Mexico. It was an adjustment moving from the close-knit community where Spanish was spoken every day to the much larger city of Tucson and U of A campus where English is the main language. Fabiola is double majoring in Applied Biotechnology and Biology with a minor in Spanish. Fortunately, her Applied Biotechnology major is in the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences (CALES), and she connected with the CALES Learning Lab: Powered by the SALT Center.

The CALES Learning Lab is a collaboration between CALES and the SALT Center that began in 2021 with the goal of going beyond traditional support programming to create a model that would improve academic outcomes for CALES students. Learning Coaches who are SALT Center employees meet with students in the Forbes Building, the main hub for CALES. Thanks to a generous CALES donor, there is no cost to students who access these services.

Students can be referred to the CALES Learning Lab by academic advisors or other CALES staff members. They can also self-refer. The Learning Coaches use their expertise to provide support with time management and organization, academic skills, and self-advocacy. They also assist students with finding and accessing tutoring and course-specific assistance through the THINK TANK or instructor office hours. Some students are referred to the SALT Center for additional support when other campus resources are not available or effective. Additionally, the Learning Coaches work with the CALES Peer Mentors to host workshops on a variety of topics.

Fabiola started utilizing the CALES Learning Lab in the fall of 2023 to optimize her time management. Specifically, Learning Coaches worked with Fabiola to create a time management grid, where her academics and social commitments were intentionally balanced with the self-care activities needed to support her success. She also worked with the Learning Coaches to create study plans for major exams. In Fabiola’s own words, “I found a supportive and welcoming environment at the University of Arizona. The people here have been incredibly helpful and encouraging, making it easier for me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.”

A hallmark of the CALES Learning Lab is personalized, proactive outreach to students. The Learning Coaches send emails weekly to students who demonstrate a need for academic support. This includes students identified by instructors through early progress notes, students who respond to a weekly CALES pulse survey, and students enrolled in “gateway” courses, such as Biology and Chemistry, that are required for later coursework. They share individualized tips and strategies for specific courses along with information about scheduling with a Learning Coach.

In addition, the Learning Coaches visit several CALES courses each semester to share information, resources, and strategies. They also attend many CALES events throughout the year to meet students face to face and connect them with the Learning Lab. This past summer, the CALES Learning Lab hosted virtual workshops for parents and supporters of incoming students, focusing on how these supporters can help students transition into the university and how the Learning Lab can be part of their success.

These outreach efforts have paid off. Since its inception, the number of unique students engaged with the CALES Learning Lab has increased 92%. Total visits for individualized support have increased 120%. Students are now referring their friends to this valuable service. Ninety-eight percent of Learning Lab users last year reported increasing their knowledge and use of learning strategies.

As Fabiola noted, “My discovery of the CALES Learning Lab transformed my college journey as a first-generation student. Their support was essential, guiding me through time management and more. With CALES, college wasn't just about academics; it was about finding a supportive family. I'm immensely thankful for their constant guidance and encouragement.”