and opportunities to apply what they are learning in the classroom. The faculty gets to know the students well and develop on-going relationships. The faculty and staff meet regularly to discuss strategies and compare notes. Second, advising is a key factor. The UNV instructor is assigned as the advisor for the first four semesters which ensures that students get continuity and monitoring. And finally, students feel supported outside of class with the living communities.

This summer, DE won a grant from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to collect and disseminate data on the success of AWA. The report has been submitted and a presentation was made at the National Symposium on Student Retention in Mobile, Alabama in November 2010.

AWA students have higher grades and higher retention than their non-AWA counterparts over all. The project is working well. We need to build on that foundation and expand our services to those students who have fewer DE needs so they can move into college-level coursework more quickly and successfully.

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