Institutional Initiatives
Various academic support offices provided programming and activities for students in the biomedical sciences. These offices included the Office of Career Services (OCS), the Center for Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (CURGO), the Office of Student Academic Success (SASO), and the Office of Student Academic Support (OSAS).
Programs and Workshops
The support offices listed above, working with the faculty and leadership of Project PATHWAYS, identified a range of workshops and programs to support biomedical sciences students. These offerings included résumé and CV writing workshops, interview preparation workshops, panels featuring scientists from various universities and industries, GRE preparation courses, graduate school fairs, career fairs, personal statement development workshops, college stress management workshops, goal-setting sessions, and preparing-for-finals workshops.
In addition, the Office of Career Services coordinated the implementation of the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), which provided students and advisors with an assessment of students’ interests and helped guide students in identifying potential career paths. All new freshmen were required to take the SII. To assist students in understanding their SII results, OCS staff members provided explanations through individual meetings. The SII has also been incorporated into the College Experience course, which is required for all incoming freshmen.
Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction
SASO and OSAS coordinated individual and group tutoring in Biology, Chemistry (General and Organic), Physics, and Mathematics through Academic Resource Centers (ARCs). OSAS also coordinated Supplemental Instruction sessions in selected courses, including Computer Science, Anatomy & Physiology I, Microbiology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Calculus I, Calculus II, Basic Statistics, General Physics I, Psychological Statistics, and Psychology Research Methods.
Analyses of ABC pass rates, course withdrawal rates, and persistence rates (defined as retention to the next academic year as an A&S undergraduate, matriculation into the College of Pharmacy, and/or graduation from Xavier) for the Academic Resource Centers indicate that attending tutoring sessions: (1) has a statistically significant positive impact on ABC pass rates; (2) significantly lowers course withdrawal rates; and (3) has a statistically significant positive impact on persistence rates.
In addition, similar analyses of Supplemental Instruction participation indicate that this participation: (1) has a statistically significant positive impact on ABC pass rates; (2) significantly lowers course withdrawal rates; and (3) has a statistically significant positive impact on persistence rates.