Creating A College

Support TeamBasics for life on

Campus

Freshmen year:1) Orientation for your campus.2) Set your goals3) Assessment Tests4) Register for classes5) Sign up for tutoring and

instructors office hours6) Learn the system so you can succeed.

Ok, but then what?

If it takes a village to raise a child, what does it take to educate one?

Let’s talk about aptitude tests.

An aptitude test is a series of questions on a broad range of subject designed to focus on where your interests and skills actually are. You may say, my dad was a doctor and I am going to be a doctor. That’s great, but what if you just aren’t cut out for it? Wouldn’t you

like to know ahead of time? What if you have a talent for art, for business, for

physics or for education?

You need to identify your own values and goals for your future, in combination with

your natural skill set.

Now set your goal.

Once you have established a goal it is time to figure out how to

achieve that goal.That is where a network of support people comes into

play.

Identify people who will help you achieve your goal.

We expect college employees to help us, but try looking outside the box.

Can you think of those who might be able to help you other than faculty

and staff?

My support team

Teachers Staff

Lets play a little game.

We have thought of places you can get help achieving your goals and creating a support

team. Each participant in this game should take a few

moments and write down as many people/groups/categories as you can think of, in 3 minute.

Ready?Set….

GO!

Your 3 minutes are up.How many do you have?

We came up with About 15 total.

Do you have all the same ones we do?

Parents/family, friends, faculty, staff,

tutors, student study groups,

student government systems,librarian,

administrators, trustees, alumni,

community organizations, religious groups, cultural groups,

local foundations,Etc.

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming.

Like you are working the system

alone.

But many people are dedicated to seeing students succeed.

But no one is as important as the one person we have yet to

mention…

YOU.

Each college support team must revolve around you. What works

for you?Don’t get me wrong, you have to

put in the time on your studies, but having the resources

of an effective support team at your finger tips, just might mean the difference between an A and

any other grade.

Here is the thing, once you have a strong working system in place for yourself, you have to help the next

student.

You have to help them establish their support system, and be a part of it.

Community Colleges are like a spiders web, at some point we are all connected in one thread, but we spiral away from the center towards

the rest of the world.

Sophomore year:1) Register for your classes2) Sign up for any of the support

programs you are in (EOPS, DSPS etc)

3) Show someone else how to succeed

4) Help someone realize their own dreams and goals

5) Encourage the Freshmen who are frustrated with the system.

6) Realize that you just became a leader.

Every goal and dream has very specific requirements to achieve

it. To graduate you have to do the work, but in creating a support system and passing it on, you

help to change the culture of an institution for the better.

Ghandi said “Be the change you wish to see.”It is time students did just that.

Created for educational purposes with in the

California Community College SystemBy,

Ms. Atsiylah Garfinkel

Santa Barbara City College ASG &Region VI Senator of the

Student Senate for California Community Colleges

Fall General Assembly-2009