Bridging the Gap Between Achievement and College Success

Vincena Allen, chief growth officer at The SEED Foundation, was a featured panelist at the College Board Forum 2019, which brings together dynamic professionals, and thought leaders across disciplines to address the issues that challenge and inspire educators at all levels of the profession.

Ms. Allen was invited to this event by Dr. Jonathan Mathis, Executive Director at The Next Step Public Charter Boarding School. As the panel’s moderator, Dr. Mathis led four subject matter experts in secondary and post-secondary education in a conversation titled, Facilitating College Transitions for Students with Extraordinary Challenges, where they discussed the role of access, achievement, agency, and aspirations in advancing educational equity, for low-income, first generation college students.

“These four areas are driving forces in student success. In this panel, we looked at how systems and practices in these areas can be detrimental if negatively implemented and approached,” Ms. Allen said.

Tasked with defining achievement in college success, Ms. Allen discussed how SEED’s approach to college fit and match equips our scholars with the information and tools they need to enroll in a “right fit” college or university, based on their specific needs. She also discussed SEED’s method of intrusive advising, where students are coached by their College Success Advisors to learn to make academic, financial and personal decisions proactively, to ensure success in college, and in their professional careers. Lastly, Ms. Allen highlighted SEED’s College Transition classes which are designed to educate SEED seniors about navigating college life. “It’s important that our students are informed consumers when searching for the right colleges and setting themselves up for success. SEED is making its mark in education for public boarding education and college success,” said Ms. Allen.

Ms. Allen believes SEED students face challenges because of inequitable systems. Through SEED’s external capacity building efforts, SEED is better positioned to play a role in helping educators across the country be appropriately informed about how to successfully work with students to and through postsecondary success.

“As educators, we must ask ourselves, what are we doing in our own work that is expressing implicit bias toward the students we serve?  A deficit approach and our own biases can create barriers for the students we serve,” said Ms. Allen.

When asked what the future of college access looks like for low-income, first-generation college students, Ms. Allen shared:

“In addition to accessing the right-fit colleges, students are faced with more challenges than ever when it comes to college affordability. We have to take a more intentional approach to teaching financial literacy and advocating for change in higher education so that students don’t graduate with crippling debt.”

Learn more about the work our College Transition & Success team is doing at SEED.