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Thanks to an anonymous donor, a new program has found a home at Salem State. The Resources and Inspiration for Student Empowerment (RISE) program connects first-generation students with a success coach to provide support in navigating both academic and social life at Salem State.
Eligible first- or second-year students are invited to participate, giving them the opportunity to meet with their coach for motivation and encouragement, to discuss concerns or for assistance with navigating internal processes.
“It’s nice to have someone helping you with anything you need along the way,” one RISE participant said. “The program is so accepting and always tries to help you with classes or with the social aspects of school,” said another.
“Besides the support of a designated success coach, participants are invited to special social and support programs and leadership and engagement opportunities to enhance their experience,” Assistant Director of the Center for First-Generation Student Success Damien Boutillon, PhD said.
RISE welcomed a diverse body of 181 students in its inaugural year. While the cohort matches the diverse makeup of the university, there is a noted higher percentage of students with Latine/Hispanic heritage taking part in the program, totaling almost 47 percent of the participants.
“We are here to provide a quality and comprehensive experience for new students and students in transition, which sets the stage for success in each successive year at Salem State,” Boutillon said. “It is so important to the higher education landscape to serve as an advocate for first-year students and their needs as we work to promote student learning, persistence and retention and academic success.” The newly established First-Generation Student Success Center is a driving force for first-generation student readiness at the university, providing much more than just student academic coaching. Assistant Dean for Student Success and First-Year Experience Mathew Chetnik describes the center as “a space of life, of support and community for our RISE students. A center of first-generation knowledge and allyship for campus educators.”
Over the course of the 2023-2024 academic year, the center reached out to more than 100 faculty members, developed partnerships and programs with student service centers—from Inclusive Excellence to the Center for Teaching Innovation—and brought their message to a national audience at two conferences.
Moving ahead, the center will focus on student-facing coaching work, a first-generation advisory structure and reaching beyond university walls to established support communities to further enhance student success and enrichment.