Site Visit to an Owens Off Campus Learning Center Called The Source & Student Interview #2

     I mentioned to my supervisor that I was interested in arranging a site visit to one of Owens Community College’s off campus learning centers to learn how it differs from Owens' main campus.  This week I visited Owens Learning Center located in downtown Toledo.  It is part of a group of organizations housed in a building called The Source.  I met with the Director of The Source Learning Center and he explained that the majority of students enrolled in Owens courses at The Source are African American, adult, first-generation college students who are at-risk.  The learning center serves approximately 600 students currently.  The director defined at-risk students as students who do not possess previous knowledge about higher education and/or they have not been previously exposed to higher education.  He explained that this particular learning center was specifically geared toward serving this population.  He pointed out things that attract students to taking classes at The Source Learning Center vs. Owens’ main campus.  He mentioned things like smaller class sizes, more personal, one-on-one attention, and the fact that the learning center is located within the students’ neighborhood and therefore, does not pose a transportation issue for students without a car.  He shared that many of these students walk through the door anxious, scared, and completely unsure of themselves.  They have a vague understanding of how higher education will positively impact their life, career, etc.  As an African-American male he shared that he was raised by his mom.  He told me about the struggles he experienced (i.e. pressure from his high school peers and family to drop out, lack of time management skills, fighting racial stereotypes, a sense that he did not belong on campus) when he decided to attend college as a first-generation student.  He explained that one of the goals of the faculty and staff at the learning center is to make students feel important by providing “soft touches” like saying hello, asking students how their class went, or calling the student by name.  He said that they are very focused on making students feel like they matter and reaching out to students first, instead of waiting for students to reach out and ask for help.  He talked about the importance of building trust with students and being willing to be transparent.  While we did not talk specifically about formal student development theory, I sensed that the director had a wealth of knowledge in informal theory that allowed him to make a significant impact in his work with students.  This experience was very impactful.  It made me think about how I want to be as an advisor.  I know how important it is going to be to avoid making assumptions when working with students.  Many advisors at Owens’ main campus talk about The Source as a place that they would not feel comfortable working.  I sense that part of the challenge is that they don’t feel confident about working with at-risk students.