Cultivating Champions for Integrated Training

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Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3101] Cultivating champions
From: Jackie A. Taylor jackie at jataylor.net
Date: Wed Feb 25 08:39:45 EST 2009

Hi Kim, All,

Kim, I was struck by your last sentence, "The idea of this model was very appealing to her, so she became our first "champion".

From your perspective, how important was/is it to have champions in creating the first (and subsequent) pathways? How easy or difficult was it to convince other faculty to participate in this endeavor? Please say more about the role of champions and whether this is something we should think about cultivating (and how) when implementing integrated pathways.

Thanks, Jackie
Jackie Taylor, PD List Facilitator, jackie at jataylor.net

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3105] Re: Cultivating champions
From: Ward, Kim kward at tacomacc.edu
Date: Wed Feb 25 11:48:28 EST 2009

Jackie, I'm so glad you asked this question. Finding champions on our campus, I believe, has been essential to making this work at TCC. Getting buy-in from the workforce side isn't always easy and for good reason. Many of these programs have national certification exams, employer relationships are often built on the basis of providing qualified workers, and the list goes on. Most instructors want to be sure that students are ready for the rigor of their programs. Convincing instructors to open the door to "underprepared" students can be a challenge.

Consider the following when looking for your "champions":

1. Are there any programs that already have students who are academically underprepared?
2. Do you have any programs that can start with courses that don't have college level entry requirements? Who teaches them?
3. Who are the faculty or program chairs who are already willing to "waive" entry requirements for their courses and go the extra mile to help these folks succeed?
4. Which faculty or program chairs are already thinking outside the box in terms of how to better serve students?
5. Are there faculty members who have been involved in other initiatives that address the needs of underprepared students?
6. Most importantly, who are the individuals on your campus that have the "respect" of the other faculty, are involved, and just have that energy and enthusiasm that gets people excited.

The folks on the professional technical side who I consider our "champions" have done so much to spread the word about I-BEST on our campus. They talk with other instructors about how it works, why it works, and the outcomes they are seeing with their students. They talk about how I-BEST has helped them improve their own teaching; they talk about how this model has improved student outcomes and how it has brought more attention to their programs / courses. One of our champions at TCC is the chair of our accounting program. If she had it her way, I think she would "I-BEST" the whole college. She's that excited about it and everyone knows it.

Community and Technical Colleges are full of instructors like these. I believe that this all means a lot more coming from the professional technical side than it does coming from basic skills faculty or administrators. This has been my experience as both an administrator and as a basic skills / ESOL instructor.

Kim Ward

Tacoma Community College
kward at tacomacc.edu

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3106] Re: Cultivating champions
From: Cheek, Sandy sandyc at bigbend.edu
Date: Wed Feb 25 11:49:54 EST 2009

As an administrator of I-BEST programs and as of late, an instructor in one, I will say that the role of a 'champion' is critical -and that your champion needs to be housed in the professional-technical wing of your college. (Basic skills folks are already on board with this; we're inevitably the ones who try and persuade others to do I-BEST programs!) We have had very successful, smooth-running programs and those that were not so smooth. The difference could be attributed to the knowledge base of the administrators and the prof-tech faculty. Everyone 'loves' I-BEST because it makes sense, helps students who need it, and it brings the college enhanced FTE. However, understanding the challenges and implementing the details of what's needed to make it work-for that, you need a truly engaged 'champion' -or two--from the professional program you're attempting to change into an I-BEST model.
Sandy

Sandy Cheek
Director of Basic Skills
Big Bend Community College
Moses Lake, WA 98837

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3110] Re: Cultivating champions
From: Gary Bartolina BartolinaG at NYSCSEAPARTNERSHIP.ORG
Date: Wed Feb 25 18:37:03 EST 2009

We use Champion's at every NYS agency to recruit participants for our ABE program. I use these bullets when making a recruitment presentation....or introducing the planning stages of our program

Characteristics of an ABE CHAMPION

  • Willing to commit "real time"
  • Respected by peers
  • Interested in collaboration
  • Able to relate to management
  • "Can Do" personality
  • Advocate for others
  • Available to attend orientation/training session

ABE Champion's Role

  • Help distribute information
  • Recruit course applicants
  • Meet with management and supervisors to promote ABE program
  • Select participants using agency criteria
  • Point person for our program
  • Provide ongoing support to applicants

Ms. Gary Bartolina, Program Manager
Adult Education Basics
NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education & Training
Corporate Plaza East - Suite 502
240 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203

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