Helping students attain their degrees is goal of UWA reengagement program
Graduates are all smiles at a recent UWA commencement ceremony.
Federal grant is boosting university’s efforts to connect with former students
Story: Phillip Tutor | Photo: Jordan Allison
A federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education is helping the University of West Alabama re-engage with former students who may be close to completing their degree requirements and usher them to commencement day.
The UWA Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Retention’s newly created Finish Line initiative is designed to identify eligible former students who haven’t graduated and offer them enhanced academic services and tools when they return to campus. The initiative is part of the university’s larger More in Four retention program funded by a $2.99 million competitive federal grant.
The Finish Line initiative is open to any eligible UWA student, but its priority is African-American male students, a demographic whose graduation rates university administrators want to increase.
“That’s who we’re focusing on,” said Morgan Shelton, an advisor and retention specialist with the university’s Center for Achievement, Retention and Enrichment Services (CARES). “Most of our students that are on campus are coming from our service area, which is one of the poorer areas of the state. But the goal is to improve the entire area and not just the graduation rate at the university.”
To qualify, former UWA students must have less than two years, or six semesters, remaining to complete their degree. They also can’t have been enrolled at UWA in the last 12 consecutive months or have earned a postsecondary degree. Those who qualify will receive a host of amenities, including a $500 stipend each semester, a laptop to keep after graduating and an increased access to free counseling services. Because of the sporadic reliability of internet access in Alabama’s Black Belt region, students also will have access to mobile wifi hotspots.
In late 2021, UWA began contacting former students about the Finish Line initiative through text messages, telephone calls and post cards. Initial interest was relatively high, Shelton said, though the university is eager to increase participation.
“The difference with Finish Line is that before we have not given more incentives to students who were re-engaging with the university or coming back to the university,” Shelton said. “We know the value of higher education and we know that there are obviously there’s a pretty significant portion of our students that are not finishing for one reason or another.”
Former UWA students interested in the Finish Line initiative can apply here, or call (205) 652-3472 for more information.