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First-year students probably received some interesting calls starting Sept. 24, but those weren't crank calls.
Success of first-year students is of the utmost importance to the college.
Last week, interim Executive Vice President Jessica Howard's office launched a pilot program aimed at increasing student retention.
Howard is calling the work-study program the retention-calling plan.
But the 15 work-study students on the project have become enthusiastic, taken personal responsibility for the plan's success and renamed it San Antonio College Success program.
"They were encouraged to name it, and make it their own," Howard said. "I'm in and out during the week to make suggestions."
While the plan may be Howard's initiative, she designated Olaf Stoll and David Rodriguez primary advisers for the program.
Stoll, an intern from UTSA, and Rodriguez, an intern from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, are using the opportunity to fulfill requirements for graduate projects.
Rodriguez also has been a counselor here for the last seven years.
"This is Dr. Howard's initiative," Rodriguez said. "She's the one that's got this off the ground."
Training and implementation of the planning process was developed under the students with little advisement, Stoll said.
"This is Day 1 (of the pilot program). We've met two or three times already to construct the program and script," Stoll said. "They've all had perfect training.
"We sent out a mass e-mail to first-time students. The denominator goal is student retention and success."
On Sept. 24, 11 work-study students filled Room 218 of McCreless Hall.
There is no prerequisite for students to have a particular number of credits, or have attained a sophomore classification, Stoll said. Willingness is the only requirement.
Business sophomore Sylvia Garza and kinesiology freshman Tanasha Juarez sat side-by-side at two phone stations.
Someone had suggested the program to Juarez a week prior to its inception, and she brought Garza along for the ride.
"Honestly, it was the newest work-study program available," Garza said. "One that we had never heard of before. That automatically drew my attention."
Howard may be the primary program coordinator, but it is student-driven.
"We planned the project. It's actually all us," Juarez said. "Everything from the ground up. They've involved us, since we're going to be speaking to students just like us."
Business management sophomore Derrick Kincy said he came across a posting for the program after visiting the financial aid department.
"They had this clerk work … all for the executive vice president," Kincy said. "So I figured I'd give it a shot and they called me the next day."
Kincy said in this position as opposed to a strict office job, it is unlikely he would be uninterested, and the program is also for a good cause.
After the first week of calling, Howard said they are further along in the process than expected.
"I think it's going very well," Howard said. "According to my calculations, we are halfway through making our first calls to first-time students."
There are some 3,100 first-time students this semester, Howard said.
"The best thing about it is the student excitement. The hope is that we'll continue with it next semester."
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