The KS-LSAMP T.E.A.M. (Transfer Engagement And Mentorship) program is designed to help community college students make a successful transition from their two-year institution to K-State. It is a distance program to make the mentoring experience flexible for all participants.
Through the experience, community college students have an opportunity to connect and learn from current K-State students who have successfully transferred to K-State. The pair is encouraged to communicate on a weekly basis. Students have a variety of options to communicate, such as text, a phone call, and online technology: email, zoom, and social media. In the program, current K-State students share their college experiences and serve as a campus resource.
The T.E.A.M. program was conducted by the Kansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (KS-LSAMP) program from September 30 to November 22, 2019. During this time, community college students (mentees) participated in the orientation and mid-program meetings. The interactive meetings were held by using zoom technology. The focus of the meetings was how the current mentoring experience could assist the mentees with preparation for a successful college transfer. Also, students learned how to facilitate communication in the program. Using Kahoot game and Mentimeter real-time feedback platform helped participants to share their questions and experiences.
K-State students, the mentors, participated in an orientation, mid-program, and the end of program meetings. During the sessions, the mentors engaged in activities that focused on active listening and communication skills. Students also reflected on their college and mentoring experiences. The participants were provided with a handbook to share resources for both mentors and mentees, which helped guide students through their mentoring experience. In addition, mentors and mentees had an opportunity to meet each other in person during the Transfer Student Visit Day on October 13th, 2019. The social event was a great place for community college students to socialize and ask questions in a welcoming and informal environment.
The Fall 2019 TEAM program included the following mentees, Rodolfo Madrid (DCCC); Yuriana Arroyo (GCCC): David Perez, Maria Herrera, and Miguel Perez (SCCC); Briana Garcia (Donnelly). The Fall 2019 mentors were from the KS-LSAMP alliance institutions such as Cesar Aparicio, Jacob Rico Martinez, and Shiseido Robinson (GCCC); Erick Saenz and Richard Carmona Andrade (SCCC). Also, Evangelina R. Gallardo from Highland Community College.
This was the second time the T.E.A.M. program had been coordinated and KS-LSAMP plans to have a new cohort of students in Fall 2020.
The T.E.A.M program is part of the National Science Foundation funded KS-LSAMP grant. The overall goal of KS-LSAMP is to double the number of underrepresented minority students graduating from Kansas State University with baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering or math.
More information about KS-LSAMP can be found at www.k-state.edu/lsamp