Ottawa University

OU Students Recieve Some TLC

            New program will help students get off on the right foot 

OTTAWA, Kansas - Dr. Dennis Tyner, Vice President for the Ottawa campus of Ottawa University, announced today the initiation of a new student success program at the Ottawa, Kansas location. The  ‘TLC Success Coaching for OU Students' program will be implemented for all new students enrolled for the 2007-08 academic year. The program is designed to assist students to smoothly transition to college life and connect them to the greater community by providing resources and personal encouragement.

"One of the greatest challenges for higher education today - and Ottawa University is no exception - is finding the kind of support and resources that will help keep students enrolled in college," stated Tyner.  "Unfortunately, national statistics indicate that more than 60% of students who enter colleges eventually end up leaving school before earning their degree.  At the Ottawa campus, we are aggressively addressing this challenge."

TLC (Trusting, Listening, Coaching) is a program where members of the College and community commit to mentoring new students. Involvement requires a minimum amount of time devoted to communicating and supporting students on their educational journey. "For many students, moving away from home to attend college is both exciting and intimidating," stated Dr. Carolyn Dunham, Persistence Director at The College. "Providing a source of support whereby someone talks with students about the challenges of adapting to roommates, balancing activities with school work, even things like finding a health care provider can make a huge difference. The coaches become their family away from home."   

The pool of TLC success coaches will be drawn from the best source of inspiration for OU's new students: alumni, trustees, staff, faculty, community members, and friends of the University. Dr. Dunham stated, "We are challenging all interested parties - churches, organizations, and individuals from the Ottawa community at large to accept this invitation to participate in our new TLC program as a success coach for a new OU student." 

Applications for participation in the TLC Success Coaching program can be accessed online at http://uwin.ottawa.edu/tlc/ or by contacting Dr. Dunham at the College. "Before you conclude that you're not qualified," states Dunham, "or that you don't have the time to dedicate, be assured that we will be offering training sessions later this summer." Training sessions will include discussions regarding best practices for developing a successful coaching environment and supplemental material will be distributed that may prove to be useful to the volunteer coaches.

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Founded in 1865, Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. Ottawa University's educational mission brings together a residential campus in Ottawa, Kansas, and adult campuses in Kansas City, Missouri; Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe, Arizona; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jeffersonville, Indiana; as well as multiple international instructional sites.  For more information, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/.