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My background is Social Work. Although I have field experience, my passion is educating future human service professionals. I have been an educator in higher education for 13 years. As the Chair of the Human Services department at my institution, student success and retention in the programs that I oversee is incredibly important to me.

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The study of interest aims to identify the unique challenges faced by North Country Community College students in the Direct Support Professional Microcredential Program,  and to develop targeted strategies to improve success and retention.

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1.     How does participation in the Direct Support Professional Microcredential program affect student success and retention at NCCC?

o   Examines the effectiveness of a specific workforce development initiative on academic outcomes.

2.     What are the primary barriers to assignment completion among students at NCCC post-COVID-19?

o   Identifies key challenges students face in meeting academic requirements.

3.     How does balancing full-time work and academic responsibilities influence the academic performance and retention of students at NCCC?

o Investigates the impact of work commitments on students' academic success.

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A mixed method design has been chosen with the intent of being able to compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative data and being able to conclude the study with valuable information. Instruments utilized will include surveys with both open-ended and closed-ended questions, interviews with students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders, field observations and review of the retention and completion numbers.

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Skills that I hope to develop and "master" include:

-The ability to create a strong research design and implementation;

-Data collection, coding and analysis;

-The ability to use the data collected to make a difference!

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Increase DSP student retention and success!