RESEARCH AT THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER: PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS
By Sophia Quinton , Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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Every Fall, UNLV holds the annual research week in October. This year, it was held between October 8th and 12th
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It included events that showcased UNLV’s research, offered a chance to tour research labs, and gave students and faculty a chance to present their research. From seminars to discussions, UNLV’s Research week offered something from STEM majors to liberal arts majors. The Academic Success Center had their own poster presentation event that was part of UNLV’s Research Week. The ASC offers programs that include Math Bridge and Supplementary Instruction. Math Bridge is a program that helps students improve their math skills. Supplementary Instruction is a program that promotes active learning in classes by students for students, tutoring, and academic coaching – to help students with study skills and academic techniques. In fact, the Academic Success Center has been widely used across campus and has a 78% satisfaction rating in tutoring across campus according to the 2017 Student Satisfaction Inventory.
The ASC is invested in helping UNLV students succeed and graduate by presenting posters from different departments in the ASC. Their first poster session was on October 12th
from 12pm-1pm. The posters represented studies that evaluated first-year students and services from the ASC. The ASC faculty, staff and graduate students actively work together to help promote student success as seen in these posters. This poster session offered a chance for the graduate students to improve and promote professional development through research. It included topics about student development and encouraged first-year students to stay in college. “The process of submitting the poster included an initial call for posters at the beginning of the semester, and all the posters that had ASC topics were accepted”, said Dr. Brandy Smith, coordinator of the event and faculty member.
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The poster session included 9 posters and 18 authors in total. One included research on changing the curriculum for the Math Bridge Program to help create a curriculum across the board and to promote overall college readiness. Two others discussed the basis of Supplemental Instruction (SI) and ways to promote recruitment to the program. A new volunteer program was created to help students follow and be mentored by a current SI leader, so that they could become one the following semester. This program in particular, helped promote retention among SI students and help foster greater success between the SI leader and the students. Another poster discussed UNLV PRIDE, a new program that helps first-generation students and their parents become familiar with the college environment. This program started in 2017 and occurred a week before classes. Students were divided by majors so that they could interact with fellow students and faculty to help foster a community to retain students. Other research was conducted on existentialism in first-year students from various novels covering this topic.
Several research posters covered statistical research on students. One poster discussed digital curriculum enhancements in first-year students and their effects on college. It showed that these online assignments contained study techniques that students were not aware of. Another discussed how Facebook and various forms of media helped promote transfer student integration by allowing them to engage with fellow students and develop a community. One poster showed a study on how high achieving students helped with student retention. This study found that students who used campus services, including the Academic Success Center, were statistically more likely to stay in college. Lastly, a poster discussed peer-mentors through the Hixson-Lied Success Scholars program, who are current students that encourage first-year students to stay in college and provide a support system, and the peer-mentors morale and satisfaction in first-year seminar courses. It was found that there was an overall satisfaction within the mentoring program.
The purpose of the event was to, “provide an opportunity for our faculty, staff, and G.A.’s to demonstrate the good research being conducted on the topic of student success”. The Office of Research and Economic Development’s goal is to “have every college on campus participating in Research Week”, described Dr. Smith. This event represents how research and student success will help UNLV towards its goal of becoming a Top-Tier University.
Overall, this event was extremely informative. It was well organized and included research about students and programs. The ASC is investing in promoting student success as it is seen in the research being conducted.
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RECOVERING FROM MIDTERMS
By Andrea Santillan, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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Congratulations, Rebel! You have successfully survived the first half of the Fall 2018 semester. At this point, you may be starting to feel a little burnt out. Maybe you’re starting to zone out during lecture or spend more time on Netflix than you know you should be.
Do not get discouraged however, because you only have to push on for another few weeks, and then you can enjoy winter break. In fact, there’s really only about a month left of actual learning because the last two weeks are Study Week and Finals Week. Thankfully, there are multiple strategies to help you make the most out of this last month so that you can make, and not break, the grade you want for all your classes.
Midterms are a time to know where you stand in each of your classes before it becomes too late to change your grade. Currently, you should be able to access your midterm grades on WebCampus. Many professors utilize the grading feature on WebCampus, so this is most likely the best place to go to know your current grade. If your grade on WebCampus is not current, fret not because you still have a couple options to find out how well you are doing in your classes.
The best route would be to go into your professor’s office hours so that they can see that you care about earning a good grade in their class. That way, you can also build a good relationship with your professors, which will come in handy when you are in need of a letter of recommendation. However, if for some reason you are unable to go to office hours, you could simply send them an email asking if they can tell you how you are doing so far.
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Your work is not over yet. Simply knowing your grade is not enough, because you need to do something with that information. One of the best things you can do is going to speak to your professors about exams and any assignments or materials that you are having a difficult time with. You can do this by going to their office hours, which are generally printed for you at the top of their syllabus. In fact, many professors only let you review exams that you have taken through office hours, so it is imperative that you go.
Also, this may be the only chance you have to get one-on-one time with your professors so that they can help you with what you are struggling with specifically. Not only do office hours help you content-wise but going also proves to your professors that you are invested in your education. Unfortunately, there will be times when one of your other classes or another commitment will interfere with your professor’s scheduled office hours. In this case, you should try to email them asking if it would be possible to meet with them at a different time. Many professors are willing to do this because they understand that you are busy.
When reviewing your exams, you should take notes on the questions you got wrong along with the correct answer. It is very probable that those questions will also be on the final exam. You should also make sure that you are getting enough rest and taking frequent breaks while studying to ensure that you do not exhaust yourself. Self-care is an important component of your success. At the end of the day, just take a deep breath, and remember that it’s all going to be okay. You got this!
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UNLV TAKES ON COMMUNITY SERVICE
By Abigail Hinton, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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Our community is defined by the actions we take in order to come together; including being part of a club, a team, or even just attending something as simple as a concert. On September 28, I, along with many others, came together for UNLV’s Fall Service Day. This event was very fulfilling and memorable not only because we gave back to our community, but also because we learned the importance of service.
UNLV’s Service Day, which takes place once a semester, brings individuals together from all around campus. Students and faculty from all ages, departments, majors, and backgrounds are welcomed. Being a participant in UNLV’s Service Day opens the doors to multiple opportunities to get involved with the Las Vegas community. With each service day offering more than ten locations to engage in, and each ranging anywhere from Lake Mead to The Boy’s and Girl’s club, at least one site is bound to fit somewhere in your interests! Participating in service day is a great learning experience as you gain knowledge about organizations in the area, as well as the individuals who take part in making our community a better place. Service Day is a fantastic way to develop and extend your awareness of those who surround you from all backgrounds. In addition to the three hours of service you will receive for participating, you’ll also leave with the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve contributed to the community.
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The site I volunteered for was Three Square. Three Square is a Southern Nevada food bank that serves food, both canned and boxed, as well as ready-to-eat meals to those in need, with the goal of ending hunger. Around one decade ago, Eric Hilton started Three Square by creating partnerships with local casinos and grocery stores - where it has grown into Nevada’s largest food bank. A fun and moving fact about Three Square is that out of each dollar that is donated, 94 cents go towards purchasing food for those in need. The remaining 6 cents go towards the electricity bill and employee salary. During my time at Three Square, I worked sorting and packaging food items. The items that my team and I packaged were apples and oranges that would go to seniors in our community who could no longer work. In the span of about an hour and a half, my team, which consisted of 35 volunteers, reached the goal of packaging 900 meals for seniors. It was apparent how impactful a small group working for three hours was for our community.
Given my fulfilling experience, I encourage everyone to get involved in the community by volunteering at local organizations such as Three Square or Lighthouse Charities. Even something as simple as picking up trash at a community park can make a difference. Next semester, UNLV’s Service Day will be taking place on February 9, 2019. Go out and make a difference!
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The Road to Medical School
By Joel Jimenez-Vargas, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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Applying to medical school is a long and difficult process. Students have to complete lots of tasks before completing and submitting their applications. Choosing what schools to apply to, writing a personal statement, obtaining letters of recommendation, and preparing for interviews are just a few of the many things medical school applicants must do. Although this long process might seem intimidating, there are a lot of resources available to help students here at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
One of the most useful resources for pre-medical students is the Pre-Professional Advising Center (PPAC). The PPAC is the main hub for students interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. The advisors can guide students throughout the application process: from helping with personal statements, to prepping students for interviews. In addition to their personalized help for students, the PPAC also organizes workshops throughout the semester to help students on various subjects such as choosing a medical school, obtaining letters of recommendation, and being a well-rounded applicant. The PPAC is a great resource to use, whether you are a freshman starting your first semester at UNLV, or a senior getting ready to graduate.
Students who are interested in a career within the medical field can also join one of the many student organizations dedicated for pre-professional students. Organizations such as the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the Latino Pre-Medical Student Association (LPMSA), and Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), among others, can be a great resource for students. These organizations foster a community of support to help fellow pre-medical students achieve their goals and ultimately become physicians. Many of these organizations have mentorship programs, where medical students mentor undergraduate students and undergraduate students mentor high school students. These mentorship programs can be extremely helpful during the journey to medical school. In addition, these organizations often provide many opportunities for clinical experiences, where students can observe what it really is like to be a physician and decide if it is a path they want to pursue.
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The journey to medical school is definitely difficult. Students have to balance their academics, social life, extracurricular activities, and other family or work responsibilities. Sometimes, all of these things add up and cause students to be stressed, depressed, or anxious. Thankfully, there are various resources at UNLV that can assist with mental health. The
Student Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
is a resource available for students to help them get through personal issues they may be encountering. Burn out is a serious problem within the medical field, and it is important to seek out help when needed. CAPS is located in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center and they can be reached at (702) 895-3627.
The journey to medical school is a long and complex process that requires lots of time, energy, and commitment. Students will encounter lots of obstacles throughout their undergraduate career that can be overwhelming. However, thanks to the many resources available at UNLV, students can work through this process in an efficient manner, and ultimately reach their goal of becoming a medical student.
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TIME IS MONEY: PRACTICING EFFECTIVE
TIME-MANAGEMENT
By Elia Neeley, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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“Oh, the deadline is a week away…I have plenty of time!”
“Eh, I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Just one more episode of [insert binge worthy TV series here], and I’ll start working on this essay straight away!”
“Why did I wait until now?”
As college students, we all have had scenarios like these. At this stage in life, it can be difficult to balance school, work, relationships, and leisure time in an effective manner. With exams creeping around the corner, a procrastination epidemic arises, which wears down productivity. Here are a few tips and tricks to increase your productivity and squash procrastination before it preys upon you when it is exam time.
First, get rid of ALL distractions while you are working. One study shows that it takes approximately 25 minutes to get back into focus after you have been interrupted (Gudith & Klocke, 2008). Every time you decide to check your texts, posts, tweets, or snaps, you are essentially wasting minutes—or even hours—refocusing on your intended task that could have been spent working on it. There are free apps you can download on your phone or laptop to prevent yourself from giving in to the temptation. Some examples include: “SelfControl” (Mac), “Strict Workflow” and “Stay Focused” (Chrome users), “Pops” (iOS), and “Forest” (iOS/Windows).
Second, create a plan of action or schedule to better prioritize your time. One method of doing so is creating a weekly block schedule in which you can highlight or mark a blocked time for your classes, work schedule, gym time, self-care sessions, and so on. Throughout the day, you can refer to this schedule and edit the schedule if any conflicts arise. Google Calendar is an excellent resource for creating an easily-editable block schedule that you can access on the go. A second method is creating a weekly to-do list consisting of your assignments or task that you intend to complete by a certain day of the week. Having a list helps you be aware of your weekly assignments and helps you stay on track throughout the week. Another method is creating a monthly schedule, which is more appropriate for mapping out a large project and long-term assignments due later in the month. Google Calendar is a valuable resource for those who wish to go that route, as it can send you reminders via notifications on your phone or laptop.
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Finally, there are Covey’s quadrants. This management grid is an excellent and effective way of organizing your life priorities. Each quadrant ranges in importance and urgency. The first quadrant is reserved for duties that are important AND urgent (e.g. looming assignment deadlines, medical emergencies, helping a friend or family member in need). The second quadrant is reserved for tasks that are important, but that are not urgent (e.g. planned study, reading lecture notes, personal development). The third quadrant is for tasks that are not important, but that are urgent (e.g. most e-mails or phone calls, extracurricular activities, meetings). Finally, the fourth quadrant is for the things that are not important and not urgent, or the “time-wasters” (e.g. surfing the Internet, some phone calls, Netflix, checking social media). By organizing what you have or want to do using Covey’s Quadrants, you can decide what you should tackle first and what to avoid (prioritize).
There are many more time management, anti-procrastination, and prioritization strategies out there. To manage your own time efficiently and organize your time, you must find what works best for you—whether it’s blocking out your schedule by time, creating a weekly or monthly to-do list, or setting up Covey’s Quadrants. To overcome procrastination or to strengthen your time-management skills isn’t something you can do overnight. Rather,it is something you must practice at repeatedly until it becomes habit.
The Coaching Spot (located on the second floor of SSC-A) has copies of weekly to-do lists, monthly calendars, block schedules, and Covey’s Quadrants for your use! Feel free to use them!
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NEW TO HOMECOMING
By Marissa Salazar, Hixson-Lied Success Scholar
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As the new school year begins, the traditions of homecoming come about. One tradition, in particular, brings alumni, staff, and the whole student body together to show their Rebel pride. The week of October 14th is filled with traditional UNLV spirit. Previous Homecoming events have included competitions like Window Painting, Rebel Variety Show, and Most Spirited Rebel that promote school spirit and pride.
According to organizers, the focal point of this year’s homecoming was UNLV alumni. New events such as Rebels Give and annual alumni awards were two new events. Rebels Give included alumni and many staff and community members. At the kickoff event, there was a stage with a big screen next to it. As I walked, everyone looked happy and engaged.
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My favorite part was seeing both the dance team and the UNLV band perform. At the end of Rebels Give, $919, 670 was raised from 2, 2024 gifts in 1, 957 minutes!
Another event I witnessed was the window painting competition, in which teams were given paint and windows to paint on. This event was my favorite by far - everyone worked together as a team and at the end every window was a beautiful masterpiece. When we think of Homecoming, we do not typically think about who runs it or puts each event together. You would not believe it but there are 20 groups who collaborate to put Homecoming together.
Homecoming is a big celebration where we all come together as a school to support each other and make memories. I am already very excited and looking forward to next year’s Homecoming, who knows what new and exciting event the committee will add!
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Interested in becoming a 2019-2020 Hixson-Lied Success Scholar?
Please visit this
website
for more information!
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Ms. Christina M. Hixson graduated from high school in Clarinda, Iowa and moved to Omaha, Nebraska to attend business school. She later went to work for Mr. Ernst F. Lied , a car dealership owner in Omaha and in 1960 she joined Mr. Lied in Las Vegas, Nevada as his assistant. After Mr. Lied’s death in 1980, Ms. Hixson became the sole trustee of the Lied Foundation Trust and turned the Lied Foundation Trust into one of the largest foundations in the state of Nevada at that time. Ms. Hixson has a special understanding of young people who, like her, came from a challenging family background and are willing to work hard.
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Mr. Ernst F. Lied was born in Columbus, Ohio and attended the University of Kansas for two years, where he played on the golf team. He ultimately graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1927. Mr. Lied became a Buick dealer in Omaha, Nebraska and later his dealership was ranked third in the country for the number of cars sold. Mr. Lied established his charitable foundation in 1972, and upon his death in 1980 at age 74 nearly his entire estate funded the Lied Foundation Trust. Lied Foundation Trust has enhanced the capabilities of many schools and enriched the quality of many lives!
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*All photos used are original, can be found on unlv.edu, UNLV social media or have references indicated
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