News - Kalamazoo Valley Gives Students the Advantage

Kalamazoo Valley Gives Students the Advantage

Earlier this year, Zoe Whelman, 18, was anxious at the thought of even starting college.

Now, thanks to the Valley Advantage program, the 2023 graduate of Portage Central High School is poised and self-assured - enrolled in fall classes, studying sustainable horticulture and sharing what she learned with others.

"Before Valley Advantage, I was nervous about college. Now I'm excited and feel confident," Whelman said. "I feel like I know how to navigate it and can help other people."

Whelman was one of 62 students who attended Valley Advantage, a free, three-week summer program that focused on what was needed to start college and was designed to help students build confidence and navigate college.

"Kalamazoo Valley is focused on student success," said Program Director Louis Thomas. "This was a great opportunity for students interested in sharpening their skills - both inside and outside of the classroom - before beginning classes in the fall."

The state-funded $10 million initiative, administered by the Michigan Community College Association, was aimed to counteract learning loss among recent high school graduates who experienced interruptions to in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was open to anyone with a high school diploma or GED. The college offered four sessions of Valley Advantage, with an average of 15 students per class. More than 170 applications for admission to the program were received. Students who attended earned $550 for participating.

Laurie Barkman, 50, graduated from Comstock High School in 1992 and never saw college as an option for herself, until the Valley Advantage program.

"I would not have gone back to school without this program," Barkman said. "It made me feel like I am able to overcome some of my fears and barriers."

The married mother of three had applied to Kalamazoo Valley several times over the past three decades, but never enrolled. Instead, she raised her children and worked as a CNA at a local nursing home.

"School seemed overwhelming and just a dream that faded over time," she said.

Now she is enrolled full time in fall classes, studying social work and hopes to one day be a probation officer.

During the three-week program, students:

  • Reviewed skills in English and mathematics.
  • Explored college resources.
  • Learned valuable life skills and success strategies.
  • Engaged in team-building exercises.

Math and English faculty worked closely with the students over the course of the three weeks. Eighty-five percent of the students improved their math placement scores, with an average increase of nine points while English faculty concentrated on writing proficiency. The final survey revealed that prior to Valley Advantage 28% of students felt confident using the academic writing process. After completing the Valley Advantage program, 67% of students indicated that they were confident using the academic writing process.

Valley Advantage also offered:

  • Assistance with transportation costs.
  • Loaner laptop computers.
  • Classroom supplies.
  • Free breakfast (a.m. sessions) and lunch (p.m. sessions) each day.

According to Thomas, the program did exactly what it was meant to accomplish.

"Students gained the confidence they needed to feel comfortable taking the next steps in their educational journey. By the end of the three weeks, you could see a difference," Thomas said.

Eighty-five percent of students who participated in the Valley Advantage program are currently enrolled in fall semester classes at the college. As part of the program, those students have been assigned completion coaches who provide individualized support to help them address academic and non-academic challenges and connect them with appropriate campus and community resources.

Additionally, one student enrolled in the college's Phlebotomy Academy and 5% of Valley Advantage students enrolled at another Michigan college or university.

"This was one of the most impactful academic experiences I've ever had," said Griffin Stover, a 2022 graduate of St. Joseph High School. Stover completed the program and was accepted into the college's Honors Program. He is currently studying engineering and plans to eventually transfer to Western Michigan University.

Due to the overwhelming success of the program statewide, a fall session of Valley Advantage was offered. The program began Sept. 26 and ran through Oct. 12. Learn more at www.kvcc.edu/valleyadvantage.