Journal Article

Accelerating Through the Finish Line: How to Lead Students to Degree Completion

Brown, Justin Chase

2020

Overview

This practice brief offers evidence-based recommendations to community college leaders via four themes in addressing degree completion. Informed by Wang's (2017) emerging model of momentum for community college student success, it presents practical methods to lead students to completion by building momentum. Whereas there exists a national movement for increased college completion, this brief provides success strategies for leaders to influence behaviors and choices of students in ways that deliver momentum toward completion. At a time when demographic forecasts and demand for higher education in the United States predicts fewer students in community colleges, increasing persistence and completion rates become a greater priority. Leaders should anticipate these shifts and enhance strategies to increase degree completion. Evidence-based practice suggests this can be accomplished through students achieving early college credits, completing specific milestones, increasing enrollment intensity, and maintaining continuous enrollment. These themes provide a system leaders can utilize to achieve results.

• Publisher: Montezuma Publishing
• Subject: Completion / Higher Education Demand / Momentum / Student Success