Kettering College Offers Workshop to Incoming Freshmen

July 3, 2024 — Making the transition from high school to college or coming back to college after several years can be an intimidating time for students. Kettering College recognizes this and has created a free weeklong Science and Math Refresher workshop to help support students before the academic year begins to build their skills and confidence.

The workshop materials were developed through a collaboration between Math and Science faculty and the team in the Student Success Center. The week will be presented entirely by current Kettering College students, so incoming students can hear firsthand experience and knowledge to prepare them for a successful college career.

Scott Bennie, Kettering College dean of Academic Affairs, notes, “Several years ago, we were challenged by President Brandstater to be a more student-ready college, rather than expecting a college-ready student—this as we transitioned out of the challenges of the pandemic experience and the learning losses that occurred during and beyond that timeframe.”

Dean Bennie continues, “We also understand, from our own institutional research, that students’ performance in math and science courses (particularly Anatomy & Physiology) was the most predictive of their ultimate success here at Kettering College. Combining those two data points, we determined that developing and providing a free workshop, that would identify where the student’s competencies were in each of these areas and develop those competencies before they even started their first day of “real” classes, would help them hit the ground running.”

Science and Math Refresher Workshop

The free Science and Math Refresher workshop is offered to all incoming freshman who want to improve their science and math skills or to simply get in the right headspace to take on the school year. The overarching theme of the week is “Launching students on their journey to become highly competent, caring health professionals.”

The workshop will take place August 19 – 23, 2024, which is the week before the first day of the 2024 fall semester. The full-day sessions are open to all Kettering College incoming freshmen; however, it is strongly recommended for students with lower math/science sub-scores on the ACT/SAT exams and/or high school cumulative GPA.

In addition to covering general math and science skills essential in college, the course will encourage students to incorporate life skills for success, such as time management; work-life balance; effective study habits; and test-taking strategies.

Randi Quale is an associate professor in Science & Mathematics who helped develop the workshop. She says, “Team members identified key strategies for success in math and science courses and college in general, as well as key concepts that will ensure students have a strong foundation to succeed during their freshman year and beyond.” 

Academic, Social, and Life Skills

The math portion focuses on student readiness for math, including basic numerical computations, manipulating fractions, and dealing with rational numbers. Professor Quale says, “Past experience has shown that having a high comfort level with these topics sets a student up for success in their college math courses.”

The science portion of the refresher course will help students prepare for their overall college experience, their science courses, the Anatomy and Physiology course (which most students take their first semester), and an overview of how to succeed in their specific programs.

In addition to learning academic skills, incoming students will hear firsthand experiences from current students who will now be their peers. Professor Quale says, “Incoming freshmen will learn from experienced Kettering College students the strategies that allowed them to navigate their first year and do well in their courses. They’ll learn about the ins and outs of their more challenging courses and get specific tips on how to manage their time and study for tests.”

Feeling at Home at Kettering College

The refresher course will offer participants a chance to explore the labs and facilities of the professional programs to get a sense of what their second and third years will be like. They will also be introduced to the resources available at the college to help them on their personal and professional journey.

Students who plan to live in the residence hall are able to move in a week early at no additional charge if they attend the Math and Science Refresher workshop, giving them extra time to settle in and prepare for the semester. In addition to this head start, the workshop will provide several opportunities for participants to meet other incoming students as well as current students.

The week includes free breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all participants, allowing them to create friendships before heading into the school year. Professor Quale says, “Fun evening activities will also be available to all, so those who are new to the area can get a taste of what it has to offer.”

This social component of the week is an essential factor when considering overall academic success. Dean Bennie says, “It facilitates a sense of belonging in the student, which, per the journal Educational Researcher (Gopalan and Brady, 2019), ‘predicts better persistence, engagement, and mental health.’”

Register for the Math and Science Refresher Workshop

If you are an incoming first-year student at Kettering College for the fall 2024 semester, and you’d like to sign up for this free week of instruction and socializing, please register here. Whether you’re feeling a bit nervous about the school year or excited to take it on, we welcome you to this workshop to help set you up for a successful first semester and beyond. We look forward to seeing you here!

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