On-Demand Webinar
UTOP Unleashed: UNC Charlotte’s Community Driven Approach to Increasing Underrepresented Student Retention
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Guest Speakers:
Jahtoya Means
UTOP Program Director
Student Leaders:
Kevin Seberry
Victoria Fornville
Esther Koroma
Watch the on-demand webinar and discover UNC Charlotte’s innovative approach to underrepresented student retention and success through their signature bridge program, UTOP (University Transition Opportunities Program), which provides a path for underrepresented students to successfully transition from high school to college by providing a rigorous six-week summer collegiate experience.
Hear from UTOP Program Director Jahtoya Means, as well as student leaders and coordinator: Kevin Seberry, Victoria Fornville, and Esther Koroma as they discuss how they were able to achieve a 12% increase in graduation rates over six years among UTOP participants, compared to those who did not participate in the program.
With a 98% adoption of their Raftr mobile campus portal, the UTOP team was able to promote student belonging and engagement by sending students reminders, providing access to support & resources, and being active in their digital community – helping to ultimately drive student success and retention.
During the session, our speakers will discuss how the UTOP program was able to:
- Harness a community-driven model to foster a sense of belonging
- Leverage student leaders & alumni to create supportive network
- Affect underrepresented student academic success
- Support these efforts with technology