Horizons Student Support Services A TRIO Program

2021-22 Annual Report

Mission Statement

Horizons: A TRIO program assists students in developing academic, social, personal and leadership skills through holistic services including tutoring, faculty mentoring, peer mentoring, career development, academic support, cultural enrichment, and access to global experiences. These initiatives, coupled with a sense of belonging, will contribute to a well-rounded and successful Purdue University experience.

*TRIO is a federally funded program that was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1968.

Vision Statement

The vision of Horizons: A TRIO program is to retain and graduate its participants at the highest possible rate with the highest possible grade point average from Purdue University.

Program Elements

Through a comprehensive suite of services, Horizons ensures students can develop a holistic set of academic, social, personal and leadership skills that will contribute to their overall success. These services include:

  • GS 19900 & 49000 Strategies for a Successful Freshman Year: This course is intended to equip first-year students in their first semester with the necessary tools for success at Purdue University.
  • GS 19900 Life and Career Development Lab: This course is designed to help students develop a strong understanding of who they are as an individual and how that information impacts educational and vocational goals.
  • GS 19900 Recitation (R): Recitation is required to all incoming freshmen enrolled in Horizons GS 19900 or GS 49000. More than 90% of the students are taking a math course and will receive assistance via recitation.
  • EDPS 490 Horizons Global Leadership Initiative: This course provides 20 students an opportunity to participate in a summer semester abroad at a reduced rate. This is a three-week course during the May semester, and in financial partnership with the Office of Study Abroad, provides a framework that promotes global awareness, change in students perceptions, and addresses misconceptions of other people and cultures in an all-inclusive experience.
  • Academic Counseling: Horizons advising is available to students from their freshman year through graduation providing solution-oriented supplemental advising in all aspects of their educational planning, including course planning, study skills, GPA management, and referral services.
  • Career Counseling is available to support students in their career-related challenges as well as choice of major in reference to their future. Referral services to the Center for Career Opportunities are also available.
  • Tutoring: Horizons offers its students free one-on-one tutoring in all core math and science courses as well as foreign language. Exceptions for other subjects can be made on a case-bycase basis.
  • Faculty and Peer Mentoring: During a student’s first year at Purdue, participants are matched with a faculty or staff member in their preferred area of study. Additionally, all Horizons freshmen students who are enrolled in the 3-credit GS199 course partake in group peer mentoring led by a trained Horizons upperclassman.
  • Financial Aid Assistance: Students enrolled in Horizons can meet with Horizons director and/or staff in the Division of Financial Aid, and Boiler Financial Track to answer questions regarding FAFSA, work study, student loans, or budgeting.

Objectives

  • Increase the persistence rates of given cohorts of participants
  • Increase the number and percent of participants who will be in good academic standing at the end of each semester
  • Increase the number and percent of participants in each cohort who graduate in six (6) years or less

Notable Changes Within the 2020-21 Year

  • Horizons Annual Faculty Mentor and Student Recognition Reception: Reconvened on December 9, 2021, to honor the commitment of faculty to the longstanding program and to recognize the outstanding achievement of students. Over 80 faculty, staff and students were in attendance.
  • DevelopMe 2.0: Brittany Allensworth was selected to be a participant in the inaugural cohort. DevelopMe 2.0 is a partnership between Human Resources and the Equity Task Force. The program aims to enhance the career coaching, mentoring, and networking experiences for Purdue staff. Participants work directly with Purdue Human Resources to build and/or enhance their career development plan and are matched with a career coach and mentor(s)
  • Horizons in Costa Rica 2022: Ten Horizons students and five Purdue Promise students participated in a challenging journey of self-reflection, leadership development, and intercultural understanding in Heredia and San Jose, Costa Rica. This global leadership and study abroad experience addresses the need to expand access to global educational opportunities for first-generation and low-income students, as well as other traditionally under-represented groups. Through this program, Horizons seeks to directly address barriers to global access and provides students the opportunity to study abroad for nearly 65% less than a traditional shortterm study abroad program at Purdue.
  • The first-year retention rate of first-generation students in the 2021 cohort of Horizons Student Support Services surpassed the University rate by nearly 10%. See step chart below.
  • Leadership in TRIO:
    • Brittany Allensworth served as the Conference Chair for the Indiana TRIO Annual Conference Committee (State)
    • Brittany Allensworth served as the Incoming Chair for the Educational Opportunity Association’s Scholarship Committee (Regional)
    • Brittany Allensworth selected to represent the Indiana Chapter of the Educational Opportunity Association in the Emerging Leaders Institute Class of 2022 (State and Regional)
  • First-Generation Day Celebration: To commemorate the annual First-Generation College Student Celebration Day on Nov. 8, 2021, Horizons facilitated a panel comprised of FirstGeneration alumni, faculty, staff, and students at Purdue University. This panel centered and amplified the voices of first-generation Boilermakers. Topics discussed included impostor syndrome, management of finances during and after college, work/life balance, first-generation identity, and strategies for overcoming barriers commonly faced by first-generation students.
  • National TRIO Day: To commemorate National TRIO Day on Feb. 26, 2021, Horizons students and staff were featured in a Purdue Today article in which all reflected on their experiences with Horizons, a federally funded TRIO Program. https://www.purdue.edu/horizons/news/trioday.php
  • Horizons Enrollment Process: Horizons made the following modifications to its enrollment process effective Summer 2022
    • Purdue Promise student participants now eligible for Horizons Student Support Services
    • Continuing students now eligible and actively recruited for Horizons Student Support Services. A partnership was developed with Academic Advisors and Enrollment Management to recruit eligible students that could benefit most from program services.
    • Horizons Student Support Services joined the New Student Task List to increase visibility of program and its services to new and transfer students.
    • Horizons student support services implemented a mandatory New Student Orientation for all new students. This orientation introduces students to program staff, reviews program services, resources, requirements, and serves as a community-building opportunity for attendees.
  • Increase in Enrollment: Horizons welcomed 127 students (new, continuing, and transfer) into the program during Summer 2022. This number represents an increase in enrollment of approximately 105% from the 2021 cohort.
  • Implementation of Case Management Model: Beginning Fall 2022, Horizons initiated a case management approach in which all staff are assigned a caseload of students and utilize a solution-focused approach to supporting students with a wide variety of needs. Horizons also partnered with IDA+A to develop a dashboard that will assist staff in:
    • Monitoring early alerts as it pertaining to student performance, registration, and financial aid status, etc.
    • Reviewing in-term course performance information
    • Acting on early alerts and performance review by intervening with students directly and/or through their primary academic advisor
  • Horizons Program Staffing:
    • Brittany Allensworth promoted to interim director and then director in Spring 2022
    • Horizons welcomed new Assistant Director, Marquetta Strait, in Summer 2022
    • Horizons welcomed new Program Coordinator, Miaya Scott, in Summer 2022
    • Horizons welcomed new Senior Administrative Assistant, Kim Brewer, in Fall 2022

Download Annual Report

A full PDF version of the 2021-22 annual report may be accessed here.

View Full Report