Project Compass

Overview

In April 2007, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation launched Project Compass, a multi-year regional initiative to help more underrepresented minority students succeed in and graduate from public four-year institutions of higher education in New England. The initiative supports innovative institutional programs and strategies that strive to eliminate achievement gaps and significantly increase academic success, retention, and graduation rates for minority and low-income undergraduate students.

In 2008, Bridgewater, along with four other New England schools (Eastern Connecticut State University, Lyndon State College, Western Connecticut State University, and University of Maine-Presque Isle), received funds for a first year of Implementation and, in June of 2009, the campus received confirmation that we would receive a second year of funding. We will apply for a third year of funding at the end of the 2009-2010 academic year.

Participation in Project Compass has made it possible for BSC to collect new and significant data on a population that makes up no less than 42% of the Bridgewater undergraduate population (see chart).

Further, in bringing together committed and enthusiastic members of academic and student affairs in a Community of Practice, Project Compass has encouraged the development of unique programming that will support the target population, and, as they scale up, the entire Bridgewater student population.

Bridgewater's successful use of Project Compass has hinged upon the willingness of faculty, staff, and administration to work together in ingenious ways and, most of all, a deeply held belief that our purpose as an institution is to provide all students with access to the possibility for excellence.

We invite you to look further into Project Compass initiatives, past, present, and future, at BSC:

More information will soon be available on various topics at the links below:

Faculty Development
Student Programming
Data Collection

Community of Practice (COP) members & contact information
The Project Compass COP invites feedback on the various initiatives we have and will launch. Take a look at our COP contact list for the right person to contact. We look forward to hearing from you.

Interested in being a part of Portfolios of Excellence? Click here for more information and to register.

 

Last Modified: August 24, 2009