Program Coordination

Mentors, program coordinators, PIs, leadership, academic advisors – it takes a village!

Every program requires coordination – of logistics, student and mentor needs, grant-related responsibilities, etc. Different UREs have different models for providing this coordination, and leadership is often held by the PIs on a grant, instructors, or professional faculty or staff.

How we did it:

To successfully run a program with wrap-around student support, the administrative team needed to be large and inclusive. Our team included:

College level support (CEOAS): Associate deans for faculty, undergrad programs, research
Programmatic leadership (CEOAS): ARC-Learn PIs, program coordinator, STEM Research Center researchers
Polar research support (CEOAS): Faculty & graduate student mentors
Academic support (CEOAS): Academic advisors, experiential education coordinator
STEM education research: STEM Research Center researchers, including ARC-Learn PI
Mentor training, research, peer learning communities: Contracted inclusive mentorship specialist
Expert recommendations & evaluation: NSF Advisory Board

One notable adjustment included the addition of a program coordinator. As we looked to the second year of the program, and considered the fact that we would be running two cohorts simultaneously, and that our PIs were already tapped out with this project alongside their “day jobs,” we decided to move funds around to support a 0.2 FTE program coordinator. This person supported the academic logistics of the program by sketching out schedules for each term, drafting term assignments, coordinating grade entry, interfacing with academic advisors, running the Canvas page, etc. They also served as a support for students and mentors, as they faced challenges with their projects, or in their personal lives. This position allowed the administrative team the ability to keep better track of each student and make sure they did not fall behind without support.

Considerations for your program:

When creating a project team, think beyond mentors and PIs to include academic advisors, program coordinators, leadership, peers and others who can contribute to the more holistic approach to meeting each students’ needs.

Identifying a person as the main point of contact for students and mentors and the main coordinator of logistics leads to better communication and coordination and student success as well as group cohesion. The program coordinator is in a unique position to notice when things are going on with a student that their advisors or other instructors may not. This person can serve as the “net-weaver” to support the whole student, which is an especially important role when working with non-traditional students. This role can also support mentors by keeping them accountable and providing assistance when they are feeling tapped out.

Feedback on how your program is serving students and mentors is crucial to its long-term success. Build in feedback mechanisms (surveys, exit interviews, etc.) at identified checkpoints during the program, and establish a process for reviewing and integrating necessary changes.

Work with the leadership in your unit when designing and implementing the program. Involving leadership early and often creates buy-in, which is essential for the longevity and ongoing success of any program. Examples of this support may include agreements with faculty mentors to specifically incorporate their participation in the program into their teaching/advising roles in the position descriptions. Leadership support is critical to engage members (e.g., faculty, academic advisors, graduate students) of your unit who are crucial to providing wrap-around student support.