Exploratory Program at Kent State University recognized with two national awards

The Exploratory Program at Kent State University is a program geared at helping freshman students select a major through a six-step process completed throughout their first year. Participation has led to increased student engagement and retention through the Major Action Plan: Start to Finish program. The success of the program has attracted national attention, with awards from two organizations, the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).

The Major Action Plan: Start to Finish, part of the Exploratory Program, is a six-step process open to entering freshmen which aims to help students explore major programs through academic advising, special courses, peer work, career navigation, and community participation. Step one for participating students is selecting one of 13 areas of interest. In step two, students create a Major Action Plan with the help of an academic advisor. The third step is the First Year Experience Course, which impels students to focus on the transition from highschool to college and explore both career paths and development of diverse perspectives and personal preferences. Step four has students engage in coursework with peers, creating study groups and networks. A career navigation course is step five, in which students start to develop a more defined career plan through self-exploration and research into career options. Finally, in step six, students participate in EXCEL (Explore, Careers, Education, Leadership), which delves even deeper into career exploration through community connection.

According to a recent release from Kent State, retention rates for students who participate in these steps are more likely to stay at the university and complete their chosen major. Nicole Kotlan, director of the Exploratory Advising Center at Kent State, said, "Since the implementation, the retention rate for exploratory students has increased by 4.1%, 2019 compared to 2017, and students who attended the program, when compared to their peers that did not, had a significantly higher retention rate, 81.0% versus 58.3%. Additionally, more than 85% of exploratory students confidently choose their major within three semesters of starting their Kent State career."

These successes have attracted national attention from NACADA, which selected the Exploratory Program as the recipient of its 2021 Region 5 Innovation in Advising Award. The award recognizes advising teams that creatively improved practices with innovative strategies to improve student success outcomes. Similarly, the 2021 NASPA Excellence Bronze Award recognized Kent State's Exploratory Program as an innovative initiative to improve programs, policies, and procedures related to student services. Koltan said, "We are honored to receive both awards from organizations that serve as pillars for recognizing outstanding contributions of academic advising practices for student success."

Kent State's Dean of University College, Eboni Pringle, Ph.D., expressed similar sentiments about the news of the awards, saying, "These two new national awards for the Exploratory Advising Center, plus their two previous awards, recognize the caliber of our exceptional academic advising staff and Exploratory Program. It also shows their commitment to meeting the needs of our students through innovative and transformative practices."

Students also seem to appreciate the program, with sophomore student Sean Gaunter saying, "The Major Action Plan is a wonderful program to help exploratory students who have no idea where to go for major exploration get started. The Exploratory Advising Center's advising team is always eager to help students find who they are and what they want to do. They are a great support for students and want to see them succeed."