Buffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with University Business about the Dougherty Family College approach to helping first-generation and underserved students succeed in higher education. Smith emphasized that colleges must provide both academic and social support systems to help students thrive throughout their educational journey.
From the article:
A small but growing cohort of community colleges has found the blueprint for supporting underserved students through the early rungs of higher education and toward earning a bachelor’s degree. ...
At Dougherty Family College in Minnesota, 70% of graduates have either enrolled in or completed a four-year degree since 2019, says dean Buffy Smith.
Arrupe and Dougherty are part of the Come to Believe Network, a group of six community colleges dedicated to providing holistic and personalized support to first-generation and minority students. Each college is embedded within a four-year university, providing graduates with a seamless onramp to a bachelor’s degree program. ...
“Many (colleges) are not providing the infrastructure that scholars need to be successful in these institutions,” Smith says. “Our job is to make sure we provide the academic and social supports to ensure our students don’t survive college, but thrive.”
Each student at Dougherty Family College receives one-on-one mentoring from an assigned faculty or staff member to navigate the “hidden curriculum” that first-generation learners struggle to access, such as academic and career advising.
