Dr. Buffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with Sheletta Brundidge of WCCO Radio regarding parental FOMO, assisting children in navigating larger college classrooms, fostering peer accountability, cultivating a sense of belonging and other related topics.
From the interview (Segment starts at 17:15):
Brundidge: The one thing that impressed me (with Dougherty Family College) was the small class sizes ... You have cohorts for your students, and I love that. Talk to me about how that works.
Smith: We have a cohort model where 20 to 25 scholars are taking their classes together because we believe in peer accountability. We also believe in a strong sense of community and a sense of belonging. We want our scholars, when they come to Dougherty Family College, to feel like this is their second home. We have our scholars placed in cohorts; they take the classes together, they are mentored by a faculty or staff member, they receive intensive one-on-one mentoring, and they also receive group mentoring based on their cohort. ...
Brundidge: Talk to me about the atmosphere ... it sounds like you provide everything from meals to transportation to laptops and devices.
Smith: One thing that we practice here is no shame and no guilt, and we try to empower them as much as possible. So, yes, we do provide intensive coaching and mentoring, but we also allow space for them to grow and to be empowered. We want to help them practice the skills they need ... so that when they leave, they are ready for their bachelor’s, master’s, PhD program, etc.
