Reach and Rally

The former Individualized Learning Center (ILC) is now the Tutoring and Learning Center (TLC). The TLC offers Wake Tech students free tutoring and learning support for their classes. The TLC now includes some of the Academic Success Centers: • The former REAL Center is now the English TLC. • The SPEAK Center is now the Communication TLC. • The Foreign Languages Center is now the Foreign Languages TLC. Students can access all these services online through one virtual front door.

The Wake Tech Transfer Advisory Committee worked with faculty at East Carolina University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte and UNC-Greensboro to review entry-level biology courses. Faculty at the partner institutions found Wake Tech courses to be well-aligned with university expectations and had no recommendations for changes.

In support of the Labor Market goal of the Reach 'n Rally strategic plan, the waketech.edu website was redesigned to showcase the 13 Career Fields where current and prospective students can find information about Wake Tech's degree and non-degree programs. The Career Fields provide a way for students to explore their career options and organize their studies to follow a path that aligns with their career interests. Combining both non-degree and degree programs within each field under the one-college model demonstrates the connections between rungs as students climb an educational ladder from non-degree training to a related certificate, diploma or associate degree program – and even further to transfer opportunities to a related bachelor's degree program at a four-year college or university. Career Coach data provided by Lightcast is included for each program to help students research potential careers. The redesign also made the website more user-friendly. Content was reorganized to make important information easier to find, and video, virtual tours and other features were added to make it more engaging. Key staff who should be recognized for the implementation include the following: • Senior Director of Communications Traci Ashley • Digital Content Manager Matthew Burns • Web Architect Peter Graber • Applications Developer II Mariah Kuroda • Web Manager David Sweeney • Communications & Marketing team

The Grow Our Own (GO²) Teaching Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the pipeline of STEM faculty positions by developing career pathways for existing Wake Tech employees. This collaborative initiative between the Impact Council and Human Resources provides qualified participants with faculty mentorship and designated funding to support tuition costs for up to five years toward the attainment of an advanced degree in a STEM field. In exchange for funding, the teaching fellow agrees to teach a designated STEM course at Wake Tech after graduation.

Wake Tech's first Open House en Español featured workshops and information tables on non-degree and degree programs and classes at the college. Sessions were presented in Spanish and included both in-person and virtual attendance options. Nearly 300 prospective students attended in person, and another 100-plus attended virtually.

The Registrar's Office, along with partners in ITS, Human Resources, Wake Tech faculty and others, implemented the Ellucian-delivered chosen name functionality in Self-Service. This new feature allows Wake Tech students, faculty and staff to navigate any of the college's campuses or online environment using their chosen name, nickname or middle name rather than their legal name.

Wake Tech Career and College Access Coach Anthony Garnes coordinated targeted support services for students at Knightdale High School. This included partnering with Wake Tech Financial Aid staff and Knightdale High staff to implement Finish the FAFSA Blitz, which was recognized as a 2022 First In FAFSA Innovation Winner by myFutureNC.

The first Care Center opened on Southern Wake Campus on August 16, 2022. The Care Center serves as a "go-to" for success coaching, emergency aid, technology assistance, The Nest food pantry, transportation assistance and Wellness Services. Centralizing support under the Care Center makes it easier for students to know where to go for support when necessary.

The Living Wage Jobs Action Team created a Salary Data page on Wake Tech's website to assist students in making informed decisions about programs of study leading to living wages in Wake County at the entry level, median level and experienced level. The page includes annual salaries for dozens of careers that align with Wake Tech programs to help educate students about living-wage jobs as they explore programs of study.

The Engineering Care Team was established to provide a proactive and holistic team-based approach to support engineering students. Team members offer academic advising, development of a two- to four-year academic road map, transfer planning and direct connection to campus resources. The goal is to build relationships and connect these students with important resources to improve success, retention and completion rates.

The Veterans Care Team was established to provide a proactive and holistic team-based approach to supporting to veterans and military-affiliated students. Team members offer academic advising, guidance for maximizing veteran education benefits and direct connection to campus resources. They also offer coaching and create individualized success plans for these students. The goal is to build relationships and connect these students with important resources to improve success, retention and completion rates.

Wake Tech's Impact Council is committed to valuing the unique experiences of individuals, the diversity of the Wake Tech community and equitable outcomes for students and employees. Council members work to cultivate inclusive practices, policies and programs while fostering an environment where all feel valued, respected and safe.

To help address an increase in mental health challenges for students, Wake Tech faculty and staff have recently become certified Mental Health First Aid trainers. The goal is to better recognize signs and symptoms of mental health issues and connect students with the resources they need.

In order to encourage non-degree students to further their education, the college held a virtual Student Success Conference to introduce them to the wealth of resources available to them at Wake Tech. Fifty-four students attended a variety of sessions focusing on study skills, test taking and overall work/life balance.

Wake Tech is partnering with Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church on its Kirk Outreach Afterschool Learning Academy + (KOALA+) mentoring program to educate Hispanic students from low-economic-health zones on post-secondary education and career options.

During the strategic planning process, Wake Tech recognized its role in supporting increased economic mobility among underserved communities and residents in southeast Raleigh. To increase the number and proportion of residents in southeast Raleigh who access and attain industry-recognized credentials, Wake Tech partnered with the Southeast Raleigh YMCA to offer three programs short-term training programs at that location: Basic Culinary Arts & Restaurant Fundamentals (leads to ServSafe, Kitchen Cook & Restaurant Server Certification) Introduction to Custodial Cleaning (leads to TPC Training Certification) Introduction to Landscape Maintenance (eligible for N.C. Pesticide Commercial Applicator Certification) Wake Tech is providing scholarships, and the Southeast Raleigh YMCA will offer up to $150 to students who successfully complete classes and take advantage of employment opportunities. This program directly helps underrepresented groups from southeast Raleigh enter Wake Tech programs and access the support services they need to be successful.

Career Ladders are groupings of occupations and industries that create individual plans of study for a complete range of career options, making it easier for students to find the programs best suited for them. Engineering Construction, Production & Maintenance Automotive, Transportation & Heavy Equipment Information & Digital Technology Business Health Science & Wellness Culinary, Hospitality & Personal Services Public Safety Education & Human Services Another career ladder is the University Transfer Career Ladder. The first step in this career ladder is to work with the student to select a career or major. The next step is to select a transfer destination and then advise the student on the specific courses needed to complete their associate degree and successfully transfer their credits to their selected bachelor degree program. The Career Ladders will improve student achievement and help students navigate their way to greater success in college and a future career.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) was established to create a collegewide culture of excellence that supports faculty and contributes to their growth, development and success. CETL provides high-impact professional development to support and promote Wake Tech's mission of providing equitable access to education that transforms lives through economic mobility and personal fulfillment. Services and programming of CETL will be organized around four pillars of faculty professional learning: • Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning • Professional Learning • Faculty Pathways • Communities of Practice Across all of its programs, CETL helps faculty engage students in learning environments that promote student learning and success.

Wake Tech entered into a partnership with East Carolina University to bring the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology completion program to Wake Tech to promote the attainment of bachelor's degrees through 2 + 2 programs. This partnership allows local community college graduates a chance to pursue a bachelor's degree from ECU without traveling to Greenville. In-person ECU classes will begin on the Southern Wake Campus this spring. This new partnership supports the Labor Market Goal of the strategic plan.

Over the summer, Foreign Languages faculty piloted the use of MS Teams to proctor Spanish and French placement exams remotely, giving students the option of taking the exam in the modality that works best for them. Placement exams determine course placement, which is important as students improve their language skills at Wake Tech, so that, upon transfer, students may successfully continue their studies at a four-year institution. Before this semester, students could take the exam only in person. This was problematic, as students often had transportation issues, lived outside the Raleigh area or, if they placed out of the beginning level, found it too late to adjust their schedules. Providing the remote placement exam option gives students the flexibility and scheduling options they need to be placed early and appropriately and, therefore, positively impacts their learning.

In May, Wake Tech signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Communities in Schools (CIS) of Wake County to collaborate on educational opportunities and pathways for CIS students. This partnership correlates with our Equitable Access Goal to help students from underrepresented groups enter Wake Tech programs and access the support services they need to be successful.

Summer Bridge is a new program that helps first-time college students gain momentum at Wake Tech with early connections to college supports and transition courses needed to enter college-level math. Seven participants completed MAT-003 and ACA-090 through the program this summer. Six of the seven enrolled at Wake Tech this fall, and the seventh accepted an athletic scholarship at a college in Kansas. This program relates to the Equitable Outcomes Goal to help potential students complete gateway courses needed to enter college-level English and math classes.

The Student Experience Program (SEP) is a new program to address and improve student retention in early-level math and English classes. The SEP goal is to improve retention and success by coordinating academic and non-academic support with instruction to decrease dropout rates and foster greater student success within the Wake Tech community. The SEP allows each participating member to work creatively within their own departments while forming bonds with new ones. It is this collaborative spirit that provides faculty and staff with professional growth opportunities, while ultimately serving our student population.