Transforming Access into Success: The Impact of Collaboration & Outreach

Peer-mentorship is a vital component of any college student's educational and professional development. You can find a peer-mentorship system within several departments and programs at various higher education institutions. At Sam Houston State University (SHSU), a Minority-Serving Institution that has an enrollment of more than 50% of undergraduate student population who identify as first-generation, it is imperative to establish peer- services in departments and offices to foster a sense of academic and inclusive excellence for students from underserved communities. Furthermore, it is also critical to promote post-undergraduate pathways for students from this demographic. While many students will select to pursue a career in the workforce, others will learn more about graduate- level degrees and will elect to pursue an advanced degree. By enrolling in a graduate program, these students reinstate their identity as underserved students, resulting in a greater need to provide additional resources, including peer-mentorship. Collaboration and Outreach, a department in the Division of Academic Affairs at SHSU, has two support programs, SH ELITE and ASPIRE, that provide retention services for undergraduate and graduate students. Both programs include, but are not limited to, students from underserved populations. SH ELITE, Establishing Leadership In & Through Education, is an undergraduate student support program that is designed to support and empower students from various backgrounds to achieve academic and personal success in college. The ASPIRE Program is a student support program for graduate students designed to provide community and support for students pursuing a master's degree. Both programs provide personal, professional, and academic support through many services. Readers will gain knowledge about how the Department of Collaboration and Outreach works to ensure that students persist and graduate from the institution, all while thriving in co- curricular learning.