College Recognized in State Report for Degree Reclamation Initiative

East Central College’s efforts to assist students in returning to college to complete their degree was recognized by the state in a “White Paper” report published earlier this month.

ECC’s Finish Your Investment (FYI) degree reclamation program is part of a nationwide initiative — named Degrees When Due. The program is sponsored by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and supported by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD).

ECC was the only community college recognized in the DHEWD report for its reclamation program during the 2020-21 academic year. The state agency applauded ECC’s communication and outreach during planning and implementation of the FYI program.

DHEWD also credited ECC for creating a well-balanced campus-wide team to support the degree reclamation program, which can be used as a model for other higher education institutes.

‘Life Changing’

ECC’s FYI program was designed to guide students who’ve completed college credits at the College to help them complete a degree.

There were 742 former students targeted, of those, 39 “auto graduated” due to the number of credit hours they already had obtained. Another 31 students applied for admission; 20 enrolled in courses; and five ultimately earned a degree.

Laura Deason, associate registrar, was recognized June 14 by the ECC Board of Trustees for her work in examining student records and then determining that the 39 “auto graduated” students were eligible for degrees.

“We firmly believe for the students that have returned it is life-changing,” Robyn Walter vice president of academic affairs was quoted in the DHEWD publication.

The White Paper recounted a story published by ECC about Mercedes Mangrum, 26, who was motivated to finish her degree after a four-year pause. She was just 12 credit hours away from an associate degree.

“My decision to complete this semester was solely to give myself options for future endeavors. As an older student, I did feel more focused and ready to complete my degree,” Mangrum said.

FYI Team

According to the DHEWD, a key part of successful reclamation programs was building a campus team tasked with cross-campus collaboration strategies to retain current students and support adult reengagement.

ECC’s team was composed of about 15 employees from varying areas of the College.

Plans call for a continuation of the FYI program at ECC, to help meet the needs of a diverse demographic of students, including first-generation college students, low-income students, single parents, and veterans.

For more information about the Finish Your Investment initiative at ECC, visit www.eastcentral.edu/fyi/.