Victoria College is one of five community colleges in Texas selected to work with the nonprofit Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) to incorporate “Caring Campus” into its student success efforts during the Fall 2022 semester.
Victoria College is one of five community colleges in Texas selected to work with the nonprofit Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) to incorporate “Caring Campus” into its student success efforts during the Fall 2022 semester.
“We hear from our students consistently that they feel loved and cared for at Victoria College, and that is a point of pride for all of us – superior customer service,” said VC’s Executive Director of Human Resources Terri Kurtz. “VC is known far and wide for our commitment to our students and the lives we change. It is because of our reputation statewide that VC was selected as one of the first five institutions in Texas to participate in Caring Campus.”
With the support of IEBC coaching and guidance, VC teams will be brought together to develop behavioral commitments to help faculty and staff better connect with students and support their educational goals.
“The benefit of this work is making a connection and becoming even more deeply engaged with our students, ultimately helping them succeed,” said Kurtz.
IEBC was awarded a $597,754 grant by the Greater Texas Foundation to implement the Caring Campus program in Texas in two rounds of implementation starting in Fall 2022.
Victoria College is one of nearly 90 institutions across the country that have begun implementing Caring Campus. The other Texas colleges selected to participate in the first round include Grayson College, Paris Junior College, Temple College and Tyler Junior College.
“The goal is to increase students’ connectedness, sense of belonging and overall success by implementing specific behaviors leading to cultural shifts on campus,” said IEBC President/CEO Brad Phillips. “It is particularly important for students from historically underserved populations and students less familiar with college to feel welcome and that they belong in college.”
Victoria College staff who were selected to participate in Caring Campus held their first coaching session on Sept. 15.