As part of the Frontier Student Experience Program at Sul Ross State University (SRSU), Ms. Laurel Goodman has been hired as SRSU’s first college-specific Academic Advisor.  In particular, she will be working only with students and faculty academic advisors in the College of Agriculture, Life, and Physical Sciences.  Ms. Goodman comes to SRSU with an extensive background in education as well as a keen attention to detail.  This new position is part of a concerted effort to expand services and coordinate all aspects of the hybrid academic advising model utilized by SRSU in Alpine.  Additionally, two more college-specific Academic Advisors are to be hired:  one for the College of Education and Professional Studies and one for the College of Languages, Arts, and Social Sciences.

The primary focus of the Frontier Student Experience Program is to increase and improve student retention services at all four SRSU campuses.  The program will be implementing direct service expansions which should positively impact academic advising, financial literacy, and student programs.  One example is the hiring of the three college-specific Academic Advisors for the Alpine campus.  Another example is the opening of Writing Centers on the Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde campuses during Fall Semester 2021.  The secondary focus of the Frontier Student Experience Program is the enhancement of on-campus faculty professional development opportunities.  Planning for these opportunities is underway and scheduled to begin this fall as part of SRSU’s Pack First Professional Development Plan.

The Frontier Student Experience Program is being funded by a five-year Title V grant of over $2.5 million from the Department of Education (DOE) that was awarded to SRSU in October of 2020.  The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Title V Program is dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic, minority, and under-represented student opportunities.

“The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students,” states the DOE website.  “These grants also enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability.”

For more information on the Title V Frontier Student Experience Program, please contact Mr. Kendall Craig at kcraig@sulross.edu or 432-837-8595.  For more information on the DHSI Title V Program, please visit the DOE website:  https://www2.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/index.html.