Sullivan-Deckard Scholars Close First Year with 100% Retention

The inaugural cohort of 10 Sullivan-Deckard Scholars will close the year with a 100 percent retention rate.

"We are very proud of the Sullivan-Deckard Scholars' success at Cleveland State University," said Charleyse Pratt, Assistant Vice President for Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement. "The students have thrived at CSU and we are excited to soon welcome the second cohort of Scholars to the University."

The Sullivan-Deckard Scholars program helps students transition from the foster care system to life as a student at Cleveland State.

Some highlights from the first class's Fall 2015 semester include:

• The Sullivan-Deckard Scholarship requires a 2.5 GPA or higher for continued eligibility. In the Fall 2015 semester, eight Scholars earned a cumulative 2.6 GPA or higher. Five Scholars earned a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher including one Scholar with a cumulative 3.9 GPA.  
• All Scholars were assigned a work-study job on campus with a maximum 10 hours per week. Work supervisors provided valuable performance feedback for Scholars that will contribute to their professional and personal growth.  Supervisors and Scholars were pleased and satisfied with the career learning experiences.
• Scholars logged 1,381 hours of "Study-Table" time, which includes visits to Tutoring Academic Support Center (TASC), Writing Center, meetings with Advisors and faculty, coaching sessions with Navigators and participation in study group sessions. One Scholar alone logged 184.75 hours.

"Scholars found this semester to be more challenging than anticipated," Dr. Pratt said. "They attribute their positive outcomes to hard work, skills learned in the Summer Transition to College Workshop, and the experience of taking summer classes.  Scholars feel more confident as learners and better able to meet the demands of university life."