LONG BEACH, CA – The Alamo Colleges District is pioneering the implementation of Caring Campus at the district office level, extending the program to a new group of educators, and embedding Caring Campus principles across the Alamo Colleges to foster a more cohesive and supportive environment, ensuring students have the support they need to succeed.

The Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) developed Caring Campus to provide staff and faculty with a set of behavioral commitments designed to establish a culture of care on campus, thereby increasing retention, persistence, and success for all students.

“We’ve admired the work that Caring Campus has done at our colleges and we know how effective the program is in engaging students early on,” Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores said. “In our continued commitment to student success, we are proud to expand our work with Caring Campus to align our efforts across the Alamo Colleges, connecting and supporting our students.”

Employees at the Alamo Colleges Center of Excellence for Support of Student Success (ACCESS), the district’s headquarters, will participate in three Caring Campus coaching sessions over the next few months. These sessions will introduce adapted Caring Campus behavioral commitments designed to strengthen connections between district office employees and the colleges. The commitments also aim to align the Alamo Colleges District, ensuring a unified dedication to improving student services, enhancing students’ sense of belonging, and empowering them to succeed.

In addition to their work at the district level, IEBC is currently implementing Caring Campus at all five colleges in the Alamo Colleges District: Northeast Lakeview College, Northwest Vista College, Palo Alto College, St Philip’s College, and San Antonio College. IEBC’s work at these colleges is part of a grant from the Ascendium Education Group aimed at exploring how Caring Campus can engage and support students during the critical first two weeks of their college term, laying the foundation for them to persist.

“When students feel like they belong, they are more likely to persist and complete their degree, and a big part of that is making students feel cared for on campus,” Northwest Vista President Dr. Amy Bosley said. “My goal is for Caring Campus to become so integrated into the fabric of our institution that going out of our way to help students navigate campus or create a welcoming environment becomes second nature to everyone.”

Northwest Vista College staff are currently going through their Caring Campus trainings, where they are learning about different implementation strategies for creating a welcoming environment on campus.

“We are excited to bring our Caring Campus work to the Alamo Colleges District and look forward to expanding these offerings to other district offices,” IEBC President Dr. Brad Phillips said. “This represents a significant step in engaging employees across all levels of higher education in fostering a caring and supportive educational environment where students can grow, learn, and succeed.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

IEBC_ALAMO1: Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores addresses his employees at the first Caring Campus session on March 26. The Alamo Colleges District is pioneering the implementation of Caring Campus at the district office level, extending the program to a new group of staff, supervisors, and educators.

IEBC_ALAMO2: An Alamo Colleges District employee participates in a Caring Campus exercise at their first session. The Caring Campus sessions will introduce adapted behavioral commitments designed to strengthen relationships between district office employees and the colleges, and to align the district and college in pursuit of a unified dedication to improving student success.