Outreach offices bring START services to North Platte, Scottsbluff

But CSC’s effort to simplify and streamline the enrollment process extends beyond the Chadron campus to include START representatives based at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte and Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.

Chadron State attracts a significant number of students from both areas, including many who enroll at CSC after completing their two year community college degree.

“We have someone not only from CSC, but located on the campus that [students] can connect to, to answer questions as to how do I get started at Chadron State College,” said Danielle Lecher, Director of Market Development. “It’s an added service that we are able to provide to students and families in those areas.”

START began at CSC about eight years ago, with the idea of reducing the number of offices a student would have to visit to before starting classes at the college, said Lecher, who worked as a START adviser for three years before overseeing the department in early 2017.

“It’s sort of getting that one-stop shop atmosphere where students can go for advising, enrollment application questions, changing majors and the financial piece, helping students understand financial aid and how that applies to their bill,” she said.

The outreach offices were incorporated into START as part of a transition in the philosophy of the Student Services’ office, and a recognition of the number of students coming from the Scottsbluff and North Platte areas to CSC, including many who transfer from the community colleges. 

In Scottsbluff, Chadron State actually has two employees, Academic Support Center Coordinator Kathy Peters, who facilitates the CSC elementary education program offered at WNCC, and START representative Becky McAllister. The two work closely together, particularly during recruiting events aimed at transfer students, said Lecher.

McAllister, a CSC graduate with degrees in business administration and secondary education, was working in the financial aid office at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, Wyoming, when she saw the job opening for START.

“I was familiar with the college and the position was perfect for me to expand what I love to do with helping students reach their educational goals,” she said.

A background in student financial aid has been helpful in assisting prospective CSC students, McAllister said.

“Scholarship questions are popular, and CSC has a great offering to students here,” she said. “I know how to navigate the websites, where to find the needed information, and can provide them with the opportunity to work face-to-face that many online students don’t have.”

Bobi Johnson, a START representative in North Platte, has worked for CSC as part of the distance learning classes offered from MPCC since before START was created, said Lecher.

McAllister and Johnson are able to renew their connections to campus through visits to Chadron a couple of times each semester, Lecher said. They also keep in touch through email and video conferences, and thanks to technology are able to help the Chadron-based START representatives during busy times such as the beginning of each semester.

“They help with some of the email traffic we get, and we keep a shared voicemail log so they can be returning calls during the busy times,” Lecher said.

It’s not uncommon for prospective students from Scottsbluff or North Platte to call the Chadron START office for assistance, and putting them in contact with a local representative is helpful, according to Lecher.

“We say ‘I’ll answer your questions but just so you know, we have a person there you can work with and we don’t have to worry about email,’” she said.

In addition to advertising with local media and signage on the community college campuses, Johnson and McAllister visit classrooms and attend transfer events for community college students.

“We just try to make ourselves visible to students as much as possible,” McAllister said. “I go to WNCC classes and also to EWC classrooms. This year I plan to expand my appearances in classrooms by visiting the technical departments and letting them know that now we offer a customized Bachelor of Technical Occupations.”

Johnson is also making contacts with local businesses, including the hospital and railroad, to inform them about the technical degrees offered at CSC that may be valuable for their employees, Lecher said.

No matter how the contacts are made, just having a continuing personal presence near prospective CSC students is valuable, according to McAllister.

“Being visible here constantly provides [potential students] with information and familiarity that makes them feel comfortable,” she said. “I have had so many students thank us for providing this service.”

Lecher agrees.

“Having a CSC presence and being able to say you can go talk to someone without having to make a long trip to Chadron is really important,” Lecher said. “The more [potential students] we can get in those offices, the better.”