The Development of an Academic Engagement Intervention for Academically Dismissed Students

Innov High Educ. 2020;45(5):387-403. doi: 10.1007/s10755-020-09510-0. Epub 2020 May 25.

Abstract

"Reclaim the W" is an academic recovery program at a medium-sized midwestern university that offers undergraduates who have been academically dismissed a chance to reenroll at the institution. In this article we describe the Reclaim the W program and its target population of academically at-risk undergraduates. We then outline the first two phases of the process we used to develop an intervention for students in the Reclaim the W program, which we call Engage to Excel (E2). In the first phase we collected data from focus groups with academically at-risk students and professional staff who serve these students. This qualitative data informed the creation of the E2 intervention for students in the Reclaim the W program. In the second phase we identified key components of the quasi-experimental E2 intervention and outlined the student outcomes that will be evaluated during the intervention. Finally, we highlight research and practice implications of the E2 intervention.

Keywords: Academic intervention; Academic recovery; At-risk college students; Engagement; Student success courses.