San Jacinto Program Steers Students To Success

San Jacinto program steers students to success Houston Chronicle Copyright 2012 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 6:13 p.m., Saturday, November 3, 2012 Fewer than one-fourth of community college students in remedial classes earn a degree or certificate within eight years. [...] a student interested in a health career could sit in on some nursing classes to get a feel for the program requirements and the realities of the job, said Rebecca Goosen, San Jacinto's associate vice chancellor of college preparatory. If the student decides to pursue a nursing career, a faculty mentor from that program, known as a case manager, would help the student develop an educational plan that includes determining what classes to take and what academic skills are needed. [...] assignments in the developmental classes, which help build math, reading and writing skills in students who are not college ready, can be tailored for a specific career field. By steering students toward a clear vocational goal and a technical certificate and providing support through a faculty mentor, San Jacinto officials hope to encourage more students to continue to an academic degree.Many developmental education students have returned to college after an absence from school, are juggling full-time jobs, or take care of children or elderly parents - all factors that can lead to leaving school before earning a degree or certificate, said Goosen.