Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2007

Thesis Director

Charles Eberly

Thesis Committee Member

Richard Roberts

Thesis Committee Member

Unknown

Abstract

This study was designed to understand the perception of sophomore students who were successfully released from the Gateway Program and are now progressing through their college careers at Eastern Illinois University. They are doing so without the extra resources and intrusive assistance of first year Gateway advisors and support services during their sophomore year. The primary investigator conducted one on one interviews with a selected sample of former Gateway students using qualitative methods (Lincoln & Guba 1985) regarding their relationship with their Gateway advisor and their second year academic advisor and campus resources. Interview findings were triangulated and themes and issues identified. Results showed that former Gateway students desired to continue to have their advisor use intrusive advising techniques. Also these students are not using campus resources during their second year because it is not a requirement.

However, they need the extra guidance in order to be pushed to seek out additional resources outside of their academic advisor. The results are followed by a discussion of the research questions based on a comparison of the responses from former Gateway students. Recommendations for student affairs practitioners and future researchers to assist former Gateway students in their pursuit of a bachelor's degree are included.

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