Student success guaranteed at the University of Regina
The first university to offer a guarantee of employment within six months of graduation, the University of Regina currently has close to 2,000 students registered in its UR Guarantee program.
Eligible students who are unable to find work in their field within six months of graduation and who have completed the UR Guarantee programs can access another year of classes (30 credit hours) for free.
In its eight-year history, the UR Guarantee program has seen just two graduates return for additional classes.
That incredible success rate can be attributed to the content of the UR Guarantee program and the dedicated team in the U of R’s Student Services Office who coordinate it. Students currently in the program are provided with access to critical academic, leadership, and service opportunities throughout the course of their undergraduate studies.
The right set of student supports including meeting with an advisor to set and monitor personal goals helps students build a solid foundation for entry into a rapidly changing world of work.
As more sectors look to automation, the soft skills taught at university are in ever-increasing demand. Knowing how to think critically, problem solve, and manage time effectively are often just as vital to success in today’s marketplace as the hard skills (such as the ability to program a computer or balance a set of books). With soft skills the linchpin of the UR Guarantee and academic excellence the mainstay of every University of Regina program, it’s no wonder the U of R is the top post-secondary institution in Saskatchewan for graduate employability, according to a Ministry of Advanced Education study.
In addition to the UR Guarantee program, the University of Regina offers a variety of other student success programs, including the OMA or nitôncipâmin omâ Student Success Program. OMA, now in its ninth year, helps Indigenous youth transition from Grade 12 into their first year of University. In addition to a student success facilitator attending classes with students in order to review key concepts afterward, students also have access to tutors and receive assistance preparing for exams. Leadership development is crucial, as is access to Indigenous cultural and social programming.
“At 75 per cent, the OMA program is exceeding traditional retention rates for Indigenous learners,” says Kevin Bolen, Director of Student Success at the University of Regina.
As they enter their second year of studies, Indigenous students can participate in the Neekaneewak Leadership Initiative (NLI) program. Grounded in four pillars of university life- academic, personal, professional, and cultural- the NLI program offers teaching based on an holistic approach. It begins with an appreciation of the leadership skills many students already possess.
Bolen says that while the U of R is seeing more and more Indigenous students come to university with a strong sense of culture, others are just starting to develop a connection to traditional ways.
Indigenous students, wherever they may find themselves in their cultural journey, can find community at the University’s Aboriginal Student Centre (ASC).
“It’s a place where students can share with each other and learn from each other. It’s very powerful and a vital component of student success,” says Bolen.
The ASC has experienced a groundswell of support as students have taken it upon themselves to administer the event programming and logistics for the Centre, empowering themselves with new responsibility and freeing up crucial staff time.
A wide range of free programs and services are offered through the U of R’s Student Success Centre, helping students adjust to campus life and acquire the hard and soft skills required to achieve success as a student and beyond.
The University of Regina’s longterm strategic commitment to both student success and Indigenization, is creating for students of all cultures and abilities a learning environment that is vibrant, challenging, and accessible with the services required to allow for student engagement, personal growth, academic success, and career readiness.
For information on University of Regina programs and student services and supports, visit www.uregina.ca.
“It’s a place where students can share with each other and learn from each other.
KEVIN BOLEN, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUCCESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF REGINA