Students planning to transfer to UTC will get some additional help adjusting to campus life thanks to a new retention program. Student Opportunities, Access, and Retention (SOAR) will provide peer mentoring to help guide and support local high school students through completion of coursework at Chattanooga State and on to a successful transition to UTC.
“We are pleased to participate in this program,” Dr. Phil Oldham, UTC Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said. “We welcome many students who transfer from Chattanooga State, and we are always looking for ways to make that transition more successful. We believe this idea of one-on-one mentoring should do much to help with that goal.”
The goal of the program is to boost college completion rates for Hamilton County students who enroll in Chattanooga State Community College with plans to move on to UTC for completion of a four-year bachelor’s degree.
Students from local high schools, including Tyner Academy, Brainerd, Central, Red Bank, and Soddy Daisy High School, are eligible to be chosen for this program, which is focused on helping students who will be the first in the family to go to college. Students will receive services such as campus tours, help with financial plans and applications, and developmental courses to prepare for college-level work.
