Great news! The CAPS (College Attainment for Parent Students) program is expanding, bringing new opportunities to support student parents to all 23 VCCS colleges.

On June 11, coaches from five pilot colleges—Brightpoint, Central Virginia, Germanna, New River, and Tidewater—along with representatives from Laurel Ridge and Piedmont Virginia Community Colleges, came together to attend the first College Attainment for Parent Students (CAPS) Retreat. Attendees included VCCS Student Success Center leadership, as well as deans, college faculty, program managers, directors, current and future CAPS coaches, advisors, and accountants.

The CAPS retreat brought together this collaborative team to build a toolkit for fostering a sense of belonging for parent students. By leveraging collective experiences and resources, this toolkit will guide colleges in establishing support for parent students. The overarching goal for attendees is to ensure the sustained well-being and success of the CAPS initiative and all individuals involved, reinforcing our commitment to academic success and personal growth for student parents.

Keep an eye on your email and future Student Success Center newsletters for a formal announcement in September 2025 with all the details.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Karen Dyer, CAPS Statewide Coordinator, at kdyer@vccs.edu. 

- Karen Dyer

CAPS Statewide Coordinator, Virginia’s Community Colleges Student Success Center 

Since joining the Student Success Center in 2024, Kenyetta Galiote, Coordinator of Academic Advising, embarked on a significant journey to meet with the academic advising leaders of the 23 community colleges across Virginia. These meetings were pivotal in understanding and enhancing the academic advising models employed by each institution.

During these meetings, Galiote had the opportunity to delve into the unique advising frameworks at each college. She discovered a variety of models, including mixed faculty and staff advising systems at some colleges, where both faculty and staff collaborate to provide comprehensive support to students. Other colleges employ a model where academic advising is solely handled by professional staff, while faculty members serve as mentors and/or program directors, offering guidance and support in a different capacity.

The discussions were rich and multifaceted, covering several critical aspects of academic advising:

1. Advising Case Loads: One of the primary topics was how advising caseloads are assigned. This is crucial for ensuring that advisors can effectively manage their responsibilities and provide personalized support to each student.

2. Training and Professional Development: Another significant area of discussion was the current training and professional development opportunities available to academic advisors. Kenyetta explored how these programs could be enhanced to better equip advisors with the skills and knowledge needed to support students effectively.

3. System Office Support: Kenyetta also inquired about how the System Office can better support the advising efforts at each college. This included identifying resources, tools, and strategies that could be implemented to streamline advising processes and improve outcomes for students.

These meetings were not just about understanding the current state of academic advising but also about fostering collaboration and sharing best practices. By learning from each other, the community colleges can collectively enhance their advising models, ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed.

Galiote's initiative underscores the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration in academic advising. As the community colleges across Virginia work together, they are poised to create a more robust and effective advising system that will benefit students for years to come.

- Kenyetta Galiote

Coordinator of Academic Advising, 

Virginia's Community Colleges Student Success Center