Because it is a technical college, most programs at Marion Technical College (MTC) are relatively well mapped out for students, without large numbers of courses from which to choose. However, few MTC students follow a traditional path, making educational planning crucial for their success. Located in a farming community roughly an hour north of Columbus, Ohio, a significant portion of the students MTC serves have low incomes and are attending part-time while working.
This case study accompanying the brief From Goals to Graduation to Post-Completion Success explores how MTC, a small, rural college with limited funding, leveraged grants to institutionalize advising reforms and ensure all students have an individualized full-program plan connected to their career goals. By adopting a case management model, hiring more advisors, and redesigning the first-year experience course to focus on academic and career planning, MTC increased the percentage of students with an educational plan from around 25%–30% to 95% in five years.