Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 28, 1993                   TAG: 9311250189
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-22   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

WYTHEVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEADS IN KEEPING FRESHMEN

The State Council of Higher Education measured what percentage of students who enrolled in community colleges in the fall of 1991 came back for the 1992 fall term.

The Virginia Community College System had an overall retention rate of 52 percent. Wytheville Community College had almost 70 percent.

College representatives say much of their student retention success a result of counseling services and a faculty advising system available to students.

All first-time students meet with college counselors to discuss career and educational plans, identify academic strengths and weaknesses, and to schedule first-semester classes.

Students are then assigned faculty advisers from their academic programs. The advisers work with students all the way through graduation.

The college's faculty adviser system was refined through a model program funded under a grant from 1988 to 1991. The grant allowed the college to develop a revised faculty advisers' handbook and start a faculty adviser training program.