HFCC Peer Mentoring Program Wins College’s 'Innovation of the Year' Award

Henry Ford Community College’s Inside Track peer mentoring program recently won the college’s "Innovation of the Year" Award for 2013.

Ammie Helling and Diva Williams, co-coordinators and founders of the Inside Track program, received the award during an awards celebration on April 12.

The National League for Innovation in the Community College created the Innovation of the Year Award. HFCC is a member of the National League. The award recognizes college faculty and staff members who have designed and implemented a significant innovation. Dr. Gail Mee, president of HFCC, introduced the innovation program to the college six years ago as a method of encouraging dynamic and innovative thinking among college faculty and staff.

HFCC’s peer mentoring program that offers first-year students the “inside track” on how to be successful in college through the following efforts:

• Academic and personal support
• Seminars and workshops designed to help students improve their study habits
• One-on-one assistance with registration, financial aid and student services
• Support services and mentoring to help make the transition to college life easier

Currently, there are a total of 138 students engaged in the program. This year, Inside Track began working in collaboration with several agencies, including ACCESS, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) of Detroit, the MDC and the United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

Inside Track is also the only Center of Working Families (CWF) initiative nationwide with a similar structure that serves to change the understanding and behaviors of students as they relate to strengthening wealth. Additionally, this program aids in improving retention rates. The program incorporates financial coaching as a mentoring and educational component, and works to help students understand that their education is one important key to improving their life prospects.

By 2015, Inside Track anticipates meeting the following goals:

• 60 percent of students will use two out of three core services;
• 40 percent of students will use four out of three core services;
• 40 percent of students will improve their net income;
• 30 percent of students will improve their credit score;
• 33 percent of students will be placed in employment; and
• 25 percent of students will experiences a term-to-term increase in their retention rate.

“We are hopeful that the Inside Track program continues to grow and is viewed as an integral part of student success,” said Helling.

For more information about the Inside Track program, call 313-845-6347.

Editor's note: This press release was submitted by Henry Ford Community College.