Page 46 - 2024 May report

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FINAL REPORT (15) Takeaway 3:
Graduates of the SUSF institutions who received JSF Scholarships were very difficult to locate. We could not determine an office in any of the IHEs where data from each year’s cohort of JSF Scholars was collected nor an office where the members of each cohort were followed on an annual basis after graduation. To understand the nature of the JSF Scholars’ career development and post-graduation employment, a data collection process with graduates that is updated annually after graduation is necessary. Without a systematic data collection process, finding graduated JSF Scholarship recipients will continue to be difficult.
Opportunity for Engagement 3:
It is suggested that as a part of the JSF and State partnership funding process a requirement be established that each disability services or other institutional office annually collect data from JSF scholars that includes their primary and secondary email addresses and other contact information (e.g., permanent addresses, cell numbers).
One possibility might include revising the Annual Report sent to the State of Florida concerning JSF Scholarship recipients. Considering the current document, we suggest that one or two data columns could be added for members of the graduating cohort. Graduates could identify their (expected) long-term email addresses, current cell phone numbers and possibly a permanent address. Going forward, the addition of this information would assist JSF and partners in building a data base for ongoing contact with JSF Scholarship recipients to determine post- graduation activities including the focus of their employment, their employer, and/or graduate school enrollment and completion.
Takeaway 4:
Disability services professionals at the SUSF institutions indicate that the number of students requesting disability services has increased since the onset of the pandemic, with a notable rise in students experiencing mental health conditions.
Opportunity for Engagement 4:
The increase in requests for assistance seems to necessitate a review of current staffing. This is especially important as there are numerous reports of dramatic increases in the need for well-being counseling and clinical mental health services on campuses (McAfee et al., 2023).
Engage in advocacy work with the SUSF institutions and State officials to build budget increases for expanding professional positions in disability services offices (and other related services offices) in order to support the needs of all eligible students.
Potential Dissemination Activities
To date, we have participated in the following research dissemination activities:
• American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting
◊ Findings from the disability services interviews were presented in May 2023
• Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) 2023
◊ Findings from the disability services interviews were presented in October 2023
Page 44 May Report