Diane RouDa

Dean of Student affairs

GabRielle McRae baRRy unDeRhill

academic Director academic advisor

Director of Financial Services

DuStin VillaRReal JeFF leDeRFine

Director of admissions

Kylea KenneMeR

associate Director of admissions

april 2011 issue 2

aVeRaGe ReGiSteReD cReDitS

cuRRent

11.68

Ohhh the trials and tribulations of the all-important, definitive sequel. People have different expectations when approaching a proper sequel, but more often than not it boils down to the second one being bigger, louder and better than the original. ARC Newsletter: The Sequel. ARC Newsletter: Reloaded. ARC Newsletter: ARC Harder. You get the idea.
The ARC Committee has banded together once again to bring it better, harder and louder for this second newsletter with the prominent message of championing on our students to graduate soon. Very soon. So soon, in fact, that when they register for 12 to 16 credits hours based on their respective financial plans, theyll be able to venture out into their industry, fully prepared, within 3 to 4 years. Like any super-charged sequel though, our ARC journey has been fraught with challenges and resistance. The overall ARC average dropped from 12.03 credits last newsletter to 11.68. Some of these challenges come from life itself; whether a student is dropping credits to better fit with their work schedule, family commitments or just to maintain a sense of sanity within their own set of responsibilities. Other reasons range from only being able to come to campus on a certain day of the week or just not being academically ready to tackle the credit load. These are understandable; theyre realistic and one can definitely empathize with each of our students current situations.

PRoceSSeS

to the other end of the spectrum. Students who want nothing more than to play it safe and not challenge themselves to take on more credits. Individuals who let employers choose their schedules rather than readjusting times based on their class options. Ultimately, these students have not made their education a top priority. We have the chance to change attitudes and set these students on a path toward success. The road ahead isnt all doom and gloom though as the ARC for continuing students maintained a respectable average of 11.76 credits, up ahead from the previous few quarters. To move our ARC even higher, several Ai Austin team members have come with advice and words of wisdom for even the most daunting of challenges.

However, we also come

their best interest is to graduate in the fastest amount of time possible. We are there to show our support.

Campfire Stories from the ARC All-Stars.

colleagues that have already made impacts on our campus:

Read up on some of the personal success stories from your own teammates and

Jeff Lederfine, Director of Admissions, knows all too well that students want to avoid loans, opting instead to go part time in order to pay cash. This ends up hurting the student in the long run due to an extended graduation time and other factors.

If you are a Federal Pell grant recipient and decide to go part time, then you arent fully utilizing your grant money. Lederfine said. Also going part time may also exclude you from eligibility with certain scholarships like Merit. But if you use federal loans, the government pays the interest on subsidized portions and many unsubsidized portions have low interest rates. The student will graduate sooner and start working in their desired field much quicker!
Raeanne Harshfield, Assistant Director of Admissions, has come across students who have entertained the idea of concurrent enrollment, or in other words, taking a few class at The Art Institute of Austin while still attending courses at another campus. This method cuts down the amount of credits a student registers for significantly as most will take some credits on campus while completing 3 or more credits at another institution.

The student and family wanted her to get started as soon as possible, so they had decided on part time for spring, and then eventually going full time after the semester ended at Austin Community College, Harshfield said. After beginning the process though, the student felt her time was best spent at Ai Austin after realizing the burden that came along with keeping up with two different sets of campuses on two different timelines [Editors Note: The Art Institute of Austin operates on a quarterly schedule while Austin Community College sets their classes per semester], so she dropped her classes at ACC and started the Spring quarter with 15 credit hours right here on campus.

PeRSonal StoRieS

Campfire Stories (continued)

Associate Director of Admissions Kylea Kennemer has handled many nervous students who dont feel prepared for college classes and can spot one a mile away.

I had this student who was very shaky about starting here on campus with a full course load, Kennemer said. Her mom was approved for the Parent Plus Loan, but did not want to utilize it. The mom fully understood the benefits of the PPL after we explained the importance of going to school full time and other benefits of the loan. The student is now a student in April attending full time.
Barry Underhill, Academic Director of Graphic Design, Web/Interactive Media and Advertising Design, understands a students trepidation when it comes to tackling more credits on a work schedule that doesnt allow room for growth. Underhill knows students who are in great academic standing and found that if a student is capable and ready, online options are a viable solution.

I had a student who said she could only drive up to school one day a week this quarter, Underhill said. We only found two classes on the same day and the other two we found online. She was hesitant to take two online classes, but I explained to her that she could take them one at a time - one the first half of the quarter and one the second half.

matter the obstacle, no matter the challenge, your continued work in pushing our ARC up into full time territory is crucial to our students and the culture of our campus. See you next newsletter and remember:

Like any sequel worth its salt, well leave you with this to think about: no

MoVe youR

To submit your success story or contribute to the newsletter, contact Diane Rouda drouda@aii.edu or Dustin Villarreal dvillarreal@aii.edu

issue 2 april 2011