Comfort Afolabi
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Staying on Track: Attending the Annual NCCEP Conference Despite Airline Troubles
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Last month, I was all set to attend the annual National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) conference in Washington D.C. The conference is always an exciting and enriching experience with lots of opportunities for learning and networking. The conference featured a full agenda of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, […]
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Reflecting on the Success of the 2024 Xcalibur Conference
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Last month, in collaboration with FOCUS, Xcalibur hosted our second Evaluation Conference in St. Augustine Florida, and it was a remarkable success. We brought together GEAR UP professionals and evaluators from 18 GEAR UP state and partnership grants. The conference was truly a hub of knowledge, networking, […]
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Fostering Team Appreciation and Gratitude: A Cornerstone to a Stronger Workplace
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Last month, I attended a White Coat Ceremony that marked the induction of students into the medical field. The keynote speaker, a highly esteemed and experienced physician, delivered an impactful speech. One particular aspect of his address caught my attention and serves as the focal point of this blog post, […]
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Protecting Student Data: A Fundamental Responsibility
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October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). It is an initiative to promote cybersecurity awareness and education, which is essential in today’s digital age. NCSAM typically includes various activities, events, and campaigns to encourage individuals and organizations to take steps to protect their online information and systems from cyber threats. […]
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Strategic Team Planning: Charting a Course for Success
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Last month, I got great satisfaction in meeting face-to-face with my team for our annual evaluation team strategic planning. Strategic planning meetings are crucial for team success and provide an opportunity for reflection. They are also very valuable for the development of a cohesive and comprehensive plan that is co-developed […]
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Second Year College Persistence
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Many colleges face challenges with student persistence, retention, and completion. Thus, a relevant question is – What can colleges do to improve student outcomes? On July 26, 2023, the USDOE released the notice for FY 2023 for the Applications for New Awards for the Postsecondary Student Success Grant Program (PSSG). […]
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Sharing Knowledge and Inspiring Change
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Have you ever wondered why evaluation findings sometimes do not get used in making programmatic decisions? Yes, we all have, and we can produce several reasons. This was the focus of our Data Into Practice presentation at the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP). The NCCEP conference is […]
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Listen Up! Amplifying Student Voices
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Several months ago in a blog post, I wrote about traveling to collect qualitative data from stakeholders. Last month, the effort continued as we gathered valuable qualitative data from students. This time, our data collection effort was different because Xcalibur and the grant leadership agreed to conduct the focus groups […]
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Celebrating High School Graduation and Embracing New Horizons
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Graduation season is the time when high schools and institutions of higher education celebrate the completion of academic programs and the transition of students to the next phase of their lives. Commencement speeches inspire and advise graduates on future endeavors ranging from entering the workforce, going to trade school, or […]
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Sharpening The Saw Through Professional Development
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Many years ago, I read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. In the book, Covey mentioned “sharpen the saw”, as the 7th habit. Sharpening the saw involves preserving and improving your greatest asset – You. There are many ways we should “sharpen the saw.” In […]