Celebrating Success: How EDvance College is Supporting Tech Literacy for a Diverse Workforce

By

Dr. Lygia Stebbing

As we wrap up the 5th week of our Fall 2024 semester, we are excited to celebrate a powerful milestone in EDvance College’s third year: we’ve doubled our student enrollment to over 200 students, and the results of our commitment to student success are already visible. After analyzing student support data, we found that only 5% of students across all pathways needed tech support—an impressive decrease, thanks to the EDvance Bridge Program, developed and implemented by our Student Success Team over the summer to prepare students for their coursework.

At EDvance, one of our core values is to "reflect to evolve." This means constantly evaluating and improving how we engage and support students, ensuring they are always at the center of our work.

Last year, we identified a significant challenge: many students were struggling with technology, which is critical for participating in our dynamic, synchronous coursework. Students needed more than just academic skills to succeed—they needed to be proficient in tech tools, from being on camera and sharing practice videos to collaborating on shared documents and joining breakout groups.

In response, our Student Success Team launched EDvance Bridge, a summer pre-admissions program designed to build students' tech literacy. The goal? To ensure that every student is ready to thrive from day one. And the results are clear. Faculty member Katie Mervin noted, “I’ve seen a 150% improvement in students’ ability to use and navigate the technology they need to be successful.”

At EDvance, putting students first means recognizing challenges and addressing them directly. By prioritizing tech literacy, we are enabling our students to focus on what truly matters: their learning and development.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Student Success and Admissions Team—Adriana Magaña, M.A., Andrea Cruz, Nova San Diego, Nayeli Hurtado Vega, and Amy Crown, MBA—for creating and implementing programs that make a real difference in our students' lives.