Community College Student Affairs Professionals at Entry- and Mid-Level

T he work of the entry-level and mid-level student affairs professional in the community college setting can be one of the most important factors in a student’s retention and graduation. Certainly this is supported by personal testimony from students who frequently express appreciation for individual advisors, tutors, counselors, student life directors, and deans of students for providing the necessary support that made the difference between dropping out of college and graduating. Likewise, studies measuring factors that contribute to increased community college student retention and course completion rates reinforce student acknowledgments of support received from student affairs programs by focusing on services that impact student success ( Scrivener & Coghlan, 2011 ; Scrivener, Weiss, & Sommo, 2012 ).