Latino Student Services and Outreach (LASSO)
The primary function of the Office of Latino Student Services and Outreach (LASSO) is to recruit Latino students to Georgia State University (GSU) and to assure that Latino students persist to graduation. The mission of the LASSO office is to engage in the recruitment and retention of Latino students. This mission is accomplished by providing students with academic support services, advising, advocacy, mentoring, and referral services that compliment the personal and career development of Latino students.
Institution:
Georgia State University
Academic Level:
Baccalaureate
Issue Area:
Outreach
Issue Area:
Retention
Year:
2011
Designation:
Examples of Excelencia
Designation:
Finalist
Key Personnel:
Molina, Amy
Address:
Georgia State University
Address 2:
75 Piedmont Ave, Suite 368
City:
Atlanta
State:
GA
Zip:
30302 Goal/Mission:
The goals of LASSO provide order and structure to our daily interactions with students. They also allow us to measure our progress towards achieving success. • Increase Latino student retention and success • Provide support for completion of the student's educational and professional goals • Increase academic, social, and leadership opportunities • Increase collaborative efforts amongst faculty, staff, and students • Develop and cultivate relationships with surrounding schools and community agencies • Provide students with a quiet study space and sense of community • Increases internal and external awareness on the Latino student experience. • Identify educational issues and resources related to Latino/a student success. • Raise awareness about college access • Help students make an informed decision when choosing what college to attend • Encourage Latino students to make GSU their college choice.
Outcome:
Through a partnership with The Goizueta Foundation, GSU has been able to increase the percentage of Latino students on campus from 4% to almost 8% and improve graduation rates by 25 percentage points. Latino students now graduate at a higher rate than any other student ethnic category on campus. In the 2010 Report of the Education Trust, GSU ranked third in the nation of public institutions narrowing the graduation gap between Hispanic and white students. Enrollment rates have also dramatically increased since the inception of the LASSO office. When the program began, 845 Latino Students were enrolled at GSU. For the 2010-2011 academic year, Hispanic student enrollment was at 2,142.
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