OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation plans help students meet milestones and goals

The OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plans are improving student experience and outcomes at Ohio University. The Guarantee helps students graduate on time and on plan through a tailored curricular and co-curricular pathway that meets the needs of each individual.

Already, 296 majors have been incorporated into the program. In addition, 2,751 students have opted into a graduation plan and those students collectively completed over 20,000 milestones last fall.

Milestones encompass academic, professional, and civic experiences that help Bobcats make the most of their time at OHIO. These milestones help ensure every student graduates with experience in their chosen field, including a set of both curricular and co-curricular experiences that meet their particular outcome goals.

Nicole Powers, a second-year exercise physiology: pre-athletic training major, appreciates the added support from the milestones in her graduation plan.

“Having the graduation plan has been a huge help in looking into the coming years of college and having an idea of what to expect going forward. It's given me the opportunity to work with my schedule and get involved outside of academics while knowing that I can stay on track with my courses,” Powers said. “I'm looking forward to seeing how the next few years at OHIO play out, and I'm grateful for the guidance and direction I have been offered.”

Graduation plans also prepare students for academic success through focused advising experiences. According to Harvey E. Ballard, Jr., professor of environmental and plant biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, use of graduation plans has helped reduce time to graduation for a number of students.

“Some motivated students have been able to graduate in 4 years with a minor and/or certificate, and a few with a second major, because the four-year plans and our active mentoring helped them stay focused and efficient in achieving their degree,” Ballard said. 

Laura Costa dos Santos, a success advisor in the Scripps College of Communication, agrees.

“I have seen many students realize that with thorough planning, they can add additional minors or certificates to their major, while still graduating on time,” Costa dos Santos said. “This early conversation gets them excited about their future career goals and as a part of that discussion, we can help them find related opportunities to get involved on campus.”

Through the OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plans, the University provides Bobcats with focused mentorship opportunities that propel them towards an intentional, fulfilling college experience.

“We want them to succeed and generally to be happy with their education, and a big part of that is investing time and energy into working with them each semester to make sure they're doing what they need to do in terms of courses and other extracurricular activities,” Ballard said.      

To help students make the most of their time at OHIO, they are invited to connect with an experience designer who will collaborate with them to embed meaningful curricular and co-curricular opportunities to "learn by doing" into Bobcats’ college careers.