On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life

"I was approaching burnout because I had had enough of the excuses and victim mentality. On Course guides students to an awareness of their scripts and empowers them to change the way they approach their educations and their lives. This is particularly useful to students who are unprepared for college even though they have graduated high school. The victim/creator language and the wise choice process help students realize they do have choices in how they deal with challenges. When we get to Chapter Two in the book, students realize how they have been sabotaging their own success and usually make immediate and lasting changes. I am continuously amazed at how powerful this chapter is in transforming students' lives.""My students consistently claim that they can relate to the examples in the book, and I am often amazed at the diversity of the population that openly shares this type of comment. This semester, I have been delighted to hear unsolicited comments from older students who found validation through reading the On Course textbook. "I thought this book would be for younger students, but reading it has really given me the validation I needed for being here. I deserve success just as much as anyone else." On Course speaks the universal language, as one student surmised. In my estimation, On Course reflects diversity without seeming to force it in an artificial way. It comes across as genuine to students from all walks of life." Skip Downing is an international consultant in the field of faculty development and student success strategies. Dr. Downing has earned degrees from Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Santa Monica, and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds advanced degrees in English and counseling psychology. He was professor of English at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) for 32 years. In addition to his role as an academic instructor, Dr. Downing created and coordinated BCCC's Student Success and Learning Community Programs. These programs teach students how to apply proven success strategies to achieve their full potential in college and in life. The College Success Program resulted in a significant increase in both student academic success and retention. Dr. Downing has made numerous presentations at national conferences and conducted faculty development workshops at many two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and the Virgin Islands. Dr. Downing's teaching, writing, and consulting are all guided by his belief that the greatest mission of any educational institution is to empower its students to live rich, fulfilling lives. Since 1996, he has facilitated the On Course Workshops, intensive four-day retreats for college educators focusing on proven strategies for helping students become active, responsible partners in their education and achieve greater success in college and in life.