Record Cohort Completes SIUE Summer Success Program Ahead of Fall Semester

Record Cohort Completes SIUE Summer Success Program Ahead of Fall Semester

Five weeks before their first fall semester, a record cohort of 120 incoming Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students got an early start.

On Friday, Aug. 7, SIUE's 2026 Summer Success Program gathered for a closing ceremony celebrating the completion of five weeks of college coursework, campus engagement and community-building. Students finished the program with certificates in hand, seven college credit hours already earned and five weeks of experience navigating University life before the fall semester begins.

The Summer Success Program welcomed its largest cohort to date this summer, the result of a recruitment effort that began in October and continued through May in close collaboration with the SIUE Office of Admissions.

"This milestone reflects the University's growing reputation, the strength of our academic programs, and our commitment to expanding access and opportunities for students," said Kelly Atkins, EdD, director of Academic Support and Success and director of the Summer Success Program and Student Success Coaching.

The five-week program is designed to help ease the transition from high school to college by giving incoming students time to become familiar with campus resources, faculty and staff while building relationships with their classmates. Students also begin developing the academic habits and confidence needed to navigate college before the traditional fall semester begins.

For Atkins, that time is particularly valuable because students are not simply learning about college they are already experiencing it.

Students earned seven college credit hours while immersing themselves in campus life through workshops with University partners, community excursions and health and wellness programming. Together, the experiences introduced students to resources both on and off campus while building practical skills for personal well-being and life management.

The entire Summer Success Program is offered at no cost to the students, removing a financial barrier.

"By eliminating expenses associated with participation, students can fully engage in the academic, social and professional development experiences the program provides without having to balance additional financial concerns," Atkins said. "Ultimately, removing this barrier helps create a more equitable pathway for students to begin their college journey with confidence and support."

That support does not end when students receive their certificates.

During the summer, participants are introduced to campus resources including SOAR, which continues to provide academic advising after the program concludes. In the fall, a Mentor Mixer connects participants with faculty and staff mentors who can support them throughout their first year. Program coordinators and success coaches also maintain regular communication and outreach as students continue their transition into University life.

Already, the first-year students demonstrated changes that extend beyond the credit hours accumulated during the summer.

"Students are becoming more confident and developing the mindset and habits needed for academic success," Atkins said. "They are also building meaningful connections with their peers and forming friendships that will support them throughout their college experience."

The impact of those connections can be seen in students who have already made the transition from Summer Success participants to active members of the SIUE community.

Maurion Johnson, Jahlil Latchison and Gary Traylor participated in the 2025 Summer Success Program and have since taken on student organization leadership roles on campus. Atkins points to their continued involvement as an example of the program's broader goal: preparing students not only to begin college successfully but to become engaged members of the University community.

"Their journeys reflect the program's mission to support students academically while cultivating confidence, leadership, and a commitment to making a positive impact within the University community," said Atkins.

With its largest cohort completing the program this summer, Atkins and the Summer Success team are already looking toward what comes next. Future plans include strengthening partnerships across campus, expanding opportunities for incoming students and continuing to build support that reaches beyond students' first semester.

For the students recognized Aug. 7, however, the next chapter is much closer.

When the fall semester begins, they will return to classrooms and campus spaces that are no longer entirely new. They will arrive with college credits on their transcripts, familiar faces among their classmates and a network of faculty and staff already in their corner at SIUE.

Photo: Summer Success Program Closing Ceremony by Howard Ash