Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) is excited to announce that Jodi Calvert, Director of Learning Initiatives, has been selected as an Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate by the National Resource Center for The First‐Year Experience and Students in Transition.

The Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award is awarded to just ten educators nationally. Those selected share the common goal of improving the educational experience for entering college students. They are recognized for their exceptional work on behalf of first-year students and for the impact their efforts have on the students and culture of their institutions.

Jodi Calvert is one of only two awardees selected for their work at a community college. Employed by Three Rivers since January of 2007, Calvert has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the tenets of student advocacy and success, particularly among first-year and/or first-generation college students. Simply stated, Calvert is fiercely passionate about student advocacy, and works tirelessly to ensure students are valued, empowered, and engaged.

Jodi Calvert works closely with Anna Wagner and Sarah Kalbach in a First-Year Experience class.

Both as an instructor and as the head of the First-Year Experience program, Calvert’s greatest strengths lie in the many meaningful connections she makes with those she encounters each day at TRCC.  She is well respected by her colleagues and most importantly by her students, who seek out her assistance and guidance on a daily basis.  In her own words, “It’s all about the students.”

As Director of Learning Initiatives, Calvert oversees several large-scale initiatives including the legislatively mandated redesign of developmental math and English courses, the First-Year Experience program, and a grant-funded initiative which supports students in the field of Precision Sheet Metal Manufacturing. She currently serves on the implementation team for the Guided Pathways project which aims to improve student retention and completion rates at the College. Calvert oversees the Tutoring and Academic Success Centers at Three Rivers, and is the project lead for three high school partnership programs, which provide support and removes barriers for students transitioning from high school to college.  She also serves as an academic advisor for over 50 students each semester and teaches two sections of First Year Experience each academic year.

Calvert will receive her award at the 36^th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience in Atlanta, Georgia on February 11, 2017.  She will also participate as a panelist in a session titled “Turning ON Inspiration: Successful Strategies of Outstanding First-Year Student Advocates.”

To learn more about the opportunities available at Three Rivers, visit threerivers.edu. To learn more about National Resource Center for The First‐Year Experience and Students in Transition and the FYE conference, visit sc.edu/fye.