Study: Evaluating the Impact of Archway
During the COVID-19 pandemic, McMaster’s Housing & Conference Services created the Archway program to support incoming first-year students by building virtual communities and structures to ensure personalized first-year success. In addition to adapting the traditional Residence Life curriculum for online delivery, Archway Mentors and Coaches work 1:1 with students to connect them to the resources they need as they learn to navigate McMaster University. Learn more about Archway at archway.mcmaster.ca
As first-year students entered postsecondary education in new academic and social environments, they have been faced with a transition that research suggests is challenging, stressful and can compromise their mental health and wellbeing.
In response to COVID-19 and the challenges it brought for students, McMaster University developed the Archway program to address common transitional issues students experience with the aim to increase student connectedness, supports, and retention.
In a study completed by Matthew Y. W. Kwan, Denver Brown, James MacKillop, Sean Beaudette, Sean Van Koughnett and Catharine Munn, it was found that through programs, such as Archway, virtual platforms and mechanisms can be used to meet students’ increasingly diverse needs.
Read more at BMC Health.
Archway, Covid19, HCS, Media Coverage