乐播传媒

by Curtis Hayes, Director of Communications

More than 800 students have benefitted from 乐播传媒鈥檚 Learning Partners program since it was established in 1999.

Ninety-percent of those students successfully transitioned to the colleges and/or careers of their choice. In short, the program works. Some recent participants continued on to studies in business, information systems, music, sustainable development, and health and exercise science. Others have pursued careers as first responders, and some have entered the military.

One recent participant, Aidin Colvin, authored a non-fiction book on dyslexia, which has received significant recognition. In the book, Colvin spent a year writing 100 letters to successful people with dyslexia. The book is available on Amazon: 鈥淟ooking for Heroes: One Boy, One Year, 100 Letters.鈥�

鈥淭he Learning Partners program was an amazing resource for our entire family,鈥� said Sharon Bryson, former Learning Partners parent and current 乐播传媒 Trustee. 鈥淚t provided the structure and guidance to assist Matt (her son: alumnus Matt Bryson 鈥�16) in forming study habits that adapted to his learning style, not the other way around.鈥� So, what exactly is Learning Partners, and who is its typical student?

The program is somewhat of a hidden gem, but those who discover it benefit from academic coaching designed to develop their potential for success. Learning Partners is focused on students with documented learning and attention differences. The program provides them with the individualized support and coaching they need to develop their study skills, realize their academic goals, and work toward becoming successful independent learners. This, in turn, leads to opportunity.

鈥淚f there is a student with a learning challenge who would like to have additional support, we partner with them,鈥� said Robin Faulkner, Director of Learning Partners and Accessibility Services with Learning Partners. 鈥淲e assign each student a learning specialist who all have a master鈥檚 degree or higher. We meet with them a minimum of twice a week, and the work we do is individualized, because everybody is different.鈥�

Faulkner said there is no typical Learning Partners鈥� student. Some participants are dually enrolled in the honors program, some are star athletes, and others are involved in numerous extra-curricular activities. She said the majority of Learning Partners鈥� students are highly motivated.

鈥淭hey have to have motivation to even want to join Learning Partners. They have acknowledged they have some learning challenges, and they are taking specific steps to work on them,鈥� Faulkner said.

That support comes in an open and accepting environment. Learning Partners students benefit from the latest in assistive technology, study lounges, and learning labs that combine to create a family atmosphere within the close-knit community of 乐播传媒 College.

Currently, the program is serving 31 students with three learning specialists. From 2008 to 2018, the program served 400 students.

鈥淲e get students different ways,鈥� Faulkner said. 鈥淪ome are looking at 乐播传媒 anyway, and then they learn about our program and want to be a part of it. There are other students who will come to 乐播传媒 specifically because they鈥檝e heard about this program and want that type of support because it鈥檚 unique. Most colleges don鈥檛 offer this.鈥�

There is an unserved population.

鈥淥n every college campus there is a significant number of students who haven鈥檛 identified their learning challenges,鈥� Faulkner said. 鈥淢aybe they had a bad experience, and now they want to try to do it on their own. That is why we encourage every student who needs support to take advantage of the resources offered by 乐播传媒. Our goal is to partner with our students to help them achieve to their full potential.鈥�