CTB Visits DFC
By Asya Meadows and Carlos Martinez
The Come To Believe (CTB) Network team had the amazing opportunity of visiting the Dougherty Family College (DFC) at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the very first time this month. “This two-year college within the University of St. Thomas opened in the fall of 2017 at the downtown Minneapolis campus.” (University of St. Thomas, 2023) Today, DFC serves a diverse student body and offers the CTB model wrap-around supports as a means to support not only access to higher education but success within higher education.
In this article, we touch on some of the highlights of this incredible experience. It is undeniable to say that DFC truly did feel at home, as Arrupe graduates. This is because of the welcoming nature of not only the space but of every single person we met during our visit. It is just a special place that brings a community of people working together for the common good. Visiting DFC was incredibly important for us at CTB because having that first-hand, in-person experience and understanding of the inner workings of the institution is invaluable. As a team, we wanted to meet and learn from the leadership team at DFC, along with meeting some of the students, shadowing a class, and seeing the campus and its various spaces. All to have a better sense of how the community works, and what each of these community members has experienced.
From the perspective of two Arrupe College graduates, it was interesting to see the many similarities between DFC and Arrupe College students on the core principles of the CTB model. These principles are crucial when replicating the model at different universities across the U.S.
At DFC we met with two students from the DFC program. Kayla Martin is a second-year student, born and raised in Minnesota. She heard about DFC through her local church, and what resonated with her were the program's values of holistic support and low cost. We also met with Alejandra Soria, a second-year first-generation student, who heard about the DFC program during a program she was a part of in high school that allowed her to learn about the different post-secondary options.
Carlos and I related to both of their experiences. Coming from a single-parent household and with my mother still paying off my catholic high school education, college felt like a stressor to me. With barriers to college, it felt like higher education was out of reach. Thankfully, like Kayla, I had the chance to hear about Arrupe and its holistic support and low cost. Kayla shared with us that “as soon as I heard about the benefits of like the laptop, the bus pass, the meal plan, the free texts books … that’s what got me into it. Then I heard about the tuition and the support, and once I found out about the values I was like ‘ok, sold, this is where I need to be.’”
Additionally, I connected with how these students felt seen by their faculty as they had to navigate through hardships, in a similar way that I had to. In particular, Alejandra mentioned in our conversation that being a first-generation student was a lot on her shoulders while being the breadwinner and caretaker for her family. All these pressures of her personal life added on. However, while on the DFC campus, she felt unwavering support from the DFC community. I also empathized with students' challenges feeling the same sense of belonging on the larger campus when compared to the tight-knit community within the two-year college.
For me, Carlos, what stood out the most was the way in which I was able to see myself in the two students we got to meet, Alejandra and Kayla. These two sophomores got to share with us their entire experience at DFC and how it has impacted them in a positive way. For them, higher education was not an option at one point due to its inaccessibility for those who unfortunately have extra responsibilities and/or hardships to endure. At CTB we understand that “access to postsecondary education across the country is vital, as 50 percent of students choose to study close to home, and disparities in opportunities can lead to inequality.” (Johnson, 2019) For both Alejandra and Kayla, staying close to home was not only a want but a need.
Moreover, something that impacted me in a positive way was seeing how committed all the faculty and staff members at DFC are to their students and seeing them succeed. It is a gratifying feeling filled with hope for the future of higher education. Higher education “has also been shown to improve an individual's quality of life.” (United Nations, 2023) I am ecstatic to see these young people flourish after their time at DFC is up just the way I have been able to.
Reflecting on our experience showed us the facts of the matter: The CTB model core principles have been tested and proven to be the key to consistent quality higher education
Sense of belonging and community.
Wrap around services: faculty, advisors, peer mentors, career centers, internships, orientation leaders, and academic tutors.
Low tuition cost.
Access to resources such as free books, free laptops, free public transportation, breakfast, and lunch.
A visible campus and welcoming environment.
As we enter the final stages with the 2022 Design Grant Program participants, the stories of these students, both at DFC and Arrupe, serve as a testament to the effectiveness of this program and its positive impact. This investment will yield an incredibly strong ROI for any university, but aside from that it will offer support and resources to students who at one time or another could not see themselves in higher education.
