Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
143
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.55.07.15
How to Cite:
Kozmenko, O., Popovych, I., Arbeláez-Campillo, D.F., Rojas-Bahamón, M.J., & Volchenko, L. (2022). Structural and functional
model of the successful person training in USA colleges and universities. Amazonia Investiga, 11(55), 143-155.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.55.07.15
Structural and functional model of the successful person training in
USA colleges and universities
Структурно-функціональна модель підготовки успішної людини в коледжах і
університетах США
Received: August 1, 2022 Accepted: September 1, 2022
Written by:
Olena Kozmenko64
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7063-2324
Ihor Popovych65
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1663-111X
Diego Felipe Arbeláez-Campillo66
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9041-9563
Magda Julissa Rojas-Bahamón67
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4882-1476
Larysa Volchenko68
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2401-9107
Abstract
The purpose of the article is to study the training
of a successful person in the colleges and
universities of the USA as a holistic process and
to create a structural and functional model. The
methods of retrospective analysis,
systematization and generalization, abstraction
and specification, modeling and graphic
visualization are applied. A structural and
functional model of successful person training in
colleges and universities of the USA has been
created. The focus groups of this process have
been defined, in which the work is aimed at
applicants, first-year students, second-fourth
years students and a special category - students
of the last year and graduates, as a significant part
of students do not complete their studies on time.
Examples of effective use of models and
strategies of student training by American
institutions of higher education are given. Five
stages of successful person training in American
institutions of higher education are proposed. It
is summarized that the created structural and
functional model is the basis for creating a
64
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Dean of Faculty of International Relations, Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian
National University, Severodonetsk, Ukraine.
65
Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Full Professor, Full Professor of the Department of Psychology, Kherson State University,
Kherson, Ukraine.
66
Grupo de Investigación Lenguajes, Representaciones y Educación, Universidad de la Amazonia, Colombia.
67
PhD. in Education and environmental Culture, Professor Jorge Eliecer Gaitán and Universidad de la Amazonia, Colombia.
68
PhD., Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychology and Sociology, Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University,
Severodonetsk, Ukraine.
144
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
strategy for the development of an educational
institution and will contribute to the high-quality
organization of the training of specialists in
colleges and universities.
Key words: success, professional training,
students, higher education of the USA, modeling.
Introduction
Higher education plays a crucial role in the
modern world due to its contribution to the
progress of humanity in the form of economic,
scientific and technological achievements. The
mission of higher education is to form highly
qualified specialists, promote their successful
professional and life realization. The task of
higher education is not only to provide a young
person with the necessary knowledge,
competences and skills, but to enhance the
comprehensive development of personality, to
cultivate necessary qualities and character traits.
The more thorough analysis of the efficiency of
higher education institutions’ work is encouraged
by some reasons. Firstly, the problem of figuring
out of student’s achievements after college and
university’s graduation. Secondly, the realization
of a person in the future life and career. Thirdly,
the development of own abilities and formation
of necessary life skills and important
competences. The training of a really successful
person depends on a range of factors, among
which personal, social, psychological,
pedagogical, economic ones play an important
role. The process of studying in higher education
institutions provides such training that gives to a
young person benchmarks for success
achievement, self-confidence in the future,
effective self-realization. The experience of other
countries in this process, especially the USA, is a
quite useful. The developed system of American
higher education achieved certain progress in this
sphere and occupies a leading position among
world institutions of higher education
(Kozmenko, 2020). Therefore, the training of a
successful person should be considered as a
holistic process, covering educational
achievements and personal development, and
according to P. Jones et al., (2008) successful
graduates should not only be well employed, but
also they should develop the qualities of well-
bred and responsible citizens with a vast outlook
who are able to make a positive contribution to
the development of society.
The problem of student success and life
achievements is not thoroughly investigated in
psychological and pedagogical science.
Currently, success is a difficult term to define
because of numerous personal and institutional
factors that affect the training of a successful
person. The success of a higher education
institution directly depends on its students and
graduates success, fruitful work of academic staff
and administration. US educators have achieved
significant results in this direction and their
experience is valuable for implementation in the
higher education system of other countries.
The main conceptual idea of the research is a
statement that starting from the end of the first
decade of the XXI century, the mission of
colleges and universities in the USA is “not how
to enroll the best students”, but “how better to
teach non-traditional students” (Calcagno et al.,
2008). That is, the training of a successful person
in the colleges and universities of the USA in the
XXI-st century involves the creation of necessary
conditions for learning, upbringing and
development of the student’s personality. It
means providing students with the necessary
knowledge and skills, the formation of
competences, the realization in their future life
and career, the development of students’ abilities
and the formation of necessary vital skills.
American society always demonstrates interest in
increasing the number of citizens who receive a
higher education degree, obtain high-quality
knowledge and skills, achieve certain personal
development, and receive documents that
confirm professional qualification. This is the
goal of any developed society and this opinion is
shared by a wide range of stakeholders, among
whose educators, politicians, scientists,
employers, students and their parents, various
organizations and foundations. A specialist with
a higher education degree not only has a high
qualification, but also meets the criteria of certain
modern trends in the conditions of world
globalization. It means this person is
professionally mobile, is able to successfully
realize himself/herself in the conditions of an
unstable socio-economic society. This person is
also creative, active and capable of overcoming
life’s challenges with dignity as well as freely
Kozmenko, O., Popovych, I., Arbeláez-Campillo, D.F., Rojas-Bahamón, M.J., Volchenko, L. / Volume 11 - Issue 55: 143-155 /
July, 2022
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
145
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
navigates in the world information space.
However, the lack of a comprehensive study of
the outlined problem, the importance of
theoretical substantiation of the problem of
training a successful person and the need for
practical use of positive foreign experience
taking into account the uniqueness of higher
education became the basis for this study.
Purpose is the research of the successful person
training in US colleges and universities as a
holistic process and the construction of a
structural and functional model.
Hypothesis. The construction of the structural
and functional model will contribute to the
optimization of the study of a successful person’s
training in colleges and universities of the USA.
The received scientific conclusions will become
the basis for creating a strategy for the
development of a higher education institution
and will contribute to the high-quality
organization of the training of specialists in
colleges and universities.
Literature review
It has been done various studies of college and
university work that contribute much to the
process of operationalizing the concept of
student enrollment in ways that can be reliably
measured and, accordingly, applied preventively
to improve student success. The important data
about significant factors that influence success
are given. They are the importance of the first
year of study, the development of persistence, the
process of student retention, the impact of the
university campus and the engagement of
students in active social activities that lead to
experiences that affect student success
positively.
It is appropriate for scientific research to use a
broad definition of success, according to which
student success refers not only to the process of
graduation, receiving a degree and appropriate
document, but more to experience positive
emotions and satisfaction during learning
(Braxton, 2006; Kuh et al., 2006).
According to the researchers, success should be
observed as a holistic concept that encompasses
academic achievement and personal
development. Defining success in this way,
scientists point to a perspective that goes beyond
understanding this concept only as the
achievement of any result, determination of the
level of persistence or completion. This concept,
in addition, should express personal feelings of
achievement significance for a student (a
qualification, a prestigious job, or any other
success) and/or a sense of civic duty to society.
Over the past fifty years, the popularity as a
subject of research on student success in higher
education has gained this personal perception of
the fact of achievement, the feeling of its
significance.
The result of scientific investigations was the
generalization of scientific theories, which made
it possible to formulate a comprehensive
theoretical point of view on success and its
correlates, to identify important problems, as
well as to include various perspectives of
research and its implementation, to propose new
models and recommendations for promoting
student success. In 2006, G. Kuh with colleagues
presented a scientific report on important areas of
practical university work (Kuh et al., 2006). Due
to this work, it was confirmed the importance of
several groups factors in successful person
training: institutional, student, external, etc.
Among them, the researchers single out the
influence of previous student experience, the
training expectations, and experience outcomes,
gained in college and presented by student
behavior. In addition, it is very important to
consider academic and social conditions,
educational institution policy, outcomes of
higher education, the conditions and obstacles
with which students can face during the training.
One of the main conditions of success
achievement is the active engagement of students
in the academic life (Kuh et al., 2006).
V. Tinto and B. Pusser (2006) presented the
research of effective leadership of campus
activities to promote persistence and student
success, which showed that the personal
experience of a student who he (she) brings to an
educational institution becomes very important.
The unique context of student success is formed
by diverse contextual factors: demographic,
historical, cultural, psychological and
pedagogical, personal, economic and even
political ones. External context, the competition
of interests causes the creation of requirements
for institutional, federal and local policy, which
can redirect student success possibility. The
authors express concern because the institutional
factor can affect student success achievement,
especially among at-risk students, without
providing sufficient support for such students.
Therefore, according to researchers, for colleges
and universities, it is extremely important to have
the favorable academic, social and financial
climate for students. It is provided by well-
organized institution’s activities and high
146
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
expectations from students, staff and
administrators; giving effective, large – scale
support for students; providing effective
feedback to students from teachers (through
result monitoring, assessment and “early
warning” systems); organizing of effective
events which attract students as important
members of institutional communities.
V. Tinto and B. Pusser (2006) considered that
learning and extra-curricular activities of
students are the most important, they play the
main role in the student success formation.
Within the framework of the proposed model, the
effective means of promoting student success are
active actions to create national and local
policies. It is necessary to 1) develop an
interconnected system of competency standards
required for high school completion and
enrollment to a higher education institution;
2) support the development of both primary and
secondary school teachers; 3) provide academic
performance development for insufficiently
trained students; 4) develop institutional
programs focused on traditionally
underrepresented students; 5) improve
communication between two- and four-year
institutions; 6) establish an early and continuous
assessment of students’ readiness for entering the
university and the formation of competencies
necessary for success due to providing of
relevant information to all stakeholders;
7) develop innovative financial policy (including
institutional and state support, federal aid, tax
policy and tuition discount policy) that directly
provide assistance to students with financial
difficulties. The key idea of researchers is the
opinion that the educational system is a holistic
concept and does not need to be separated into
parts (Tinto & Pusser, 2006).
The work of L. Perna and S. Thomas (2006) is
about the basics of student success. They offered
a conceptual model of students’ success
according to race and ethnicity affiliation and
socio-economic status. This model aims to raise
level of success for all students and reduce
disagreements among them. Using theories and
research on sociology, economics, pedagogy and
psychology, the authors created a basic
framework for management of development,
implementation and evaluation strategy that
would help scientists and practitioners to
eliminate obstacles and reduce differences in
student success. The structure of this model
outlines that: student success is long-term
process; various theoretical approaches provide
the understanding of student success; it is formed
under the influence of personal, social, economic
and political factors; pedagogical, psychological,
social and economic theories influence on the
understanding of student success; various
methodological approaches contribute to
knowledge about the student’s success; the
achievement of success differs according to the
features of student groups (Perna & Thomas,
2006). The importance of consideration of
multifaceted aspects of differences between
students allows reminding of the impossibility of
using the only approach to study and define
student success (Kinzie & Kuh, 2016). To
summarize, the significance of these works is in
the fact that the proposed structures are a kind of
guidelines for the basics of the development,
implementation and evaluation of the theory and
practice of student success, and also they aim to
encourage politicians, researchers and educators
to consider preventive and corrective means of
intervention in student success as the part of a
broader and longer-term process.
Materials and methods
Methodology. The methodological basis of the
research is the philosophical propositions of the
theory of knowledge about the unity of processes
(Plokhikh, 2021; Plokhikh et et al., 2021;
Popovych et al, 2020b), mutual influence and
interdependence of the phenomena of the
surrounding reality in specific historical
conditions (Popovych et al., 2021b), determined
by the socio-cultural, historical-cultural, socio-
economic and political context (Blynova et al.,
2020a; 2020b; Popovych et al., 2020c; 2021a). A
synergistic approach is taken into account, in the
context of which the training of a successful
person in higher education institutions of the
USA is analyzed as a psychological and
pedagogical system with its factors and subjects.
Tested samples are taken as an example and
presented in scientific works as a unity of
historical and logical (Tinto & Pusser, 2006);
modern psychological and pedagogical theories
of success, conceptual ideas of modern higher
education, regularities of the establishment of the
educational space of a higher school (Hudimova,
2021; Hudimova et al., 2021; Khmiliar et al.,
2020; Shevchenko et al., 2020a; 2020b); patterns
of creation and examples of the application of the
modeling method in social practice (Nosov et al.,
2020) and scientific research (Kononenko et al.,
2020; Popovych et al., 2020a).
Procedures and instruments. The following
methods were used to reach the goal and check
the research hypotheses. They are the analysis of
American historical – pedagogical and
psychological literature, as well as research
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
147
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
materials that were synthesized into a holistic
system of views on training a successful person
in colleges and universities in the USA.
Abstraction and concretization during the study
of monographic studies on the theory and
practice of organizing the training of a successful
person in American colleges and universities,
generalization and systematization of
information. A modeling method for creating a
high-quality prototype – a structural and
functional model of a successful person training
in US colleges and universities.
Statistics analysis. Graphical visualization was
performed using the “MS Word” and “MS
Excel” programs.
Results
The new strategy of universities to achieve
student success involves creating such learning
conditions that will allow them to achieve their
learning goals, be successful and enjoy the
learning process. The modern vision of student
success involves both high rating indicators of
learning, as well as personality development, the
formation of professional competence and
sufficient self-realization in society. Studies of
the influence of the educational space of
universities have provided information about
important factors that have an impact on
achieving success. They are student
involvement; the importance of the first year of
study; the development of persistence; the
student retention process; the influence of the
campus environment. Taking these factors into
account at educational institution work leads to
the development of strategies that have a positive
effect on student success.
The training of a successful person in higher
education institutions of the USA begins from the
moment of enrollment, and sometimes, even at
the stage of work with the future applicants and
ends with the support after graduation from an
educational institution. This process is possible
to demonstrate in the form of a structural and
functional model of a successful person training
in colleges and universities in the USA (Fig. 1).
This model is possible to use in higher education
institutions for four-year bachelor’s educational
programs.
148
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Figure 1. Structural and functional model of successful person training in the USA
Source: Personal elaboration, 2022.
The model consists of focus groups, consequent
stages and characteristics of work on training in
US higher education institutions. The
characteristics of the first stage are the
determination of admission conditions, survey
and identification of key features of educational
programs, assistance in defining short-term goals
and development of training roadmaps. The main
tasks of adaptation in colleges and universities
are the creation of a system of assistance to
students in learning orientation (courses,
disciplines, academic requirements),
development and implementation of the
institution’s strategy for the adaptation of first-
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
149
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
year students, social programs of integration in
the educational space; development of preventive
measures for the dropout of at-risk students,
monitoring of results. At the third stage, it is
important to keep students in the educational
institution and to form the persistence to study.
For this purpose, it is appropriate to apply student
support programs, conduct motivational training
programs, form perseverance, actively involve
students in extracurricular activities at the
educational institution, and use activities to
prevent student burnout. Considering the fact that
the duration of studies in institutions of higher
education can go beyond the planned term, the
next stage involves the support of the final year
of studies in order to build persistence in
completing studies. For this, work with students
includes the development of achievement
assessment programs, the demonstration of the
benefits of the obtained results, the involvement
of future employers in cooperation, and
internships. After graduating from college,
students face the problem of further employment,
and here, within the framework of the model of a
successful person training, it is possible to direct
the student to further study at the master’s level
or to involve a student in the process of job
hunting. In this process, the development and
implementation of trainings and programs for the
development of necessary skills for effective job
search and employment are useful as well as
attending courses and trainings on career
development, personal growth, and professional
skills. Prevention of professional burnout is an
effective means of working in this direction. An
additional incentive for completing studies and
achieving success is the search for work partners
and the сongluding of cooperation agreements
with enterprises and institutions of higher
education about further work.
Discussion
In a discursive form, we will analyze the
sequence and advisability of the stages of work
of American institutions of higher education in a
successful person training.
Stage I – admission to a higher education
institution. The way to success starts with the
admissions campaign, which according to
researchers, happens lately due to efforts to
simplify enrollment opportunities. It involves
lowering admissions requirements and academic
performance standards. The creation of
admission standards, definition of visions and
missions is the task of higher education
institutions without nationwide regulation.
Therefore, the general policy of applicants
enrollment to American institutions of higher
education is built taking into account such
indicators as traditional academic indicators
(average point of the certificate, rank of the
student in the class, test results); indicators
depending on the socio-economic status of the
applicant’s family; indicators of personal factors
(level of motivation (checked by the quality of
the motivation letter), abilities (choice of
specialty), teachers’ recommendations, interview
results.
In the conditions of high competition between
institutions of higher education, the issue of
sufficient enrollment of students remains
relevant. Innovative strategies allow some
colleges and universities to enroll more students
than their competitors. An example of such a
strategy is the creation of partnerships between
community colleges and high schools in the
United States. Cooperation can take place in the
field of diagnostics of readiness to study in
higher education institutions and assistance in
academic preparation for admission, creation of
joint study programs, specialized classes,
preferential conditions for admission,
organization of mentoring assistance,
participation in joint projects and initiatives.
Active career guidance work is carried out
through the involvement of high school students
in extracurricular activities of higher education
institutions (sports competitions, contests,
creative initiatives, conferences, excursions).
According to American researchers, programs
based on high school and college partnerships
can promote retention and success of students,
showing certain advantages. This involves
saving certain resources when students
participate in compatible credit programs, getting
the necessary college credits in their senior year
of high school, saving high school students’ time
and money. It is also beneficial to keep students
in college by creating “transition programs” that
facilitate a smooth transition from school to
college, improving opportunities for potential
students. Early acquaintance of high school
students with the academic and scientific
environment contributes to the increase in the
number of school graduates who, having certain
circumstances and obstacles, did not have
sufficient motivation to finish school, but after
working with college representatives, wanted to
get a higher education. In addition, a positive
aspect of cooperation between schoolchildren
and a college or university is participation in
activities aimed at identifying the leadership
potential of high school students. It also helps the
college administration to know the
150
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
characteristics of the future contingent. For
example, Broward College (Florida) actively
uses several programs for future students. The
college offers a “Summer bridge” program for
effective enrollment and a new “JumpStart”
orientation and registration program that
facilitates the process of registering an
applicant’s documents at the time of admission
(Coley et al., 2016).
So, thanks to the easy requirements for admission
to most higher education institutions, the number
of students in the USA is growing every year.
However, it is a well-known fact that, having
easily entered college, a significant percentage of
students do not complete their studies and leave
the institution already in the first year of study.
This emphasizes the importance of the next stage
of our structural and functional model (see Fig.
1).
Stage II – adaptation to the institution of higher
education. The first year of college is a critical,
transitional period in the life of students. The first
experience of higher school has a decisive
influence on students’ academic self-efficacy and
further success. The transition period can cause
anxiety of low self-esteem in students, so there is
a need to effectively adapt both psychologically
and emotionally. Unsuccessful integration into
the space of the institution of higher education
can cause psychological difficulties, depression,
and low performance, which can lead to drop-
out. As a result, many institutions are
implementing strategies at the beginning of
studying to ease adaptation, boost student
confidence, and promote success.
In order to help students to achieve success, it is
appropriate to use a variety of preparatory as well
as first-year courses for students. The models of
these courses can be as diverse as the
characteristics of the students for whom they are
designed. They are often called orientation
courses, first-year seminars, freshman seminars,
or study skills courses, and they are quite
common and increase students’ self-efficacy, and
the possibility of future success (Tinto & Pusser,
2006). The courses are aimed at developing time
management skills, study skills, anxiety
management techniques, etc. They proposed
strategies that help build students' confidence and
facilitate the educational process. An example of
such initiatives is the work of Broward College
(Florida), where it was developed a system to
help students navigate courses and make smart
academic decisions (Coley et al., 2016). By
providing students with the necessary support
and connections, as well as the information
needed to make early career decisions, the
institution sets students up for success in their
major. The First-Year Orientation Program
offers organized activities to help new students
join the college community. These activities are
part of a strategic approach to help new students
to adapt to a new environment by providing
important information and managing goals and
expectations (Coley et al., 2016). Consequently,
in colleges and universities, a lot of attention is
now being paid to the first-year experience, as it
has been stated that high dropout and expulsion
rates are increasingly recorded at the beginning
of studying. To describe this process in American
higher education, the term “drop out” is used, but
some authors believe that in this context neutral
definitions are better (attrition, discontinuance,
withdrawal, non-completion). The basis for
success in life is developed study skills that
enhance student’s self-confidence and self-
efficacy. Readiness for studies, acquaintance
with academic culture and campus environment,
openness to new knowledge, a desire to receive
help when needed and support from family and
academic staff are the key to a student’s success.
Stage ІІІ – the retention of students in the
higher education institution and the formation
of persistence. Within this stage, it is advisable
to develop and implement in educational process
own strategy for student success. American
researchers determined that four key areas of
higher education play a decisive role in a
successful person training (Tinto & Pusser, 2006)
(Tabl. 1).
Table 1.
Key domains of higher education
Preparation
Finances
Availability
Responsibility
Preparation for higher education
institutions
State support
Outreach
Assessment
Early assessment
Institutional aid
Capacity
Accreditation
Preparation teachers
Federal student aid
Articulation/transfer
State mandates
High standards
Loyal tax policy
Remediation
Market competition
Alignment of standards and
assessments
Tuition policy
-
-
Source: Personal elaboration, 2002.
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
151
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
“Achieving the Dream” (ATD) project of the
Lumina Foundation became an example of
special attention to student success in community
colleges. This initiative had a clear goal to give
these institutions of higher education the support
to be successful both in retaining and graduating
students as well as enrolling those students,
including ethnic, racial, and low-income
students. The ATD student success model
encouraged them to succeed by providing regular
analysis’ evidence of both student and institution
of higher education performance. In order to help
students achieve academic success, based on this
analysis, institutions are making necessary large-
scale efforts to improve student outcomes. The
main idea of the project was to show the
following: community colleges should adopt a
“culture of evidence” by using student records
and other data to examine why students are
forced to spend more time studying and identify
barriers to academic progress. Then they can use
these findings to design intervention strategies to
improve student outcomes, facilitate further
research on student performance, and design
effective programs. The conclusions of this
project formed the basis of the development of a
certain strategy, which contains five principles
(Mayer et al., 2014: 47-50):
To develop the policy and distribute resources to
support efforts aimed at improving student
success. 2. To use research data in order to
understand how successfully students study, to
identify so-called “risk groups”, those groups
that may need additional support and to draw up
an action plan. 3. To involve faculty, staff, and
stakeholders in the using of data and conducting
research in order to develop intervention
strategies aimed at solving the problems
identified as priorities by the college. 4. To
implement the strategies for improving the
effectiveness of higher educational institutions
and their evaluation in order to use the results of
the evaluation to make decisions about the
expansion or improvement of these strategies. 5.
To create an infrastructure to support continuous
systemic improvement by the way of
institutionalization of effective policies and
practices. Program review, planning and
budgeting should be based on research evidence
about what works best for students.
The first two reports evaluating the effectiveness
of this project indicate progress in colleges’
foundation construction necessary for student
success, particularly in the development of data
systems, intervention methods to improve
student success, and increased administration
attention to student success (Mayer et al., 2014).
The world-famous Ellucian corporation, which
has been working in the field of providing
services to higher education institutions for more
than 40 years in order to achieve success, in 2016
presented the development of a new strategy for
student support, analyzing the experience of
many American universities. The proposed
strategy is briefly presented in Tabl. 2.
Table 2.
Ellucian Success Strategy
Stage
Characteristic
Creation of a unified concept of the
vision of student success
Determination of priorities; development of “risk group” criteria;
creating a system of help and support for students
Informing students about the possibilities
of achieving success in a higher
education institution
Consulting on education issues; psychological help for first-year
students conserning adaptation; orientation in educational courses and
programs, requirements for academic success; determination of
learning goals and opportunities for their achievement; financial aid or
scholarship.
Creating a clear early intervention
strategy
Identification and recording of the signs of at-risk students, actual
necessary help and support to students from this group, and further
monitoring of the situation with appropriate corrective intervention
Reviewing all existing programs and
initiatives to support student success for
effectiveness and efficiency
Search for effective programs, assessment of their work efficiency;
dissemination of successful experience
Cooperation with all units of the
university
Effective communication between all participants of the educational
process for the identification and productive solving of problems of
any nature; creating safety nets for students.
Analyzing the results and using the
obtained data to achieve progress
Conducting research; analysis of the received data, empirical evidence
of the effectiveness of strategies
Source: Personal elaboration, 2022.
152
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
The creation of this strategy was prompted by a
study conducted by the corporation in 2009,
which showed the problem of identifying
students who are at risk for academic success, as
well as the inaction of most university
administrators to involve such students in
support programs. Another challenge identified
by the survey is that higher education institutions
have limited resources to provide appropriate
interventions. The problem is exacerbated when
higher education institutions do not have a
systematic way to identify students who may
drop out for various reasons at a sufficiently early
stage, and this can really affect the student’s
attitude to education and worsen the situation
significantly (Coley et al., 2016).
Another direction of college and university work
to achieve success is to facilitate access to
education for different groups of students. It is
crucial to support higher education for
historically underrepresented students as well as
develop culturally meaningful models of student
success. With such students, it is extremely
important to maintain high expectations for the
success of historically underrepresented students
– especially first-generation students – and
provide the help of “cultural navigators”. The
function of cultural navigators can perform staff
who will support and guide students on the right
path to success. Other initiatives point to the
importance of building and sustaining effective
local efforts using local initiatives and evidence-
based programs to support the success of Latino,
Asian, African American, other, and low-income
students. Evidence from a range of initiatives
aimed at improving success rates among
historically underrepresented students, including
students of diverse ethnic backgrounds and low-
income, as well as academically underserved
students, indicates that success rates can be
increased through the systematic implementation
of guided pathways, effective practices, and
accelerated educational programs (Center for
Community College Student Engagement,
2013).
Therefore, the process of achieving the ultimate
goal of universities - student success can be
difficult and painstaking both for the
administration of the institution and for the
students themselves. Through concerted efforts,
higher education institutions can make
significant improvements and outperform other
institutions through a focused and coherent
approach, achieving sustainable and measurable
results in improving learning and student
achievement.
Stage IV – preparation for completion of studies
and graduation. The development of models of
success in higher education is also a concern of
various foundations and organizations that are
not directly related to the educational process.
For example, Student Success Collaborative
from The Education Advisory Board (EAB)
combines technology, consulting, and best
research practices to help institutions use data
and analytics, optimize intervention
effectiveness and improve student success EAB
has created its own models of student success
based on a synthesis of research, empirical
experience, and evaluation of the effectiveness of
implementing these models in the wide range of
institutions of higher education which created
EAB (Kinzie & Kuh, 2016). From career
planning and financial issues to mental health
and instability in the recognition of basic needs,
students need more extracurricular help to
complete their education and achieve their goals
(EAB, 2020). To provide the necessary
assistance, higher education institutions should
align goals, develop targeted student support
programs, foster engagement and accountability
across departments, and adopt an evidence-based
approach to evaluate success. Hobson’s Holistic
Student Success Framework includes core
components such as dimensions of holistic
student success (academic goal; career
aspirations; life well-being) and holistic
strategies for student success (setting goals;
developing strategies; campus engagement;
influence measurement (EAB, 2020).
In the US, faculty and staff at most institutions
are generally aware of a number of policies,
programs, and practices related to promoting
student success. For example, in 2009, the
national non-profit organization “Complete
College America” (CCA) was founded, which is
aimed at increasing of the number and quality of
college graduates. This organization works with
colleges almost throughout the United States (see
www.completecollege.org) in order to apply a
systemic approach to transformation in higher
education, designed to change policy, and
conditions, and implement effective strategies.
Stage V – employment or study at the next level
of education, achievement of success. In 2005, a
group of scientists presented the “Inclusive
Excellence” model, the name of which can also
be interpreted as “integrated success”. This
model shows that the most important areas of
work of colleges and universities within a
successful person training are the intellectual and
social development of students, organizational
resources to improve the training of students,
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
153
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
cultural diversity and recognition by the
community of the importance of this diversity.
From this point of view, the concept of diversity
is considered as an important component of the
overall comprehensive plan for achieving
institutional excellence. It involves teaching
students to achieve success in a diverse society,
and developing intercultural communication
skills (Williams et al., 2005). The Inclusive
Excellence model offers a comprehensive
approach to educational reform based on
research and theory about what “works” to help
all students succeed and what makes colleges and
universities more effective. The necessary
information about the achievement of short-term
goals stimulates student success. In particular,
higher education should provide greater access to
studying for historically underrepresented
categories of students (Kinzie & Kuh, 2016).
Also, as an example, in order to make higher
education more accessible to its students, Ocean
County College has developed several strategic
partnerships with other institutions. In order to
improve the most important situation for the
college in the training of junior specialists in the
field of health care the college has signed an
agreement with Kean University to develop a
joint general bachelor’s degree in nursing on the
basis of the college for a period of two years at a
reduced cost of tuition. It was done because
health care institutions prefer hiring personnel
with a bachelor’s degree to an associate’s degree.
It was an innovation, as up to that time studies in
bachelor’s programs involved a two-level
education (two years at a college and two years
at a university) (Coley et al., 2016).
To sum up the American experience represents
many years of research and specific models of
higher education successful person training.
Conclusions
1. A structural and functional model of training
a successful person in colleges and
universities of the USA has been created.
2. It was analyzed and stated that successful
person training begins with admission to a
higher education institution, and sometimes,
even at the stage of working with future
applicants and ends with support after
graduation from an educational institution.
3. Five stages of the work of American
institutions of higher education regarding
successful person training are proposed. It is
summarized the implementation the
American experience is useful for the
development of the world system of higher
education.
4. The goal has been achieved and, the
hypothesis has been proven. The created
structural and functional allowed to study
the training of a successful person in
colleges and universities in the USA. The
formulated conclusions about the successful
practices of the functioning of colleges and
universities in the USA should be
operationalized in the strategy of the
development of higher education institutions
of those countries that strive to train and
create a successful person.
Bibliographic references
Blynova, O., Kisil, Z., Tkach, T., Semenova, N.,
Semenov, O., Kamisnka, S., & Popovych, I.
(2020a). Psychological manifestations of
professional marginality of future social
welfare professionals. Revista Inclusiones,
7(SI), 218–233.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1229
Blynova, O., Moiseienko, V., Los, O.,
Burlakova, I., Yevdokimova, O., Toba, M., &
Popovych, I. S. (2020b). Assertiveness as a
Factor of Students' Choice of Behavior
Strategies in Social Interaction. Revista
Inclusiones, 7(4), 259-272.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1551
Braxton, J. M. (2006). Faculty professional
choices in teaching that foster student
success. Washington, DC. National
Postsecondary Education Cooperative. [File
PDF]
https://nces.ed.gov/npec/pdf/Braxton_Report
.pdf
Calcagno, J.C., Bailey, T., Jenkins, D.,
Kienzl, G., & Leinbach, T. (2008).
Community college student success: What
institutional characteristics make a
difference? Economics of Education Review,
27, 632-645.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ819483
Center for Community College Student
Engagement. (2013). A matter of degrees:
Engaging practices, engaging students (High-
impact practices for community college
student engagement). Austin, TX: The
University of Texas at Austin, Community
College Leadership Program.
https://www.ccsse.org/docs/matter_of_degre
es_3.pdf
Coley, C., Coley, T., & Lynch-Holmes, K.
(2016). Retention and student success:
Implementing strategies that make a
154
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
difference. Ellucian White Paper Series.
Fairfax, VA: Ellucian.
https://www.ellucian.com/assets/en/white-
paper/whitepaper-retention-and-student-
success.pdf
EAB (2020). The Holistic Student Success
Framework.
https://www.hobsons.com/resources/the-
holistic-student-success-framework/
Hudimova, A. Kh. (2021). Psychological well-
being and social media users’ behavioral
online patterns in everyday life and during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Insight: the
psychological dimensions of society, 5,
133-147. https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-
970X/2021-5-9
Hudimova, A., Popovych, I., Baidyk, V.,
Buriak, O., & Kechyk, O. (2021). The impact
of social media on young web users’
psychological well-being during the COVID-
19 pandemic progression. Revista Amazonia
Investiga, 10(39), 50–61.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2021.39.03.5
Jones, P., Trier, C. J., & Richards, J. P. (2008).
Embedding education for sustainable
development in higher education: A case
study examining common challenges and
opportunities for undergraduate programs.
International Journal of Educational
Research, 47(6), 341-350.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2008.11.001
Kinzie, J., & Kuh, G. (2016). Review of student
success frameworks to mobilize higher
education. Retrieved from Center for
Postsecondary Research website:
http://cpr.indiana.edu
Khmiliar, O., Popovych, I., Hrys, A., Pavliuk,
M., Zavatska, N., Lytvynenko, O., &
Blynova, O. (2020). Spatial Regulation of
Personality Behavior in the Conditions of
Progression of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Revista Inclusiones, 7(SI), 289-306.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1760
Kononenko, O., Kononenko, A., Stynska, V.,
Kachmar, O., Prokopiv, L., Katolyk, H., &
Popovych, I. (2020). Research of the factor
structure of the model of world view settings
at a young age. Revista Inclusiones, 7 (3),
98–116.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1618
Kozmenko, O. (2020). The role of American
higher education in student success.
Knowledge Education Law Management,
5(33), 2, 9-14.
https://doi.org/10.51647/kelm.2020.5.2.2
Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J. L., Buckley, J. A.,
Bridges, B. K., & Hayek, J. C. (2006). What
matters to student success: A review of the
literature. Washington, DC: National
Postsecondary Education Cooperative.
https://nces.ed.gov/npec/pdf/kuh_team_repo
rt.pdf
Mayer, A. K., Cerna, O., Cullinan, D., Fong, K.,
Rutschow, E. Z., & Jenkins, D. (2014).
Moving ahead with institutional change:
Lessons from the first round of Achieving the
Dream community colleges. New York, NY:
MDRC.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED546648.p
df
Nosov, P.S., Popovych, I.S., Cherniavskyi, V.V.,
Zinchenko, S.M., Prokopchuk Y.A., &
Makarchuk D.V. (2020). Automated
identification of an operator anticipation on
marine transport. Radio Electronics,
Computer Science, Control, 3, 158–172.
https://doi.org/10.15588/1607-3274-2020-3-
15
Perna, L. W., & Thomas, S. L. (2006). A
framework for reducing the college success
gap and promoting success for all.
Washington, DC: National Postsecondary
Education Cooperative.
https://nces.ed.gov/npec/pdf/Perna_Thomas_
Report.pdf
Plokhikh, V. V. (2021). Assessment of subject’s
readiness for urgent actions using the
variations of sensorimotor response tasks.
Insight: the psychological dimensions of
society, 5, 46–65.
http://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2021-5-4
Plokhikh, V., Popovych, I., Zavatska, N.,
Losiyevska, O., Zinchenko, S., Nosov, P., &
Aleksieieva, M. (2021). Time Synthesis in
Organization of Sensorimotor Action.
BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial
Intelligence and Neuroscience, 12(4),
164–188.
https://doi.org/10.18662/brain/12.4/243
Popovych, I., Arbeláez-Campillo, D. F., Rojas-
Bahamón, M. J., Burlakova, I., Kobets, V., &
Bokshan, H. (2021a). Time perspective in the
professional activity of specialists of the
economic sphere. Questiones Políticas, 39
(69), 424–445.
https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.3969.27
Popovych, I., Borysiuk, A., Zahrai, L.,
Fedoruk, O., Nosov, P., Zinchenko, S., &
Mateichuk, V. (2020a). Constructing a
Structural-Functional Model of Social
Expectations of the Personality. Revista
Inclusiones, 7(SI), 154-167.
https://revistainclusiones.org/index.php/inclu
/article/view/354
Popovych, I., Kononenko, O., Kononenko, A.,
Stynska, V., Kravets, N., Piletska, L., &
Volume 11 - Issue 55
/ July 2022
155
https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Blynova, O. (2020b). Research of the
Relationship between Existential Anxiety
and the Sense of Personality’s Existence.
Revista Inclusiones, 7(SI), 41-59.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/300
Popovych, I., Shevchenko, A., Galvez, L. M., &
Klenina, K. (2021b). Research of the
relationship between social desirability and
value orientations of adolescents. Revista
Notas Históricas y Geográficas, 26(1),
241–268.
https://www.revistanotashistoricasygeografi
cas.cl/index.php/nhyg/article/view/339
Popovych, I., Zhigarenko, I., Losiyevska, O.,
Dovbenko, S., Kashyrina, Ye.,
Shevchenko, R., & Piletska, L. (2020c).
Research of Achievement Motivation’s
Impact on the Career Orientations of Future
Managers of Organizations. Revista
Inclusiones, 7(SI), 247-263.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1231
Shevchenko, R., Cherniavskyi, V., Zinchenko,
S., Palchynska, M., Bondarevich, S.,
Nosov, P., & Popovych, I. (2020a). Research
of psychophysiological features of response
to stress situations by future sailors. Revista
Inclusiones, 7(SI), 566–579.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1780
Shevchenko, R., Popovych, I., Spytska, L.,
Nosov, P., Zinchenko, S., Mateichuk, V., &
Blynova, O. (2020b). Comparative analysis
of emotional personality traits of the students
of maritime science majors caused by long-
term staying at sea. Revista Inclusiones,
7(SI), 538-554.
http://www.revistainclusiones.org/index.php
/inclu/article/view/1309
Tinto, V., & Pusser, B. (2006). Moving from
theory to action: Building a model of
institutional action for student success.
Washington, DC: National Postsecondary
Education Cooperative.
http://nces.ed.gov/npec/papers.asp
Williams, D.A., Berger, J.B., &
McClendon, S.A. (2005). Toward a model of
inclusive excellence and change in
postsecondary institutions. Washington, DC:
Association of American Colleges and
Universities.
https://operations.du.edu/sites/default/files/2
020-04/model-of-inclusive-excellence.pdf