RISE Academy director discusses program’s impact on student success

Kenneth M. Nole, DTL-CT, director of RISE Academy, is no stranger to helping transform the lives of others. The Morehouse College graduate has intentionally placed himself in spaces that add value and help close the gap in education in urban communities. He exercised these skills as the former program director for President Barack Obama’s initiative My Brother’s Keeper, and he is currently doing it at Chicago State University’s RISE Academy. Rolling out spoke to Nole about why he chose to take on the role, what makes RISE Academy unique and the advantages of such a program.

Tell us about your role as director of RISE Academy and what inspired you to take on this leadership position?

Being in higher education, I understand the to and through, I understand the process [and] the logistics behind it. I wanted to be a clear example, but I wanted to be a voice in making sure that there was justice, there was equity, [and] that there were a lot of opportunities for our youth of color to be extremely successful.

What makes RISE Academy unique compared to other programs designed for nontraditional students?

The one thing that makes RISE Academy stand out is we cover full tuition [and] all the fees. We give them a $600 book voucher that covers all their books. They don’t have to pay for any of their books, and we give them a brand-new Dell laptop that stays with them throughout their undergraduate experience here at CSU. … We have workshops designed for time management, brand management, making sure they know how to write their resumes.

We don’t start in their sophomore year getting them ready for their careers. We start with their majors … and we connect their majors with a possible career so they understand and have something to look forward to when they actually graduate. … Public speaking is a major part of the Black and Brown community where we’re really honing in on making sure our students know how to articulate themselves when they’re in certain environments.

When students actually matriculate through their first year and maintain at least a 3.7 GPA, I personally write them a recommendation to the Honors College here at CSU, and the Honors College covers their sophomore, junior and senior year. We stand out because students have the autonomy and ability to attend CSU completely debt-free.

How does RISE Academy support students who may have competing priorities such as work?

[As] staff and faculty, we’ve been college students before. We know what it is to go through chaos and life circumstances and to get married and have children. … I’m a proud Morehouse man, and I know what it is to stand in the financial aid line to say, ‘Hey, y’all got more money for me to stay here 12 hours away from my mother and father?’

We have open-door policies [and] one-on-ones with students. … We are always watching students as they’re attending class. If they’re not attending class, we’re connecting with the advisers to make sure we do outreach. … I have six RISE Scholars who are parents in this current cohort.

We have a day care and a school on campus where their children are attending. … We are the connective tissue. I am communicating with faculty [about student needs]. … They have support to ensure their arms are lifted every time they fall.

What have been some of the most significant success stories from RISE Academy students and how have these stories reinforced the importance of the program?

RISE Academy students, because of the wraparound services, their GPAs are much higher than the average CSU student. That’s because of that support. … Many of our students have said, Dr. Nole, if it were not for RISE Academy, I would not have gone to school.

We don’t just stop with RISE Academy with that first-year scholarship. When students matriculate into their sophomore year, we provide them with an extra $4K. If they’re from Chicago, they get the AIM High Scholarship, which is $6,000 extra attached to their account.

In this seat, I have the ability to reach out to major corporations such as BET, Walmart and Best Buy to ensure these students have scholarships. The majority of our students who were either international or from Chicago who were opting out because they didn’t have the money are now ComEd scholarship recipients, which means they are fully covered until graduation. … I am making sure these students cannot opt out of CSU. You cannot do it under my leadership. You’ve got to go all the way through because we have every single thing you need.

What steps should prospective students take if they’re interested in enrolling in RISE Academy, and are there any specific requirements or qualifications?

[For] requirements, a student must be full time and admitted to CSU. Transfer students must have fewer than 24 credits. To get into CSU, RISE Academy is connected to the entry GPA requirement of 2.5. That’s it. I’ve worked with admissions, and now they translate those students into my portfolio. My team does outreach, sends them to advising, and advising will enroll them in RISE Academy. I wanted to make sure there was a seamless process with no barriers.

Where can people find out more about RISE Academy?

Go to csu.edu; you will find it under the admissions page. We have our own page under the RISE Scholar tab. We have a Q&A and information about ourselves so you’ll understand some data. You can learn about the average student we support and serve, as well as read testimonials to understand a little more. … You must first enroll as a student at CSU. You’ll come through admissions, then you’ll see my face, hear my voice, and we’ll have your information session so I can guide you through the process.