Name: Building Trust-Based Partnerships to Scale Near-Peer Support for First-Generation Students Insights from dual enrollment and early college partnerships that expand academic and career pathways
Start: 2026-12-11T15:00:00-0500
End: 2026-12-11T15:50:00-0500

Building Trust-Based Partnerships to Scale Near-Peer Support for First-Generation Students Insights from dual enrollment and early college partnerships that expand academic and career pathways

Friday December 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EST

Session Description:

This session will spotlight Let’s Get Ready (LGR’s) approach and our experience partnering with The University of Maine Systems- Early College. We will share insights into how we leverage near-peer coaching to address barriers to enrollment and improve college enrollment and completion rates, and how we use technological solutions to scale human relationships through near-peer coaching. Our model allows us to identify key barriers and early indicators of student setbacks in Dual Enrollment and Early College Pathways.

We will spotlight our partnership with The University of Maine System- Early College, showcasing how their work serves as an intentional on ramp into educational and career pathways. With LGR’s support, their approach supports students in navigating both high school and college systems simultaneously, providing access to two educational systems within one platform. Through a strengths-based advising framework, students are guided in course selection and equipped with the tools needed for a more seamless transition into their educational and career interests and it highlights the power of partnerships through advising and students support through the near-peer coaching and how our cross sector collaboration and partnership aligns institutional supports to expand opportunities for Maine students to explore potential educational and career pathways with purpose, skill, and confidence.

In addition, we will share data describing the student success and equity challenges being addressed, with attention to key metrics and equity gaps. LGR’s work addresses these gaps by providing near-peer coaching and differentiated supports designed to improve outcomes across the postsecondary pipeline. Early results demonstrate promising impact. For example, 88% of UMS Early College students with an LGR coach achieved on-time college enrollment, exceeding both the 81% national average and the 74% average last reported for all UMS students. These outcomes highlight both the challenges students face and the opportunity to address them through scalable, relationship-based supports that strengthen enrollment, persistence, and completion.
These outcomes are possible because of deep integration between LGR and our partners. This includes proactive collaboration and engagement strategies designed to identify student needs early and drive targeted outreach. We focus on utilizing partner-provided data and LGR-sourced data that shapes how LGR designs and delivers student support. This includes building data-sharing systems, identifying key indicators that flag student needs, and developing customized coaching strategies, curricular interventions, and staff outreach plans aligned to partner-specific trends and challenges.
Specific collaborative practices will be outlined, including:

Whole cohort enrollment and integrated data-sharing agreements that expand access to support at scale
Customized and differentiated curriculum, and individualized interventions and escalation supports that address challenges earlier and more effectively
Consistent, collaborative data reviews leading to continuous improvement practices that strengthen advising and student support structures.

Together, these strategies not only improve student outcomes

Speakers

Miah Lugrand

Director of Partner Success & Enrollment, Let's Get Ready

Miah Lugrand serves as the Director of Partner Success & Enrollment at Let’s Get Ready, bringing over 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education. Throughout her career, she has supported students through special education leadership, served as a Director of Special... Read More →

Kari Suderley

Director of Early College Programs, The University of Maine Systems-Early College

A passionate learner, leader, and advocate for helping people reach their potential, Kari Suderley, originally from Ohio, relocated to Maine in 1999 and has spent her professional career helping individuals navigate educational, career, and life transitions while working to create... Read More →

Friday December 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EST

Breakout Session

Who You'll Hear From Community Organization, Higher Education
Subject School-Community Partnerships, Post-Secondary Pathways

Tickets

Success you have shared X tickets.

2026 Educate Maine Symposium

Miah Lugrand

Kari Suderley

Get help with the event

Choose your checkout method

Success you have shared X tickets.

2026 Educate Maine Symposium

Miah Lugrand

Kari Suderley

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Get help with the event