University of St. Thomas program for underrepresented students celebrates graduates amid struggles with enrollment

Brenda Saucedo proudly walked across the stage in the University of St. Thomas' O'Shaughnessy Stadium and marked the major milestone of becoming the first in her immigrant family to graduate from college.

Saucedo's achievement also marked a milestone for the private St. Paul university: She and several others who walked Saturday were the first Dougherty Family College alumni to receive their bachelor's degrees. St. Thomas launched Dougherty Family College as an associate degree program within its university four years ago. The two-year program — which offers low tuition, small class sizes, paid internships and a slew of support services — is designed to help propel students who face financial and social obstacles toward a four-year degree.

"It was a no-brainer for me to attend … Dougherty Family College," said Saucedo, a family studies major. The program allowed her to complete her first two years of college debt-free.

Four years in, St. Thomas' novel approach to attracting and supporting underrepresented students has seen highs and lows. While Dougherty just saw its first alumni receive bachelor's degrees and graduated its third class of two-year students, the program has struggled with recruitment and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colleges across the country have made efforts in recent years to recruit more low-income students and cover their tuition. In February, the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents approved the creation of a tuition-free program for students whose families make $50,000 or less annually.

Dougherty has sought to serve 300 students yearly but has yet to reach the mark. A total of 168 students were enrolled this academic year, up from 107 in its inaugural 2017 class.

Students of color make up 95% of Dougherty's enrollment, according to St. Thomas.

Prospective students must demonstrate high financial need and a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Tuition is $15,000 per year compared with about $45,000 for St. Thomas undergraduates. Most Dougherty students end up paying $2,700 or less after financial aid is applied.

The college's enrollment had been on the upswing and its fall 2020 freshman class was shaping up to be its largest yet. Then the pandemic struck, and freshmen enrollment came in below expectations, reflecting a trend seen at colleges across the country, said Buffy Smith, Dougherty Family College's interim dean. Administrators are not expecting much of an enrollment rebound this fall.

Dougherty also struggled with retention during the pandemic, losing about 40 students, Smith said.

The two-year college operated fully online this past year. Students struggled with the shift in learning and stress from the pandemic and social unrest in the Twin Cities, Smith said. Faculty, staff and students were unable to comfort each other like they could in previous years.

Some students left to attend school elsewhere while others paused their studies so they could work more hours to help support their families, Smith said, noting that most Dougherty students are from communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Not every student gave a reason for leaving.

"I just take it as a loss," Smith said. "We have these resources and every time there's not a scholar taking advantage of these resources, we see that as a young leader that we weren't able to reach."

Administrators are hoping to resume in-person classes and operations this fall. The program, which is run on St. Thomas' downtown Minneapolis campus, is at its best when students can bond with their cohort and be mentored by faculty, administrators said.

Saucedo praises Dougherty's hands-on approach when speaking to interested high school seniors. Program faculty were willing mentors who offered academic and personal counsel when she needed it, Saucedo said. And the coursework was rigorous and laid the groundwork for her to succeed in her junior and senior years at St. Thomas, she added.

Of the students who graduated from Dougherty in 2019 and 2020, 76% enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, according to Smith. Fifty-eight percent of graduates continued their education at St. Thomas.

"We built the culture, we built the supports," St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said. "I think the graduates that are earning their four-year degrees this year are a demonstration of the success that we believe our scholars can have."

Sullivan expects it will take a few more years for Dougherty to reach its 300-student enrollment goal. Despite falling short so far, the college is sustainable with an endowment approaching $40 million, she added.

Dougherty faculty and administrators are studying ways to keep students more engaged in hopes of improving retention, Smith said. They also are looking forward to resuming in-person outreach to high school counselors, community leaders and others who can help get the word out about the still little-known college.

"University of St. Thomas certainly has a name, but a lot of people still don't know about Dougherty Family College," Smith said. "I think we have something special. I just want more people to benefit from it."

The college hopes to produce more graduates like Saucedo and Dougherty alum Krystal Blas Rodriguez, who received her bachelor's degree in political science from St. Thomas on Saturday.

By starting at Dougherty instead of a traditional four-year school, Rodriguez graduated with less debt. She also built up her résumé with internships the college helped connect her with. She said she plans to apply to law school or a master's degree program, possibly at St. Thomas.

Like Saucedo, Rodriguez was the first in her family to graduate from college, a feat that fills her with pride and emotion.

"It doesn't feel real for me just yet," she said. "I just changed the whole history basically. … My family is super proud of me."

Ryan Faircloth • 612-673-4234

Twitter: @ryanfaircloth