Our Take on Professional Development
Part of Vela’s mission is to promote a culture of Evidence-Based Problem-Solving (EBPS). In line with this mission, we’ve developed the EBPS framework. This framework provides a toolkit for educators and college access programs to develop resilient solutions in the face of uncertainty.
Meet the Facilitators
Jennifer Wilson-Kearse
Jennifer Wilson-Kearse is Executive Director at Vela Institute. As a former GEAR UP Director, she has a deep level of experience and knowledge in administering Federal Department of Education grants as well as navigating the complex challenges that college access professionals routinely face.
Shawn Bergman
Dr. Shawn Bergman is Research Director at Vela Institute and Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University. He has worked with over 60 clients focusing on how to use data, psychology, and technology to solve complex problems and improve organizational decision-making.
Resources to Get You Started
Introduction to Evidence-Based Problem-Solving
So many problems in education feel too big to solve. Nevertheless, there are solutions to these problems, or at least there can be better outcomes. Vela’s EBPS framework is designed to guide educators and college access professionals through these problems. This framework serves as the foundation for our Professional Development philosophy.
Evidence-Based Postsecondary Access and Success (EB-PASP) Pilot Course
Take a series of online or in-person courses designed to strengthen your hands-on experience applying Evidence-Based Problem-Solving into programming as you learn best practices for planning, implementing, evaluating, and leading postsecondary access and success programming.
Data to Action Blueprint
Collecting and analyzing data is crucial if you want to know whether your program is making a difference. But dealing with data often feels like an added chore on top of everything else educators and college access professionals have on their plate. The Data to Action Blueprint offers an easy, step-by-step guide for your team to gradually integrate data into your workflow so that you can step back and see the bigger picture.
Maturity Assessment Profile
As education programs begin adopting more sophisticated data-tracking strategies, it is increasingly important for programs to invest in data analytics. The use of data analytics in education is relatively new yet many IT (Information Technology) and IR (Institutional Research) professionals feel their organizations are falling behind on their goals to institute analytics. To bridge this gap, Vela Institute developed the MAP. The purpose of the MAP is to provide a tool that student outreach and education organizations can use to assess their current ability to perform data analytics.
Active Skill-Building Workshops
Work directly with Vela’s team to solve real challenges facing your college access program. In these focused workshops (available online or in-person), we roll up our sleeves together to tackle specific problems your team is facing or build skills you need. Whether you’re trying to boost student engagement, streamline your data collection, or strengthen your outreach strategies, we’ll guide you through practical solutions using our Evidence-Based Problem-Solving approach.
Certification Courses
Build a strong foundation in college access best practices with our certification program. Through these structured courses, your team will master essential skills in data use, grant administration, and evidence-based practices. Whether you’re building a new team or strengthening an experienced one, our certification program helps build both individual knowledge as well as your organization’s overall capacity by developing a shared language and approach to problem-solving.
What Our Partners Say:
“I like the information presented and ability to collaborate with peers. As a result of this session, [we are] working more as a team to develop and align goals. Our team has become more knowledgeable and excited about moving our students and families forward.” - GEAR UP Staff in Mississippi
“[I appreciated] the opportunity to run through programming ideas as a team and each taking on a new role that helps us value those key pieces in a meeting. We are so grateful to have learned from your team's leadership and help our team step outside of our comfort zone (and take off our capes!).” - GEAR UP Staff in Florida
“I like the personalized results we received. I will use the two sided rock visual to remind myself that everything can be viewed differently by others even when faced with the same problem. Thank you for an engaging, informative, and entertaining session.” - GEAR UP Staff in West Virginia
“The discussions on task- versus people-oriented leadership styles resonated with me most. This was a very beneficial training in teaching us where we come from in a leadership style and then how to adjust our styles to make us a more effective leader.” – School District Leader in Illinois
Request a consultation today and see how we can help you unlock your program's full potential!
Contact Us
Phone
(828) 719-7116
jennifer.wilson-kearse@velainstitute.org
Location
237 Chestnut Hill Dr. Boone, NC 28607