Header Two

Delgado Community College Hosts Second Annual LA GEMSS Symposium to Advance Student Success in English and Math

April 22, 2025

Delgado Community College welcomed educators from across Louisiana to its City Park Campus on April 11, 2025 for the second annual Louisiana Gateway English and Math Student Success Symposium (LA GEMSS). Funded by a Departmental Enhancement grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents, the event brought together faculty, administrators, and academic support professionals to share strategies aimed at improving outcomes in corequisite English and math instruction statewide.​

The event featured a keynote address from Dr. Sonya L. Armstrong, Professor in the Graduate Program in Postsecondary Student Success at Texas State University. Dr. Armstrong, a practitioner-researcher with over 25 years of experience, discussed the intersections of literacy and postsecondary teaching and learning. Her research focuses on improving postsecondary literacy and learning pedagogy to facilitate students’ college literacy transitions, thereby increasing access and potential for success within higher education.​

The symposium also provided four breakout sessions covering a range of topics, including:​

  • Best practices in corequisite English and math instruction
  • Integrated reading and writing strategies
  • Metacognitive approaches and growth mindset
  • Academic support services such as writing centers and math labs
  • Creating community and fostering a sense of belonging in the classroom
  • AI literacy and tools
  • Implementation and administration of corequisite courses​

The event was organized by Delgado’s School of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, under the leadership of Dean Emily Cosper. “We are thrilled to host LA GEMSS for a second year,” said Cosper. “This symposium provides a vital platform for educators to collaborate and share innovative practices that support student success in gateway English and mathematics courses.”​

For more information about the symposium, visit the official LA GEMSS page.