There is a general concern among administrators in higher education and researchers in regards to the high rate of student attrition at the undergraduate level. As a result, many interventions and workshops have been developed and implemented to assist the growing number of students facing academic difficulties (Hutson, 2006). Although such interventions may generate important benefits, it seems that many academic support programs do not reach students in greatest need of academic support (Romainville, 2000).

In light of this observation, the Student Academic Success Service at the University of Ottawa (Canada) has developed Passeport, a program inspired by a Belgian model of intervention for students in academic jeopardy (Romainville, 2006). Passeport assists a specific population, that is, students who are asked to withdraw from their program of studies due a grade point average under the university requirements or too many failed credits. The students who made an appeal to remain registered in their respective programs, were given the possibility to participate in Passeport. This option allowed them to retain their regular student status and follow classes while receiving academic support to enhance their academic standing.

Passeport proposed a weekly individual meeting with an academic coach to address the students' specific needs, during the fall semester 2007. A personalized and structured intervention was implemented, focusing on four main components reflecting the essential needs of struggling students as represented in the literature: a) defining or refining academic and/or professional goals, b) improving writing skills and understanding course content, c) developing essential learning strategies, and d) examining personal challenges that may hinder academic activities.

This communication presents the program and intervention in greater detail and portrays the process of two of Passeport’s success cases. Multiple sources of data were used to analyze and present these success cases: a) two in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted by the academic coach with each student, b) the academic coach’s case notes, c) the students’ journal, d) and the e-mail correspondence between the academic coach and the students. Specifically, this presentation considers what helped two students in academic probation to meet the university’s requirements and to maintain their student status following their participation in Passeport. Importantly, the students’ engagement in the program and in their studies, as well as their rapport with their academic coach are discussed.