Rather than bouncing from building to building looking for the right person to talk to, a new campus space consolidates a wide range of student services into one floor.
The Center for Student Success on the first floor of the 33 E. Ida B. Wells building was officially opened by Columbia staff and faculty on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Although students have been using it since the start of the fall semester, the space allows easy access to campus resources while providing a place for them to relax and interact with the community.
“I knew that students needed more places to hang out and to hang out with people around who could be helpful to them, and not just hang out by themselves,” said Dr. Rachel Horton, the senior director of student success who oversees the space.
Staff from Academic Advising, Financial Services and Student Belonging and Persistence now occupy offices right next to each other in the center, making it accessible for both students and staff members.
“All of us have worked together in the past, but a lot of that was emailing back and forth to go over student cases or just problem solving virtually,” Horton said. “This is our first time being on the first floor and just being easy to find.”
The center features a lounge with several tables and seating arrangements, in addition to meeting rooms for small groups and a regularly stocked snack bar.
Sami Alam, a first-year journalism and communication major, has been using the space since the start of the fall semester to unwind and hang out with friends.
“It’s just a nice little sanctuary for me to sit and finish some assignments along with getting to connect with a lot of people since I’m a freshman, and I’m trying to make friends,” Alam said.
Construction started last spring, occupying a space formerly held by the Academic Center for Tutoring and WCRX, the campus radio station. Both were relocated to different areas of the building, with the entire construction being funded by a $5 million grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education independent of Columbia’s finances, as the Chronicle previously reported.
The location of the center was selected not only because it provided enough space for the staff, but also because students pass by it on their way to their classes in the 33 E. Ida B. Wells building, Horton said.
“As much as we want to serve the whole campus, we’re especially easy for first-year students to access because first-years are most likely needing help,” Horton said. “They literally can stumble upon us when they’re going to their writing class, which I think a lot of students are doing.”
Jaylan Mickell, a first-year music production major, was able to replace his U-Pass with help from the center’s staff members. Instead of the Student Center, Mickell said he spends time in the space before his classes because it is both convenient and comfortable.
“They don’t make you feel like you’re bothering them by asking too many questions, and they ask if you need anything before you say something,” Mickell said.
Since the beginning of the semester, the center has reported more than 175 scheduled appointments and 650 drop-in appointments, according to Horton.
“Whether we’re trying to participate in academics or they’re trying to get support,” said Mason Lawson, the student representative to the Board of Trustees and a senior fine arts major, “it’s going to be a huge resource for returning students and incoming students.”
Copy edited by Isaac Russo
