The Student Success Center (SSC) at West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) will celebrate its first anniversary on Friday, April 4, 2014. The SSC gives WVU Tech students an academic edge by providing a quiet place to study, grab a bite to eat or participate in services such as free peer tutoring, freshman advisement or skill-building workshops.
“In its first year of operation, the Student Success Center has proven to be a game-changer for how we serve students on campus,” said WVU Tech Dean of Students Richard Carpinelli. “The SSC provides a wide range of educational resources for all WVU Tech students and has become one of the most popular places on campus.”
And indeed it has – in its first year of operation, the SSC has seen to more than 10,000 visitors and its new Vending Café has served more than 5,000 meals, averaging more than 200 meals per week.
In its second semester of operation, the SSC saw an increase in free peer tutoring participation. With 14 tutors on hand covering topics ranging from math and chemistry to English and psychology, it’s easy to see why.
The SSC also hosts a variety of presentations and seminars throughout the semester that provide advice on time management, effective reading tactics, financial information, stress relief and note-taking.
For freshman, the SSC has been a particular boon. The first-time freshman retention rate from Fall 2014 to Spring 2014 was at its highest in five years and is attributable to the SSC’s focus on providing advice and registration assistance for first-time freshman.
To celebrate its anniversary and a year of outstanding student success, the SSC will host a gathering on April 4, 2014 at 1 p.m. Visitors can enjoy cake and enter a drawing for a 2014-2015 parking permit.