A new chapter for Student Success

Student Success, located in the upper floor of the library, has undergone a lot of changes recently. One of the first visible changes to Student Success was the brand new furniture, freshly painted walls and a new TV mounted above a fireplace. Painted in Union’s new official colors, the Student Success renovation drew many students in. Adam Anderson, a senior IRR and pre-med major, describes his experience of the new space: “I just studied there yesterday. It’s a welcoming and warm environment. I remember never going in there before it got updated because it wasn’t inviting.” Student Success is still pursuing updates. Less than a week ago, they purchased and received brand new furniture to continue polishing the space.

Another major change in Student Success was the addition of life coaches for every incoming freshman and anyone else who requests a life coach. Having a life coach in addition to an academic advisor is not a common feature at many other schools. The life coaches at Student Success are able to assist students in organizing their academics, learning how to manage their time and even building their social life at Union College. Students can develop a connection with a life coach at any time in the semester if they are struggling academically or personally. The motto of Student Success is “Success is for everyone,” and they take this motto seriously.

One recent update to the hustle and bustle that is Student Success is the addition of another career fair. This school year, Student Success has added a career fair in the fall specifically for medicine, health, emergency response and social services majors. That career fair will be held Thursday, Sept. 21 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Prior to the career fair, Student Success will hold a career workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. to help prepare students for approaching and engaging with employers.

Student Success has been working on entering a new chapter of accessibility and comprehensive care for each student that uses their services and chooses to study in the space they have provided. In an interview with Martha Hornung, Executive Director of Student Success, she stated that the staff of Student Success “care like crazy.” This statement has been thoroughly supported by the ambiance they have created and the success of students who pass through their doors.

By Salissa Tonkin