About Student Support Services

No. SSS serves eligible students only. These include first-generation college students (neither parent graduated with a four-year degree) and income-eligible students (as determined by federal guidelines), as well as students with a documented disability.

SSS provides a personal college "safety net" from your freshman year through graduation. The program can help you build on your strengths and address your areas of concern. By becoming a participant, you will gain access to services and opportunities not available to other students on campus.

SSS tends to have expectations rather than requirements. It is expected that you will be committed to earning your degree by taking advantage of SSS services and meeting with SSS staff at least once a semester to support your academic success. The SSS staff will make recommendations for you that we expect you to carefully consider.

Yes. SSS offers peer mentors for new and incoming transfer students and special sections of Gen 100 that are designed to assist with the adjustment to college. SSS also makes the transition smoother by offering one-on-one advising and career counseling and workshops on managing your time efficiently, getting along with professors, financing your education, and many other topics.

No. You are eligible to apply to SSS through your junior year. Once you are admitted to SSS, you will receive services until you graduate.

Yes. Some first-year and second-year students are eligible to receive a special grant through SSS. The program also offers a few scholarships just for SSS participants. For more information, please see the Financing Your Education page.

Whether SSS participants should seek employment will probably depend on your class schedule and the other commitments you have, such as extracurricular activities or family responsibilities. If you do work, we recommend no more than 10-15 hours per week. The SSS staff would be glad to meet with you to discuss the pros and cons of employment and how to locate positions on campus. To search for part-time and on-campus positions, see Handshake.

Our SSS student leaders arrange many social events each semester. In the past, these have included crafts, as well as cookouts, Halloween activities, and even a grocery Bingo event. The SSS program also purchases tickets to a variety of campus events that participants can attend together. Along with academic support, SSS will offer many opportunities for you to get to know other students whose experiences are similar to your own.

Generally, the first step is to speak with the course professor. Make sure you know where you stand in the course and what you need to do to reach the level of achievement you want. Perhaps rearranging your study schedule or location will help you retain the material better; maybe tutoring will help. Please see the SSS Tutoring Coordinator, Faith Pawelski.

Absolutely. SSS offers participants supplemental academic advising. SSS can help you to determine a program that best suits your interests, strengths, and long-term plans, then help you to map out which courses you need and when to take them. For advising help, please contact the SSS Academic Advising Coordinator, Ka Vang vangk@uwec.edu.

All SSS staff members work directly with our students, so feel free to call any one of us at (715) 836-4542 or send us an e-mail: studentsupportservices@uwec.edu