Congressman Richard Neal (D) and Â鶹ŮÀÉ University Celebrate $1M federal earmark to Launch Student Success Center
The mood was celebratory as hundreds of Â鶹ŮÀÉ students, faculty, staff, members from the Board of Trustees, and Â鶹ŮÀÉ supporters lined up in front of the Blake Student Commons to greet Congressman Richard Neal (D) as he arrived on campus.
The occasion was the announcement of a $1,000,000 earmark to develop Â鶹ŮÀÉ’s innovative and groundbreaking Student Success Center.
Wayne Webster, vice chair of Â鶹ŮÀÉ’s board of trustees, kicked off the festivities, followed by remarks by President Sandra Doran, Congressman Neal, and Julia Dudek ’23.
“As one of the premier learning institutions in New England, Â鶹ŮÀÉ University continues to pride itself on providing students the resources needed to succeed both in the classroom and in the workforce,” said Congressman Neal. “Â鶹ŮÀÉ has a long history of serving a diverse student body, creating opportunities for first-generation college students and disadvantaged members of our communities. I am proud to have procured funding that will allow Â鶹ŮÀÉ to launch their Student Success Center, furthering their mission of empowering students to become leaders in their careers.”
“Our faculty and staff are truly passionate about providing the best student experience, in and out of the classroom, for all our learners, on ground and online," added Â鶹ŮÀÉ President Sandra J. Doran. "This award will help us develop a Student Success Center that will ensure that our learners graduate and succeed in their careers. On behalf of the Â鶹ŮÀÉ community and our learners, 80% of whom live and work in our region, I express my gratitude to Congressman Neal for all his support!”
Funding will be used to complete the work to launch a new Student Success Center that will deliver holistic, coordinated, wraparound academic, financial, and career development support services that are easily accessible 24/7, both online and on campus. The Center will also accommodate the needs of Â鶹ŮÀÉ’s diverse student populations, integrating its services into a student’s academic program through systematic communications and touchpoints throughout the undergraduate experience.
The Student Success Center will be under the leadership of Heather Gould, EdD, associate dean of advising and student support, and Jeremy Anderson, vice president of Learning Innovation, Analytics, & Technology.