Chapter 7: Embracing Support in College

Moving Forward

In the first chapter we encouraged you to reflect on your experiences, goals, preferences and attitudes and urged you to consider or reconsider what your definition of success is. This is a very personal process with no right answer, but we are hopeful that you have, through the course of the semester, given some thought to who you are, where you want to be and what habits or actions will be supportive of those goals. You have engaged in numerous activities, been supported and held accountable by classmates, instructors and advisors. Now, as this course wraps up, the hard work begins—how will you continue to hold yourself accountable to meeting your goals and implement ongoing academic strategies and personal actions that will keep you on track?

Plan Your Next Steps

Think about what you have learned in this course, assess how far you have come and where you want to be and devise an action plan. Reflect on your goals and think about how you may want to STRETCH yourself and what SMART goals you need to put in place to get there.  Now think about your “tool kit”–what skills do you possess to put you on the path to success and what challenges do you anticipate? This book and the activities you have engaged in during this course will continue to be a resource that you can return to if you feel yourself getting off track.  What specific academic skills do you want to continue to practice and refine and what resources do you plan to use?

Accountability

How will you hold yourself accountable to maintaining the momentum you generated during this course?  What measures will you put in place to keep yourself moving forward?  Will you benefit from regular meetings with an advisor or engaging in ongoing academic coaching sessions?  Do you need to schedule time each week to attend tutoring sessions or office hours?  How can your friends and family help keep you on track and what rewards can you put in place to keep you motivated?  These answers will differ for each student, but the key is to identify what will work for you

The remainder of this final chapter is dedicated to outlining the variety of resources that are available to support your continued success and help you meet your personal goals. While these resources and respective contact information are specific to Boise State University, similar resources exist on most college campuses and we encourage you to explore what support systems exist at your particular institution.

Boise State Academic Resources

The Advising and Academic Support Center (AASC) is a great resource for students who want to schedule an appointment with an advisor. The AASC staff can assist students in developing educational plans that are compatible with their career and life goals. AASC offers academic skill building workshops and course specific tutoring through the Learning Assistant (LA) program. LAs are peers that provide academic support in traditionally difficult courses and students that engage the support of LAs experience a higher rate of success and overall better grades.  AASC also offers academic advising with the Academic Development and Recovery Team (ADR), for students who are struggling academically and also assist students that are on academic probation or need a hold to be removed from their account in order to be reinstated to Boise State.

https://www.boisestate.edu/aasc/

The Educational Access Center (EAC)  is a resource for students needing academic accommodations for temporary or permanent disabilities. If a student is unsure of whether they have a learning disability, the EAC maintains a list of qualified professionals who can work with the student to determine if they have a learning disability, at the students expense. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis by meeting with a coordinator in their office. Documentation may be necessary to support the student’s need for accommodations.

https://www.boisestate.edu/eac/

TRIO Rising Scholars offers academic assistance and encouragement for eligible scholars who wish to earn their four-year degree and prepare for future careers or graduate programs. TRIO also helps motivate and support students who are first- generation, low-income, or have a disability to pursue and attain a college degree. TRIO provides individual academic advising, one-on-one tutoring for any freshman or sophomore level courses, and offers social and cultural opportunities.

https://education.boisestate.edu/trs/

The Writing Center offers free, guided support for all writers, in person and online, through active and collaborative conversations. They help writers of all levels and abilities, at any stage of the writing process. The Writing Center can also help students work on resumes, cover letters, graduate applications, personal statements, and much more.

https://www.boisestate.edu/writingcenter/

The Math Learning Center (MLC) is a free service that offers assistance for math courses up to Math 175, with free in-person and on-line tutoring. The MLC focuses on improving student success along with the ability to build mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills. https://math.boisestate.edu/mlc/

Health and Wellness Resources

University Health Services is a great resource to utilize for a range of primary care, urgent care, wellness, and counseling services. They provide convenient, accessible, and high quality health care to students, faulty, staff, and their dependents. Health Services will bill most insurance carriers, excluding Medicaid and Medicare. They also offer student health insurance plans (SHIP)  to ensure all students can  have access to health insurance that adequately meets their needs. https://www.boisestate.edu/healthservices/

Dean of Students offers services to currently enrolled students. They staff a Campus Food Pantry and offer financial assistance to students who are experiencing unanticipated, temporary financial hardships. If a student has experienced foster care or homelessness, the Dean of Students also offers a program that supports students success by offering individual support, connections to campus and community resources, and access to scholarships. The Dean of Students also offers free attorney consultations with a local, private lawyer for most legal problems. This service is available to all full-fee/activity-fee paying students. The student relaxation room is another resource offered and is designed to be technology-free to increase  sense of peace, promote physical relaxation, and enhance overall well-being. https://www.boisestate.edu/deanofstudents/

Gender Equity Center is a friendly, supportive environment for people of all gender identities to explore, celebrate, and educate the campus community about gender equity. They provide brief, no-cost, confidential support for campus members affected by identity-related harassment, sexual harassment, sexual assault, unhealthy relationships and stalking. The Gender Equity Center also offers guidance if a student is interested in reporting to campus officials or police.  https://www.boisestate.edu/genderequity/

General Student Success Resources

Office of the Registrar provides support and personalized services to the academic community regarding academic records, registration, enrollment data, course administration, policy enforcement, and graduation. The Office of the Registrar also maintains the University academic calendar which includes special session deadlines, final exam schedules and religious observances. https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar/

Student Financial Services helps students with understanding their costs and making smart financial decisions. They offer payment plans, financial wellness education, 1098t tax forms, and short term emergency loans. They also assist the campus community by processing deposits, uploads to students accounts, waivers, class fee setup, item type creation and maintenance, and Marketplace UPay and UStores. https://vpfa.boisestate.edu/student-financial-services/

Career Services offers assistance with internships, resumes, interviewing, and major exploration. They offer thirty minute virtual workshops that help students learn what employers are looking for, how to use that information to plan and prepare for their career,and how to conduct a successful job search. They also offer events that allow students to connect with employers and jobs. Additionally, the Career Center maintains the Handshake database for students and alumni, which allows them to search for part-time jobs on and off campus, internships, and post-graduation career positions.  https://www.boisestate.edu/career/

Veteran Services provides information and procedures relevant to all education benefits provided through the Department of Veteran Affairs. They also assist in the transition from military life to university life and the use any GI Bill ®VA educational benefits for which a student is eligible. https://veterans.boisestate.edu/

Student Involvement and Leadership Center (SILC) encourages students to get involved on campus by supporting 200 student clubs including the Aerospace Club, Bronco Dogs Organization, and Bronco Tournament Gaming Club. SIL also offers 22 different fraternities and sororities. Students can also get involved in leadership, service, and volunteer programs which provide the opportunity to make a difference and change the world.

https://www.boisestate.edu/getinvolved/

International Student and Scholar Services (ISS)  proudly serves international students in bachelors, masters and doctoral programs from over 65 countries. They assist students with questions about their immigration status, visa and work permits, and scholarships. https://www.boisestate.edu/globaleducation-iss/

Student Diversity and Inclusion promotes and advances diversity and inclusion on campus.  They support programs that are designed to benefit minorities, refugees, and first generation students. They host campus events and support student groups with the goal of connecting students, faculty and staff with the diversity found on Boise State’s campus. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion also staffs the Student Diversity Center designed for studying or meeting new people.  https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/nextsteps/diversity/

Multicultural Student Services is committed to raising awareness and understanding about marginalized and oppressed groups in both non-dominant and dominant cultures. They work with students who are interested in equity and social justice, as well as students from different cultures, countries, and ethics. They provide student liaisons that can help with connections to services and resources for support/ guidance planning cultural festivals and events. They offer in-center tutoring with different hours of availability in the Student Diversity Center. They also have opportunities for volunteering in the many programs offered such as “The Tunnel of Oppression”, and the Song and Dance Festival. https://www.boisestate.edu/mss/