Vision
To become a regional and national leader in the following student success functional areas:
2025 - NODA Region IV Conference
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader: Madi Montgomery
Innovation in Transition Program: Shocker State Fair
Innovation in Orientation Program: Spanish Family Orientation
Best Undergraduate Educational Session, "¡Aumenta tu Vocabulario! Strengthening Your Spanish for Campus Engagement,": Eiran Saucedo-Rodarte
Eight educational sessions presented:
"A Self-Care Guide for Mentors", Alexis Ukwu
"Let's Talk About it: Access and Accessibility", Aliyah Madrigal, Ellie Green, and Tyler Troyer
"¡Aumenta tu Vocabulario! Strengthening Your Spanish for Campus Engagement," Eiran Saucedo-Rodarte
"The Anatomy of a High Performing Team", Kaelyn Hannah
"Walk in Their Shoes: The Value of Open-Mindedness", Liv Fallier and Tesla Faber
"So You Wanna Go Viral?", Madi Montgomery and Trinity Madden
"Tired of your Play Book?": Kim Sandlin
"A Game Plan for Parent Success": Kim Sandlin and Eiran Saucedo-Rodarte
2024 NASPA Conference
NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community Outstanding New Professional Award: Eiran Saucedo-Rodarte
2024 - NODA Region IV Conference
Outstanding NODA Orientation, Transition, and Retention Professional: Kim Sandlin
Best Undergraduate Educational Session, "Is It Accessible? Is it REALLY Accessible?": Annie Wasinger
Most Creative Solution in Case Studies: Hafsa Sadaf
Best Presentation in Case Studies: Kate Potter
Outstanding Innovative Retention Program Award: Winter Welcome
Six educational session presentations submitted and accepted:
"Networking in 2024: Building Meaningful Connections During Orientation and Beyond", Austin Helgerson and George Giem
"Is It Accessible? Is it REALLY Accessible?", Annie Wasinger
"Language Diversity Matters: Improving Orientation for Non-Native English Speakers", Hafsa Sadaf
"The Struggle is Real: Rebuilding and Rebranding Your Orientation Leader Team", Kaelyn Hannah
"Let's Talk about it: Equality vs. Equity", Juan Gurrola
"Silent Expression: Decoding Body Language and Understanding Non-Verbal Communication", Trinity Madden
2023 - NODA Region IV Conference
Sprit of NODA Award
Outstanding Innovative Transition Program Award: Syllabus Party
Second Place Finish in Case Studies - New Orientation Leaders
Seven educational session presentations submitted and accepted.
Three NODA/Keynote Talks submitted and accepted: Stephanie Cockrell, Natanya Ordoñez, Kaelyn Hannah
2019 - NODA Region IV Conference
NODA Region IV Educational Showcase Winner (Best Overall): "Is Your Orientation Program Accessible?", Kim Sandlin and Shareika Fisher
2016 - NODA Region IV Conference
Outstanding Innovative Program Award: Clash of the Colleges
2015 - NODA Region IV Conference
Outstanding Brochure or Booklet
Only accredited Supplemental Instruction program in the state.
College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) Level II Certified Tutoring program.
All Success Coaches have earned a certification for Academic Coaching.
Conference Presentations
"Building a Learning Network: Using Faculty Collaboration to Strengthen Academic Support", 2026 College Reading and Learning Association Heartland Conference: Kim Sandlin
"Caring Through Digital Connection", 2026 Kansas Higher Education Professionals Conference: Kim Sandlin
"Putting the U in stUdent sUccess", 2026 Shocker STRIVE Conference: Kim Sandlin
"The Power of Collaboration: Building Success Teams", 2026 NASPA National Conference: Kim Sandlin, Chelsea Dey, Katie Davidson
"Student Affairs Partnering with Academic Affairs", 2026 NASPA IV-W Power Hour Knowledge Community: Kim Sandlin and Alicia Newell
"Reimagining Student Success: Collaborative Strategies for Non-clinical Case Management in Higher Education", 2025 NASPA National Conference: Alicia Newell and Kim Sandlin
"Enhancing Student Success Through Coordinated Outreach and Strategic Communication", 2025 NASPA Student Success in Higher Education Conference: Kim Sandlin and Chelsea Dey
"What Rubik's Cubes have to do with Student Success", 2024 NASPA Region IV-W: Kim Sandlin, Chelsea Dey and Stefanie Coronado
"What Rubik's Cubes have to do with Student Success", 2024 Kansas Higher Education Professionals Conference: Kim Sandlin, Chelsea Dey and Stefanie Coronado
Professional Awards
2025 NASPA Success Coaching Knowledge Community Success Coach of the Year: Stefanie Coronado
2024 NASPA Success Coaching Knowledge Community Success Coach of the Year: Chelsea Dey
Professional and Association Service
2026 Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education External Reviewer for George Mason University's Success Coaching program: Kim Sandlin
2023 - 2024 NASPA Success Coaching Knowledge Community Region IV-W Board Representative: Kim Sandlin
All coaches are either certified academic coaches or pursuing certification.
Mission
The mission of Student Success is to help all students maximize their potential and reach their personal goals through a range of support and services, from orientation to graduation.
Goal
Our goal is to guide students through their transition to Shocker life and to develop skills and processes which will help them to graduate while successfully achieving their academic and personal goals. We are passionate about empowering students, fostering belonging, and encouraging them to work intentionally and efficiently to be successful.
Our objectives are specific to each functional area, which include:
- First-Year Programs
- Shocker Learning Center
- Success Coaching
Ethics that guide our work.
Department History
Student Success separated from their former department, the Office for Faculty Development and Student Success to focus on services and resources to help students persist to graduation while maximizing their potential for success. At the time, the department housed multiple services:
- Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction, later to be named Academic Success Programs
- WSU 101, study skills, and peer mentoring
- Financial Literacy, Peer Financial Coaching, and MyCollegeMoneyPlan online program
- The Office of Transitions and Orientation, later to be re-named to First-Year Programs
In the fall of 2014, the inaugural Clash of the Colleges was brought to life, becoming a long standing university tradition for new (and continuing) students.
Under the umbrella of Student Success, the Captain Riley Leroy Pitts Military and Veteran Student Center opens in its original location on the first floor of Lindquist Hall before expanding to Grace Wilke Hall.
In 2017, the center was reassigned to operate under the leadership of the Vice President of Military and Veteran Services.
WSU 101 (formerly called Intro to the University), officially becomes a requirement in the General Education curriculum and is re-named to First-Year Seminar, under the governance of the General Education Committee of Faculty Senate.
The Success Coaching program begins with the first Success Coach hired in the summer, serving the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and quickly expands to a staff of four the fall semester.
The Supplemental Instruction program earned accreditation and is the only accredited program in the state of Kansas.
The tutoring program under Student Success earns CRLA certification.
MyCollegeMoneyPlan program sunsets and financial literacy services are reassigned in fall 2023 under Financial Aid.
Student Success moves from original location in Neff Hall to the second floor of the newly opened Shocker Success Center.
The Shocker Learning Center expands to include four co-located services including the Math Lab, Writing Center, Chemistry Help, and Physics Help Desk.
Orientation programs become redesigned to include online modules, in-person programs, pre-season programs and the inaugural SHOCKFEST weekend, including an annual first-year student lunch, RECFEST, and the Classroom Crawl.