Office of New Student and Retention Programs Transitioning to Center for Student Success

Mon, 07/06/2020 - 08:03pm | By: David Tisdale

In an effort to connect more students to its high-impact success programs, The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Office of New Student and Retention Programs (NSRP) will begin operating as The Center for Student Success July 1.

NSRP Director Katie McBride says its important and popular initiatives such as academic coaching, and comprehensive programs like its Jump Scholars Program, the ACES program, and the Jubilee Scholars Program, will be made more prominent in the minds of students, their parents and faculty members, through the establishment of The Center.

“We believe operating as The Center for Student Success will allow us to connect more students to the services and opportunities we provide, allowing them to persist through their college degree program, and successfully graduate from the university in an appropriate time frame for their goals,” McBride said. “Our goal is to help our Southern Miss students have a successful academic experience at Southern Miss, and we think The Center for Student Success is the starting place for that journey.”

The Center for Student Success will be housed in the renovated Cook Library space in early fall 2020.

“We cannot wait to be at the center of campus and have students, faculty, and staff come by to learn about what we offer,” McBride said.

According to USM Executive Vice Provost Dr. Amy Chasteen, the naming of The Center for Student Success was chosen after much thought, focus group discussion, and input from students and colleagues across campus.

“We wanted to choose a name for the office that resonated with the community and represented what we do, making it clear to the campus community what the office is about,” Dr. Chasteen said. “The Center offers many different avenues for students to develop their skills, connect with other students, and get the most out of their time at Southern Miss.

“The professional staff members in The Center for Student Success are all dedicated to supporting our students’ success at every stage of their journey at Southern Miss,” Dr. Chasteen continued. “I’m confident that under the leadership of Director McBride that The Center will be a key hub for students, and will continue to grow and develop new initiatives to meet student needs.”

For more information about The Center for Student Success, visit www.usm.edu/student-success.