Student Affairs Newsletter Fall 2023

Newsletter | 2023

Vol. 11

STUDENT AFFAIRS FALL 2023

UNDERGRADUATE ON- CAMPUS ADMISSIONS, RECRUITMENT AND SCHOLARSHIPS FINANCIAL AID | INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS | RETENTION AND STUDENT ADVOCACY STUDENT SERVICES ONE STOP | STUDENT SUPPORT AND PARENT PROGRAMMING STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND CARES | UPWARD BOUND | STUDENT ACTIVITIES STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNUICATIONS | CAMPUS RECRETATION | HOUSING AND RESIDENCE LIFE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Message from Dr. Melissa Haab..................................... 3 Message from Byron Thetford....................................... 3 Financial Aid................................................................... 4 Housing and Residence Life........................................... 4, 5 Student Support Services and CARES........................... 6 Upward Bound............................................................... 7 Retention and Student Advocacy.................................. 8 Student Activities........................................................... 9 International Programs.................................................. 10 Campus Recreation........................................................ 11 Undergraduate On-Campus Admissions, Recruitment and Scholarships...................................... 11, 12 Student Services One Stop............................................ 13 Student Support and Parent Programs........................ 14 Student Involvement and Communications................ 15, 16

GO TIGERS!

DR. MELISSA HAAB VP OF STUDENT AFFAIRS AND ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT BYRON THETFORD DEAN OF STUDENTS DR. HEATHER HOLLANDSWORTH INTERIM DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL AID

Student Ambassadors

DR. MARK DAVIS DEAN OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS LIBBA BAKER DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE ON- CAMPUS ADMISSIONS, RECRUITMENT AND SCHOLARSHIPS KIRSTAN CUNNINGHAM DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES ONE STOP

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ANDREA FARQUHAR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND CARES WILL ATKINSON DIRECTOR OF RETENTION AND STUDENT ADVOCACY JASON GARDNER DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT AND PARENT PROGRAMMING DIANA PULLUM DIRECTOR OF UPWARD BOUND

@UWAConnect

TROY MADDOX DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS RECREATION ANGELA WARD DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND RESIDENCE LIFE CAMERON WYATT COORDINATOR OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES LESLIE WHITE COORDINATOR OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

@UWABound 2

A MESSAGE FROM DR. MELISSA HAAB VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS AND ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Happy New Year! I am always inspired by the new year: new year's resolutions, a fresh calendar, and a renewed set of goals! I am confident that 2024 will be a year of new initiatives, interesting challenges, and exciting results.

The Division of Student Affairs will have another year of transition, as most of the departments will be impacted by a location change and/or renovation of space. Change is difficult, but I am confident that we are making improvements that will benefit our students.

I am proud to be a part of an institution that puts the students' needs ahead of our own comfort and part of a Division that bonds together as a family.

I am looking forward to another successful semester!

A MESSAGE FROM BYRON THETFORD DEAN OF STUDENTS

I hope this message finds you in good spirits as we are close to kicking off another semester filled with possibilities and opportunities. As the Dean of Students, I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to both new and returning members of our academic family. Our vibrant community thrives on diversity, and your unique contributions make The University of West Alabama an exciting place to learn and grow.

At the heart of Student Affairs lies a commitment to fostering an environment that nurtures academic excellence, personal growth, and well-being. As we embark on this journey together, I want to emphasize the significance of connection—both within our university community and with the world beyond.

Student Affairs is here to support our students throughout their academic journey. Whether they have questions about campus resources, need assistance navigating challenges, or want to share ideas and feedback, we are ready to help. Feel free to encourage students to drop by our office, send an email, or schedule an appointment—we are here for them.

As we embark on this new semester together, let us embrace the opportunities for learning, growth, and collaboration. Together, let's make this semester a memorable and enriching chapter in our student's college journey.

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FINANCIAL AID Heather Hollandsworth, Interim Director

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at Move In Day

FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA) NOW AVAILABLE The 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available to complete for the 2024-2025 academic year! This application will cover the following terms: Fall 24 through Summer 25.

IMPORTANT: The FAFSA is a U.S. Department of Education system. They have opened the application; however, students should expect intermittent periods when the application is unavailable. This FAFSA will be different from past applications, with fewer questions and more features to help make applying for federal financial aid less stressful! The improved FAFSA is expected to increase the number of students who are eligible for Pell Grant funding!

To determine your financial aid eligibility, students/families should submit the FAFSA as soon as possible. The FAFSA is available at studentaid.gov. The University of West Alabama's federal school code is 001024.

If you have questions regarding the FAFSA or how to create a FSA ID, please visit studentaid.gov or contact UWA's Office of Financial Aid at financialaid@uwa.edu.

HOUSING AND RESIDENCE LIFE Angela Ward, Director

Our staff hosted a Family Day photo booth and gave out spirit stickers for the game, and also created and gave out Homecoming Spirit Stickers.

Gilbert RAs started the year off strong with a Gilbert Floor Wars program that brought residents together to compete against each floor and enjoy their time getting to know each other at the beginning of the semester.

Hoover staff hosted Hoover Paint Wars using colored powder to tag each other and have fun meeting each other.

Adonis Williams and Madelyn Brasher had their Gilbert residents write a letter to their future selves at their Dear Me program. Residents were encouraged to be creative and thoughtful in what and how they wrote their letters.

CeCe Parnell and Darius Wills-Browne hosted Life 101 for Gilbert residents to help them adjust to college life.

Their program included tips on studying, using the laundry room, eating well, and more.

Ashuntae Leatherwood (Hoover) and Haley Hill (Patterson) each hosted a vision board program within their communities to help residents visualize their future, both this semester and long-term.

Cristina Sewell, Darius Wills-Browne, and CeCe Parnell led their Gilbert residents in creating positivity jars at their Need A Pick Me Up? Program. Residents were able to learn about positivity and positive affirmations, decorate their jar, and start filling them with positive and encouraging sayings/quotes.

Donovan Dicker showed his Selden residents how to make stress balls and talked about easy stressmanagement techniques.

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HOUSING HIGHLIGHTS Shelly Fast was recognized for her fantastic work as she has been named the McIlwain Bell 2024 Support Staff Excellence Award Winner. We are so incredibly proud of Shelly for this recognition that she so strongly deserves!

We had a few changes in our housing offerings this year. Stickney Hall became housing specifically for graduate students and faculty/staff, while Patterson B changed from faculty/staff to upper-class housing. These changes were well-received by our students, as our upperclass students have enjoyed the layout of Patterson B. Our Housing Office has moved to Gilbert Hall, room 102. Non-Gilbert residents can visit the office during regular business by entering Gilbert Hall through the main lobby door.

Gilbert and Hoover residents experienced a significant change to their door access this semester, as they are now able to use their mobile credentials to use their smartphone and/or smartwatch to gain access to their room. While there are still a few issues to work out, this has been a welcome change due to how convenient this has made it to access their spaces.

Shelly Fast attended the ACUHO-I/APPA Facilities Conference in October, where she networked with housing facilities staff members around the country, met with current and potential new vendors, and attended numerous presentations about best practices.

Kayla Holley (Hoover RA) represented our staff well as she was elected to the Homecoming Court this year. In addition, six other staff members made the Homecoming Court Ballot. Other Queen nominees were Timia McKenzie (Hoover RA), Alantra Pearce (Gilbert AHD), and KP Patterson (Reed RA). Sophomore Maid candidates included Gilbert RAs Madelyn Brasher, Hunter Browning, and Roubie Myrthil. In the Alpha Phi Alpha Miss Black and Old Gold pageant, Nya Campbell (Selden RA) was named Miss Black & Old Gold, and Kaitlyn Walker (Hoover RA) was named Miss Congeniality and Miss Black.

CeCe Parnell, RA at Gilbert Hall, is graduating in December after having served as an RA for 3.5 years.

She has been an RA in Stickney Hall, Hoover Apartments, and Gilbert Hall.

Three new resident assistants have been hired for the Spring 2024 semester. Calan Reed and Jordyn Stewart will be RAs at Gilbert Hall, and Ben Newton will be in Hoover Apartments.

BEST OF RECOGNITION August 2023 Donovan Dicker (Selden) – RA of the Month CeCe Parnell (Gilbert) – Best Bulletin Board for The Wilderness Explorer Cedric Northard (Gilbert) – Best Meet Your RA Newsletter September 2023 Nya Campbell (Selden) – RA of the Month Nya Campbell (Selden) – Best Bulletin Board for Carve Out Some Good Study Habits Cristina Sewell (Gilbert) – Best Door Decoration for her hand cut/drawn Squishmallows decorations Gilbert Hall Staff – Best Program for Gilbert Floor Wars October 2023 Darius Wills-Browne (Gilbert) – RA of the Month CeCe Parnell and Darius Wills-Browne (Gilbert)– Best Program for Life 101 Haley Hill (Patterson) – Best Bulletin Board for Check Your BOObs Cristina Sewell (Gilbert) – Best Door Decoration for Ghosts, Candy Corn, and Frankenstein’s Monster Trey Lang (Gilbert) – Best Program Flyer for Issa Game Night November 2023 Cal Stephens (Gilbert) – RA of the Month Cristina Sewell, CeCe Parnell, and Darius Wills-Browne (Gilbert) – Best Program for Need a Pick Me Up? Alexis Jones (Gilbert) – Best Program Flyer for Color Your Cares Away Cristina Sewell (Gilbert) – Best Bulletin Board for A Minion Reasons To be Thankful CeCe Parnell (Gilbert) – Best Door Decoration for Cows Alexis Jones (Gilbert) – Best Community Newsletter

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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES & CARES Andrea Farquhar, Director

Tiger Fest

SSS FALL 2023 FACTS & FIGURES

14

SSS Scholars Graduated in December

1720

Student contacts were completed by SSS Staff; and average of 10 contacts per SSS Student

469

Student meetings with SSS Staff

515

Tutoring sessions attended

737

Individual workshop sessions attended

CARES CLOSET The CARES Closet proved very popular this fall and provided needed personal items, and loaned out textbooks, laptops, and iPads to students all semester long.

CARES STUDY HALL & TUTORING 162 students logged 2461 visits to study hall, accumulating 3209 minutes of study time 63 students received tutoring

Campus Activities Board Members

2022-2023 SSS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT NUMBERS

ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTS ACHIEVED

88% retention from fall 2022 to fall 2023 (objective is 80%) 92% of students in good academic standing at end of 2022 (objective is 80%) 74% graduation rate for 2017 cohort (objective is 40%) 160 students served (objective is 160)

CARES STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Tre’ Finklea earned his doctoral degree.

Mrs. Lasandra Tolbert earned her bachelor’s degree.

CARES PROGRAMMING Ms. Roxcanna Bradley coordinated a trip for 33 UWA students to the Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology (SIFAT) to experience a global poverty simulation Ms. Ma’Kiyah Hall developed and led the new Tigers L.E.A.D. (Leveraging Experience and Determination) program, providing an opportunity for conditionally admitted freshmen to gain leadership experience and earn a scholarship. 13 students joined the program, and nine students achieved a spring scholarship Dr. Tre’ Finklea expanded the Black Gentleman’s Coalition membership to 20 members this fall, connecting each of the members to a UWA alumnus for mentorship.

Mr. Wes Watkins teamed with the College of Business to offer breakfast and a faculty meet and greet for all the new freshman business majors. Thirty-four students were introduced to the COB undergraduate faculty and learned about all the possibilities a degree in business can create.

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UPWARD

SATURDAY SESSIONS

BOUND

Saturday Sessions started in September and continued throughout the rest of the semester. During the sessions, students participated in ACT Prep (English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing/Vocabulary). Seniors had the opportunity to engage in college preparations. Over the course of the semester, they also had the opportunity to participate in various community service projects, such as the St. Jude’s Walk/Run.

Diana Pullum, Director

AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING Upward Bound started the virtual after school tutoring on September 18, 2023 with the last day of tutoring being November 17, 2023.

UPWARD BOUND - NEW PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT Beginning September 2023, Upward Bound Staff began recruitment for new participants via: Upward Bound Staff Upward Bound Facebook Page Announcements Promotional Flyers Promotional video (YouTube) Current and Prior UB participants Local Newspaper Ads Zoom Meetings

UPWARD BOUND - OTHER NEWS October 2023 Promoted Free College Application week November 2023 UB Staff has started updating information to be submitted to the Department of Education for our Annual Performance Report (APR) Annual Performance Report (APR) open and close dates have not been posted UB Staff have requested and received high school transcripts from SCHS, UCS, and DHS December 2023Upward Bound Staff and Upward Bound Participants also attended the York Christmas Parade in York, AL Donations were taken for the Sumter County DHR Angel Tree Program (Community Service Project) On December 5th Upward Bound Staff attended a webinar that was an Introduction to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), and Children’s Bureau (CB) and Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) Access to Mastery Prep Instructor accounts granted Continued Annual Performance Report (APR) updating in anticipation of January 2024 submission deadline

SATURDAY SESSION DATES Saturday, September 30, 2023 Saturday, October 21, 2023 Saturday, November 11, 2023 Saturday, December 02, 2023 Saturday, January 27, 2024 Saturday, February 24, 2024 Saturday, March 23, 2024 Saturday, April 27, 2024

Cheer Media Day

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RETENTION & STUDENT ADVOCACY Will Atkinson, Director

Serendipity

SERVICE STATION Retention and Student Advocacy sponsored the UWA Service Station geared toward helping students ensure their vehicle is safe for travel as they prepare to go home for the summer. Volunteers cleaned windshields, added washer fluid, checked oil levels (offered recommendations on correcting if oil was low), and checked tire pressure and adjusted as needed. In addition, the volunteers checked the taillights, brake lights, and turn signals. This was the second time this academic year that we offered this service. It will be held near the end of each semester.

18 UWA employees volunteered 16 vehicles were inspected

RETENTION CONCERN REPORT FORM To increase student retention, the University is utilizing information gathered via the Retention Concern Report Form to identify students who might be at risk for academic issues while here at UWA. Faculty and staff can submit a concern using the Tiger Hub Portal to alert the retention team of potential issues such as class attendance/performance or other concerns that might keep students from excelling at UWA. Each student of concern is contacted and encouraged to attend a series of meetings with the assigned specialist to help get them back on track for the best opportunity at a strong academic semester.

HOT CHOCOLATE October 31, 2023 (7:30 am-9:00 am in front of the cafeteria), the Office of Retention and Student Advocacy warmed students passing by with a FREE cup of hot chocolate. Fifty cups were given to students as they made their way to class on the first cold morning of the semester.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS Contacted all students who received ADA accommodations for the fall semester to inquire who would be requesting accommodations for the fall. As responses come in, the student file is updated to either discontinue the request or prepare accommodations for the upcoming semester.

Created and distributed a satisfaction survey to all students who received accommodations. o Academic accommodations – 30 (+3 from Spring ’23) o ESAs on campus – 5 (-5 from Spring ’23) o Housing Accommodations – 8 (+2 from Spring ’23)

Casino Night

Homecoming Queen

8

STUDENT ACTIVITIES Cameron Wyatt, Coordinator

EVENT ATTENDANCE

115

First Day of School Photos

292

Bingo For Bucks

255

Tiger Fest

HOMECOMING

CHEERLEADING

NEWS

NEWS

Shelby Baggett named Homecoming Queen

Named Taylor Ramsey Cheerleading Coach

Shelby Baggett, Leah Beth Stewart, Kayla Holley, Chloe Baker, Carlyn Rawls, Orienne Lewis, and Bailey Gurley named to Homecoming Court

Held first Children’s Camp 23 in Attendance

Interviewed 16 candidates for Homecoming Court Interviews

Cheer Walk-On Tryouts Kendall Schafer Collin Smith Gracie Northcutt Elyse Dean Kinlee Gilley

Held 2 rounds of Homecoming Court elections 340 votes- 1st round 268 votes - 2nd round Courtney (CJ) Foster found the Key to Victory #2.

154

Casino Night

348

Serendipity

210

Silent DJ

300

Chick-fil-a / Stuffed Animal Giveaway

Delta Chi - 1st place Serendipity Winner

75

Ghost Tours

Brandon Williamson - 2nd Place Serendipity Winner

68

What Do You Want Wednesday

27

Trivia Night

330

Late Night at the Caf

29 floats in the Homecoming Parade Alpha Sigma Tau- 1st Place Float Winner Phi Mu - 2nd Place Float Winner Delta Chi - 3rd Place Float Winner

Held High School Stunt Clinic 17 in Attendance

Organized and Participated in PINK OUT for UWA Volleyball Fundraisers to help Nationals costs Donut Sale 50/50 Raffle SNAP LUie Appearances College Colors Proclamation Day College Colors Day First Gen Celebration UWA Rodeo Visited Campus School

Kaylee Owens - 3rd Place Serendipity Winner

Cheerleaders First Day of School Photos

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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

International Programs held various events throughout the semester, such as an Ice Cream Social, International Tea Party, Pool Party, Paint Party, Japan Day, Coffee and Culture, India Day, Halloween Cookout, China Day, South Korea Day, International Education Week, and Multicultural Night at University Charter School.

Dr. Mark Davis, Dean

Exchange Student Completion Ceremony

Sharing Home Meals

Painting Party

Moon Festival

Ice Cream Social Multicultural Night at UCS

South Korea Day

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CAMPUS RECREATION Troy Maddox, Director

Silent DJ Party

NEWS

NUMBERS

Lake LU Boat Rentals opened in September

9,381

Fitness Center Check-ins (1841 Faculty/Staff, 2255 Community, 5285 Students)

New treadmills and ellipticals arrived in November at the fitness center

594

Group Fitness participations

383

Intramural participants

Troy and Nathan volunteered at the Southern Miss Regional Flag Football tournament in December 3 IM Supervisors Graduated in December

Homecoming Bonfire

Hot Chocolate

Chick-fil-a & Stuff an Animal Event

UNDERGRADUATE ON- CAMPUS ADMISSIONS, RECRUITMENT AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Libba Baker, Director

The Office of Admissions hosted our third annual High School Leadership Day on October 10, 2023. One hundred six students from 18 schools in Alabama and Mississippi attended this event. This makes it the largest HSL we have had thus far.

The office participated in Free Application Week on October 16-20, 2023. A total of 1,374 applications were received during this time.

The Office of Admissions began the process of hiring the 2024 Student Ambassadors with an application and group interview process that was held on November 2, 2023. We were able to invite 32 students to an individual interview, and we are excited to announce the selected 2024 Student Ambassadors at the start of the new year!

Dalton Meador was named the Ambassador of the Year based on his work ethic and achievements during his 2023 contract year.

The Admissions Office has had a hectic fall for group tours. As of December 4, 2023, we have hosted 411 students for group tours.

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SPRING 2024 APPLICATIONS

ENROLLMENT CONFIRMATION FEES Fall 2024 ECF'S - 24 Transfer- 3 Freshman- 21

Fall 2023 ECF'S - 12 Transfer- 1 Freshman- 11

Spring 2024 Applications: 258 (103 admits) Transfer - 119 applications with 46 admits Freshman - 139 applications with 57 admits

Summer 2024 ECF'S - 1 Transfer- 1 Freshman- 0

Summer 2023 ECF'S - 0 Transfer- 0 Freshman- 0

Spring 2023 Applications: 218 (68 admits) Transfer - 112 applications with 43 admits Freshman - 106 applications with 25 admits

Spring 2024 ECF'S - 22 Transfer- 14 Freshman- 8

Spring 2023 ECF'S - 26 Transfer- 19 Freshman- 7

APPLICATIONS |

+ 18.35%

TRANSFER ACCEPTANCE RATE | + 6.98% FRESHMAN ACCEPTANCE RATE | + 128%

SUMMER 2024 APPLICATIONS

EVENTS HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DAY (OCTOBER 10, 2023)

APPLICATIONS |

Attendees - 106 students from 18 schools

+ 24.39%

TRANSFER ACCEPTANCE RATE |

EVEN

FRESHMAN ACCEPTANCE RATE | - 22.22%

Summer 2024 Applications: 107 (49 admits) Transfer 51 applications with 15 admits Freshman - 43 applications with 14 admits Summer 2023 Applications: 41 (19 admits) Transfer - 2 applications with 1 admit Freshman - 39 applications with 18 admits

FALL PREVIEW DAY (NOVEMBER 4, 2023)

Attendees - 97 students and 108 guests SPRING ORIENTATION (NOVEMBER 16, 2023)

Attendees - 7 SPRING ORIENTATION (JANUARY 4, 2024)

Registrations - 6

SPRING PREVIEW DAY (MARCH 9, 2024)

FALL 2024 APPLICATIONS APPLICATIONS |

FALL FRESHMAN ORIENTATION (APRIL 19, 2024) SUMMER ORIENTATION (MAY 23, 2024) FALL FRESHMAN ORIENTATION (JUNE 6, 2024)

+ 3.88%

FALL TRANSFER ORIENTATION (JUNE 27, 2024)

TRANSFER ACCEPTANCE RATE |

+ 35.29%

FRESHMAN ACCEPTANCE RATE |

+ 15.7%

Fall 2024 Applications: 1,954 (1,180 admits) Transfer 66 applications with 23 admits Freshman - 1,888 applications with 1,157 admits Fall 2023 Applications: 1,881 (1,017 admits) Transfer - 83 applications with 17 admits Freshman - 1,798 applications with 1,000 admits

TOURS

FALL FRESHMAN & TRANSFER ORIENTATION (AUGUST 15, 2024)

SCHOLARSHIPS Fall 2024 Freshman Awarded - 268 Accepted - 14

Fall 2023 Freshman Awarded - 92 Accepted 11

Fall 2024 Transfer Awarded - 0 Accepted - 0

Fall 2023 Transfer Awarded - 4 Accepted - 0

INDIVIDUAL TOURS | - 24.14%

Campus Tours from August 14, 2023 – November 30, 2023 Individual Tours: 88 students (88% check-in rate) Group Tours: 367 students Campus Tours from August 14, 2022 – November 30, 2022 Individual Tours: 116 students (93.55% check-in rate) Group Tours: 132 students

Tiger Fest 12

STUDENT SERVICES ONE STOP Kirstan Cunningham, Director

ABOUT THE ONE STOP Fall 2023 saw the creation, and soft launch, of a new Student Affairs department at the University of West Alabama – the Student Services One Stop. The department's vision is to provide outstanding, innovative, student-focused, and inclusive service to our campus and community.

The mission of One Stop is to serve UWA students, faculty, staff, and the community by being a centralized hub that provides excellent customer service in financial aid, billing, information technology, and learning management software. The One Stop team offers various services, including password support, DUO mobile support, financial aid support, billing information, blackboard help, and switchboard assistance.

Currently using a call center model, the Student Services One Stop is in Brock Hall 127, which will soon be a central hub for all student services. The One Stop is in the heart of campus, making it easily accessible to all students.

Along with the physical space, a new website was created where students can access a vast support knowledge base and submit support tickets.

Assuming the role of Director of Student Services One Stop, Kirstan Cunningham is joined by a team of experienced and dedicated One Stop Specialists passionate about supporting student success. The One Stop Specialists are Nicole Boyd, Hailey Frith, Lori Leavelle, and Amy Lenning.

With the support of Information Technology, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid offices, the One Stop team was extensively trained on various support tactics and procedures. The One Stop team utilized this training to support students in danger of deregistration, FAFSA assistance, DUO mobile enrollment, and other support areas.

The One Stop team is committed to providing high-quality support services to UWA students and looks forward to working with the campus community to achieve the department's vision and mission. In the upcoming term, an A.I. Chatbot will be deployed to assist more students; communication plans, including important student information, will be implemented; and One Stop will be fully launched and marketed to students, faculty, and staff.

Since August 1, 2023, One Stop Specialist have: Answered approximately 6,523 One Stop Voice Calls Answered approximately 2,269 Operator Voice Calls Created 7,442 support tickets.

Solved 7,417 support tickets.

Per the One Stop Phone Queue call volume: Initially, 3,375 calls were Information Technology support calls.

Initially, 3,193 calls were Financial Aid support calls.

Initially, 644 calls were Student Accounts support calls.

Initially, 112 calls were Instructional support calls.

Lake LU Luau 13

STUDENT

PARENT PROGRAMS

SUPPORT AND PARENT PROGRAMS Jason Gardner, Director

286 people have signed up for the Tiger Talk Newsletter; the newsletter was started in July to help parents better understand due dates, activities, and hot topics on campus.

We hosted our annual Family Day on September 23, with 354 family members attending.

BANDS The West Alabama Marching Band had a very successful fall camp to kick off the year.

3 different halftime shows were performed at the home football games.

Traveled to West Georgia to perform at the football game. On the way, we stopped at Horseshoe Bend High School to perform at their football game.

The band was the invited exhibition band for the Little Big Horn Marching Festival.

We had 2 wind ensemble concerts and the pep band performed at the home basketball games.

COUNSELING SERVICES Twisted Tiger Nutrition (meet and greet with faculty and staff): August 18 National Suicide Prevention Tabling: September 13 World Mental Health Tabling: October 10 Domestic Violence Awareness Month Tabling: October 25 Don’t Love Me to Death, Domestic Violence Forum (77 people attended): October 30 The Case Manager had 85 appointments with 51 different people.

The Counselor had 141 appointments with 67 different people.

CAREER SERVICES Pro-Certified Resume Review/Mock Interview Month: September 5-October 6 ROTARACT Student Club Meeting, Rotary International (Reactivation since Pre-COVID 2019): September 13 Career Exploration Field Trip to Buc-ee’s (Leeds) and Mercedes-Benz (Vance): September 21 Bookstore Graduation Fair: October 4 Federal Workforce Recruitment Program for Disabled Students: October 12 ROTARACT Club Homecoming Gift Basket Fundraiser: October 14 TIGERCareer Fair: October 17 Alabama Connection Graduate & Professional School Expo: October 2-5 Statewide Virtual Career Fair, Alabama Association of Colleges & Employers: October 25 Professional Dining Etiquette Luncheon: November 7 Career Signing Day: December 6 Groundhog Job Shadow Week Employer Information Luncheon: November 29 First Destination Survey Class of 2023: December 31, 2023

UNIVERSITY CINEMA 617 people have attended movies this semester with 320 of those being students.

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STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Leslie White, Coordinator

Panhellenic Bid Day

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT - GREEK LIFE On August 23rd, Greek Life held the first “Meet the Greeks.” This tabling event was for any student to ask questions before recruitments and intakes began. 69 Students were in attendance.

NPHC Convocation was held on August 29, 2023, with 73 interested students in attendance.

Panhellenic held an informational social before recruitment, beginning with 19 in attendance, with the opportunity to attend an open house round without registration. Recruitment events started September 6, 2023, and continued through September 14, 2023, with Bid Day being held on September 15, 2023 . There were PNMs with 16 bids distributed. Chapter total was set as 23 for Fall 2023.

IFC Recruitment was held on September 11 & 12, 2023. There were 13 bids extended between Sigma Pi and Delta Chi. Greek Life held the second annual Holiday Service Gathering. This year, Greek organizations adopted angels from Sumter County DHR and donated additional toys to be distributed to any remaining angels.

On top of this, they could play games and socialize before the semester ended. All organizations were present, and we look forward to expanding this event in future semesters.

Order of Omega held initiation at the end of the semester. The honor society welcomed 13 new members into the organization.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT - SGA 17 Student Organizations registered with SGA to be recognized student groups on campus.

3 New Student Organization applications were approved.

SGA visited Montgomery for College Colors Proclamation Day on August 24, 2023. They then held their annual celebration in front of the Caf on August 31, 2023.

SGA held a town hall event, where all students were encouraged to attend to voice their comments, questions, and concerns.

SGA hosted the Sumter County Registrar's Office for a voter registration drive during homecoming week.

SGA gave out 208 Chick-fil-a sandwiches the Monday of finals week.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT - OTHER Get on Board Day was held on August 22, 2023. There was a total of 39 organizations present with 191 students in attendance.

SIC is happy to announce their partnership with Modern Campus “Presence.” This software will help with organizational management as well as “What’s Going On @ UWA.” You can visit the website at https://uwa.presence.io/ or download the app in your smart device’s app store.

college Colors Day

Get on Board Day

NPHC Convocation

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STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS - @UWABOUND UWA Bound Facebook Engaged Users Post Impressions Reactions Post Reach Link Clicks Posts

Fans

August

2,076

31,721

358

24,229

5

13

5,112

September

411

12,575

158

9,868

17

20

5,112

October

1,318

33,384

511

28,002

21

29

5,118

November

639

15,256

195

195

52

25

5,117

December

166

6,401

54

4,990

12

11

5,119

UWA Bound Instagram Post Reach

Post Impressions Likes

Comments Shares

Posts

Followers

August

16,454

29,337

784

4

12

12

2,112

September

11,714

19,004

379

1

17

17

2,119

October

12,711

22,333

738

0

23

23

2,128

November

9,405

13,603

290

0

15

15

2,142

December

7,230

9,362

173

0

8

8

2,132

UWA Bound Tik Tok

Video Views

Profile Views

Likes

Comments

Shares

Followers

August

2,729

80

138

7

3

556

September

962

42

16

0

3

564

October

2,292

80

104

6

2

579

November

894

43

22

1

1

592

December

1,226

68

25

0

0

613

STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS - @UWACONNECT UWA Connect Facebook Engaged Users Post Impressions Reactions Post Reach Link Clicks Posts

Fans

August

14,644

170,832

1,606

110,842

28

66

1,349

September

9,157

99,139

1,953

66,881

44

58

1,390

October

7,377

116,806

1,909

65,227

74

90

1,416

November

2,716

45,454

876

25,968

63

57

1,419

December

1,426

19,672

307

13,143

3

13

1,417

UWA Connect Instagram Post Reach

Post Impressions Likes

Comments Shares

Posts

Followers

August

23,708

127,704

4,147

10

58

58

1,781

September

19,339

87,353

1,822

4

45

45

1,797

October

23,970

168,635

3,354

30

73

73

1,877

November

16,520

63,174

1,591

9

47

47

1,889

December

6,000

13,708

527

9

12

12

1,883

UWA Connect Tik Tok

Video Views

Profile Views

Likes

Comments

Shares

Followers

August

6,461

176

428

12

27

609

September

1,923

59

118

6

8

609

October

15,000

270

960

17

39

667

November

1,165

48

54

0

0

672

December

1,031

42

20

1

0

677

16