By Jason B. Hogan
The one-stop center for St. Philip’s College is already a guaranteed hit with the faculty, and construction has not even been completed.
The prospects for current and future students are limitless with the building scheduled for completion in the fall, Dr. Burton Crow, dean of enrollment management, said.
“The one-stop center is our desire to provide service for all students in one location,” Crow said.
“They can be admitted, processed and tested,” Crow said. “If they are international, they can be provided service, as well as the veterans affairs, financial service, residence services, counseling and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).”
All student concerns can be completed in a timely manner within a few hours, Crow said.
St. Philip’s scouted different existing models of student enrollment areas throughout Texas and other locations, Crow said.
Once the students have arrived at either location they can essentially complete everything within one area.
The one-stop will be located on campus off the Walters Street side adjacent to the health and fitness center.
Students with clearly defined majors are directed to full-time advisers within their areas of study.
Sutton Learning Center is under construction to be used as the freshman center.
Those freshman attending St. Philip’s College with less than 15 credit hours will be redirected to this area, Crow said.
“Students who have not had significant experience are the most vulnerable to dropping out,” Crow said. “They may not have learned good study skills. And they are more prone to failure.”
Crow feels it’s important to those students to establish a support system that will assist in retaining higher levels of achievement.
Students with 25 or more credit hours have obtained studious strategies, finding support from family, friends or other peer groups.
Having someone you know who has attended college is very beneficial to those first-generation students, Crow said.
“We need to overcome these obstacles,” he said. “We’re real excited to come together in the one-stop center and open those doors to welcome them in.”