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Exterior of Jesse W. Fell Hall.

What We Do

  • Help students transition to college

  • Remove roadblocks to success

  • Make positive changes that affect campus

Strategic Priorities

  • Provide ISU students with an effective and exceptional transition to the University that reflects the institution’s values.

  • Provide centralized academic support resources and services that meet the current and emerging needs of the Illinois State student population.

  • Lead the student retention efforts of the Illinois State community.

  • Provide ISU faculty and staff the resources and guidance to connect students to academic support services.

  • Bolster relationships with campus and external partners to engage in purposeful collaborations.

  • Foster a supportive and collaborative environment that values professional development, wellness, diversity, and inclusion among University College personnel.

Our Approach to Success

We don’t just focus on your academic success, we focus on your whole well being. Because when all of you is taken care of, the rest falls into place. We keep the eight dimensions of wellness in mind with everything we do. If any aspect of your wellness needs attention, we’ve got the people, resources, and knowledge to help.

  • Physical

    Make healthy choices that do your body good - like exercise, nutritious food, and plenty of sleep.

  • Emotional

    Learn how to cope with your feelings so you can handle a variety of situations in college and life.

  • Social

    Surround yourself with the right people who support you and your goals.

  • Intellectual

    Feed your curiosity with new experiences and ideas.

  • Environmental

    From where you study to where you live, put yourself in environments that work best for you.

  • Spiritual

    Understand what’s important to you and find purpose in your life.

  • Vocational

    Be engaged and excited about how you contribute to society.

  • Financial

    Feel secure in your present and future financial situations.

When your whole self is healthy, there’s no stopping you.

Take advantage of our services and expertise and start noticing positive changes in yourself.

  • Advocate for yourself.

    We’ll help you stand up for yourself and make it known what you need to be successful. This helps you become more independent and empowers you to find solutions to challenges.

  • Be self sufficient.

    We can help you live the life you want.

  • Gain confidence.

    When you believe in yourself, nothing can stand in your way.

How We Serve Students

Our services are designed to help prevent academic challenges before they happen. And when a student meets a struggle, we have resources in place to help them thrive.

Making every interaction count.

We interact with 10,000 students every semester and an additional 4,000 through seminars and workshops.

  • Four students posed on the Quad during a Preview event.

    Orientation gives students a proper welcome.

    Our orientation programs show freshmen and transfer students what it’s like to be a Redbird and how to be successful.

  • An advisor talking with a student at a desk.

    Advising empowers students.

    Our advisors guide first year students and other select groups along their academic journey.

  • Two students working at laptops in a common area of the Bone Student Center.

    Early alert and progress report grades provide a success snapshot.

    Early alert and progress report grades are requested starting in week 6 and in week 10 of the semester. They give you the opportunity to reflect on how things are going. If you’re struggling, we can help.

    View your grades

    Early alert and progress report grades are provided for students enrolled in most undergraduate courses. If your early alert or progress report grade is missing, talk to your instructor.

    Learn how to submit early alert / progress report grades (faculty only)

  • Entrance to 'Julia N. Visor Academic Center'.

    The Dr. Julia N. Visor Center offers all kinds of academic support.

    From tutoring and developmental math to workshops and seminars, the Visor Center is a one stop shop for a successful academic experience.

  • Illinois State graduate with graduation cap that reads 'Part of the Journey is the End'.

    Retention and persistence efforts keep students at Illinois State and get them to graduation.

    We step in with tough conversations and proven strategies that help students accomplish what they set out to do.

Our partnerships give students a sense of belonging.

Students can join a new group or continue being part of the community they’ve known and loved since grade school. We would welcome even more organizations on campus. Contact us to start a partnership.

TRIO logo

TRIO

TRIO provides success resources and academic advising for first generation college students and underrepresented populations.

Learn more about TRIO

The STEM Alliance logo

STEM Alliance

Work with a faculty or staff mentor to conduct research and participate in internships in science, technology, engineering, or math.

Join STEM Alliance

Organizations we partner with.

  • Noble Schools logo
  • Hope Chicago logo
  • The Phoenix Pact logo
  • Bottom Line logo
  • OneGoal. logo
  • College Possible logo
  • SOAR ISU logo

The University College Team

  • Meet the team

    - Get to know the people who make a major impact on students and campus.

  • Join the team

    - We have lots of student job opportunities.

Recognizing Excellence

Lots of people on campus make a big difference in the lives of new freshmen and transfer students. Give them the recognition they deserve.

Learn more about Illinois State’s Impact Award

We’re actively involved on campus.

We have a strong presence around Illinois State. That’s how we keep moving the University forward in a positive direction.

We proudly serve on the following committees:

Get in Touch

Let us know how we can help.

Send us a message