By Ashlynn Worley

As a direct result of changes made in the Student Success Center over winter break, several students have been forced to look elsewhere for work-study employment.

The decision to hire full-time Administrative Assistant Deborah Stock resulted in some students losing their front-desk jobs or having reduced hours.

“I was kind of frustrated because I needed money and where I was getting my income here has been cut off, so like I only have one job now. This actually affected me,” junior Oluwatimilehin Ajayi said.

Stock works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through at the front desk. Stock is in charge of the textbook loan program, room reservations, the Campus Programming Calendar, and scheduling appointments for Dean of Students Christine Tracy among other duties.

“I am really glad to be here and am looking forward to working with them [students]. I don’t bite,” Stock said.

The Student Success Center, known as the SSC, made various other changes that affect students. Tutoring sessions will now be held in the big room, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Students can schedule a tutoring appointment through WC Online.

Students may notice another change in the SSC with the development of the QUEST Center, which stands for ‘Quincy University Experiential STudy Center’.

According to an email from Dr. Tracy, “QUEST will include career services, study abroad, internships, service learning, undergraduate research, and credit for prior learning.”

Director of Experiential Learning Kristen Liesen oversees the QUEST Center. Quincy University is in the process of hiring an Experiential Learning Specialist to assist with the service learning aspect.

“This is actually something we have needed for a really long time … They [specialist] will be promoting and coordinating different sites and I think that we will see that service learning opportunities will grow,” Liesen said.

Once a fitting candidate is selected and approved for the job, Liesen hopes to have the new employee starting mid-semester.

The Student Success Center first opened its doors in fall of 2014. Over the past four years, the center has made several changes.

The Offices of Student Development, previously known as Student Affairs and Student Engagement, have relocated. Dr. Tracy’s office relocated next to the academic success coaches offices. Residence Life is now where Dr. Tracy’s old office formerly was.

“They [Office of Student Development] should have sent that email way before we started school to let students know once you walk in the SSC, we made some changes, like there will be somebody at the front desk, and I mean we would still have work-study students throughout the day,” sophomore Aloysius Cooper said.

According to a document released from the Office of Student Development, their vision statement is to, “Challenge and support each individual student to discover their passion and purpose.”

When asked where the future of the Student Success Center is heading, many faulty and staff members agreed the SSC is ever-changing and expanding. In order to be the most efficient, the Office of Student Development has created a one-stop-shop for a lot of student needs.