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The 2022 spring semester launched new opportunities for student success at ������Ƶ with the opening of the Wintrode Student Success and Opportunity Center. The center is the hub for everything related to student success at ������Ƶ and embraces the university’s land-grant mission of supporting educational access for all students.

Led by Jody Owen, the center works with campus partnership to support students’ holistic needs and enhance opportunities for student success. NETwork partners with the center include the American Indian Student Center, Continuing and Distance Education, Disability Services, the Graduate School, the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, International Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility, New Student Orientation, Residential Life and the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Tina Birgen serves as the coordinator for student success and opportunity, serving as a main point of contact to help students maximize services provided through the NETwork offices.

During the fall 2022 semester, the center hosted First-Generation Week, a series of events to recognize students, faculty and staff at ������Ƶ who are the first in their family to attend and eventually graduate from a four-year university or college.

The Avenue of Opportunities began the week with a student success NETwork information fair in the University Student Union. The week concluded with a public event where university President Barry Dunn proclaimed First-Generation Day at ������Ƶ. Brookings Mayor Oepke Niemeyer also signed a proclamation at a city council meeting declaring First-Generation Day in the city of Brookings.

The center is part of ������Ƶ’s commitment to the South Dakota Board of Regents’ statement released in August 2021 titled “Opportunity for All.” ������Ƶ’s central focus on the opportunity center is aligned with student success efforts and tied to its mission of access as South Dakota’s land-grant institution.