New on-campus space, made possible by a grant from the PNC Foundation, will serve as a hub for academic support
With the support of a $100,000 grant from the PNC Foundation, Spalding University has established the PNC Center for Student Success, a new space on campus that centralizes and strengthens the university’s academic support services.
The new PNC Center for Student Success brings together the Writing & Peer Learning Center, the Center for Accessibility & Learning Equity’s reading support services and Success Coaches program, and the Math Lab. Located on the second floor of the university’s library, this shared space will improve ease of access and visibility to resources for students, while also fostering administrative coordination.
“Spalding University is known throughout our region for its efforts to close the equity gap in higher education, and for its contributions to the development of our local workforce,” said Kristen Byrd, PNC regional president for Louisville. “The services and resources offered at the PNC Center for Student Success will help ensure today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce are equipped to thrive.”
Integral to the delivery of the center’s services is a faculty/peer-mentor staffing model, which accommodates a variety of learning styles and is designed to reach students statistically at-risk for attrition, including first-generation and minority students.
These services include tutoring, research guidance, assistance with math and reading comprehension, study skills development, test preparation and technology use. Additionally, the center aims to foster a sense of community and collaboration, with a comfortable common space where students can connect with each other.
“I remember being in the residence halls when I was a student, and we would converse for hours and debate as part of our student experience,” said Tomarra Adams, dean of undergraduate education. “Our vision for the PNC Center for Student Success is to create that kind of synergy for students. They come to get the technical help, but they also feed off the energy of learning and the interactions that a central space fosters. Thereby, they get to share ideas and learn in a different way.”
The PNC Center for Student Success’ grand opening will be 2:00 p.m., May 11, 2022. President Tori Murden McClure, Dean Tomarra Adams, PNC Regional President Kristen Byrd and the center’s coordinators will share remarks.
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About PNC Foundation: The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
About Spalding University: Established in 1814 and located in downtown Louisville since 1920, Spalding is a historic, private institution that offers graduate, undergraduate and accelerated programs in a range of areas of study. The regionally accredited university offers an innovative schedule of seven six-week sessions per year, allowing students to earn a bachelor’s degree at their own pace. Its athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III. Spalding was recognized as the world’s first Compassionate University. More information is available at spalding.edu.