Success Initiatives

Misty Chandler, Executive Director

Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 345
785-864-2458 | April Blackmon Strange, Director

Serves as a centralized resource for military-affiliated students – veterans, Active Duty/Guard/Reserve service members, spouses, dependents and ROTC students. Provides a variety of services, programs and advocacy for prospective, new and current students. Also offers a full-time Department of Veterans Affairs education and career counselor for veterans and VA benefits users. Provides training and support to faculty and staff who work with military-affiliated students.

Success Technologies

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 133
785-864-0553 | Kim LaFever, Manager

Coordinates the student success management systems and related technologies of Academic Success designed to engage students and create networks of support embedded in the student experience.  Jayhawk GPS is our primary student success platform that connects students to academic advising, academic support, student resources and class progress.

Academic Success Navigators

785-864-1218 | kunavigators@ku.edu | Vacant, Assistant Director

A cross-functional team that helps new and newly admitted Jayhawks find their starting point for success.  Academic Success Navigators serve transfer, degree completion, graduate and online students attending KU Lawrence, KU Edwards, KU at Leavenworth and online learners as well as non-credit students.

Centers for Orientation & Academic Advising Programs

Abby Coffin, Executive Director

Center for Orientation & Transition Programs

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 315
785-864-4270 

Coordinates orientation and welcome programs designed to familiarize new students and their families with campus resources, connect with other students, faculty, staff, and introduce them to educational and social opportunities at KU

Jayhawk Academic Advising

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 315
785-864-2834 

Provides comprehensive advising services, including transition and development programs for new and continuing students. Also provides assistance for students regarding major exploration, university policies, and academic probation issues.

University Academic Support Centers

Andrew Shoemaker, Executive Director

Academic Learning Center

1301 Hoch Auditoria Drive | Anschutz Library, Room 424
785-864-7733 | Brianna Hyslop, Senior Associate Director

Offers many services and programs to assist students in their academic success and to enhance their collegiate experience at KU. Choose from course-specific peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, academic consultations, or group workshops.

Academic Retention and Engagement Center

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 350
785-864-4064 | Annise Richard, Senior Associate Director

Offers student support through dedicated retention initiatives designed to facilitate a successful transition to KU and the ongoing support needed to help students accomplish their goals. The initiatives and programs within the Academic Retention and Engagement Center will include Hawk Link, the Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP), the Haskell Exchange Program, Peer Mentoring, OPTIONS (in partnership with TRIO), KC Scholars, Hispanic Development Fund Scholars, and the Adidas Leadership Scholars.

KU Writing Center

1301 Hoch Auditoria Drive | Anschutz Library, Room 424
785-864-2399 | Brianna Hyslop, Senior Associate Director

Offers university-wide individual face-to-face and online writing consultations, in-class writing workshops, and special services for faculty and graduate students. The Writing Center also oversees the Writing Fellows program, which supports students through tutors embedded in the class.

Native American Initiatives

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 133
785-864-4064 | Melissa Peterson, Director of Tribal Relations

Provides students holistic support, mentoring, resources, professional development opportunities, and cultural and social programming for all Jayhawks with an emphasis on Native American Jayhawks. Creates educational opportunities to build sustainable relationships with tribal communities and to support the Native American community at KU.

Student Access Center

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 22
785-864-4064 | Arika Sprecker, Associate Director

Assists students with disabilities by facilitating accommodations that remove barriers to their academic success. They authorize reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities, assist students in self-advocacy, educate the University of Kansas about disabilities, and ensure compliance with federal and state law.

Career & Experiential Learning

David Gaston, Assistant Vice Provost

Center for Service Learning

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 150
785-864-0960 | Jomella Watson-Thompson, Director

Fosters teaching, learning, and research experiences that develop civic agency, address social challenges, and cultivate a shared commitment to the public interest.

Center for Undergraduate Research

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 156
785-864-5733 | Alison Olcott, Director

Works with instructors and mentors to develop and promote curricula and models for mentoring; supports students in their development as researchers; and develops programs celebrating undergraduate research at KU.

Office of Academic Programs & Experiential Learning

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 203
785-864-3624 | Millinda Fowles, Director

Partners with academic units to develop and support academic programs designed to help students bridge their learning through curricular and co-curricular experiences. Oversees the First-Year Seminars, KU Common Book, UNIV 101, Learning Communities, and Experiential Learning Certificates.

Office of Fellowships

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 222
785-864-4235 | Carine Mardorossian, Director

Supports KU undergraduate students interested in applying for competitive national scholarships and fellowships. Oversees the campus nomination process for many fellowships including Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Churchill, Goldwater, Truman, and Udall.

University Career Center

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 206
785-864-3624 | Wendy Shoemaker, Director

Provides comprehensive career services for students including career coaching and exploration, the Career Advancement Program (CAP), part-time and off-campus job listings, career fairs, internship information, resume review, mock interviews, job search assistance, on-campus interviews, professional employment opportunities database, career information library, professional clothing closet, workshops, and more.

KU Core 

1450 Jayhawk Blvd. | Strong Hall, Room 133
785-864-4907 

The KU Core is the university-wide curriculum comprised of three general education goals and three advanced education goals that all incoming undergraduate students will complete as part of their degree requirements. The University Core Curriculum Committee (UCCC) sets guidelines and has final approval of the elements included in the KU Core.

Jayhawk Blueprint

1300 Sunnyside Ave. | Summerfield Hall, Room 100
785-864-2308 | Erin Wolfram, Coordinator

Jayhawk Blueprint is a partnership between the University of Kansas and the Lawrence Public Schools to offer college courses at a discounted rate in the high schools where college and high school credit is earned simultaneously.