Academic Support and Student-Athlete/Leadership Development for Intercollegiate Athletics
Mr. John Krimmel, 814-472-3177, jkrimmel@francis.edu
In cooperation with the Center for Academic Success, the Athletics Department at Saint Francis University provides a comprehensive Academic Support program for all student-athletes. Student-athletes are also provided a four-year comprehensive Student-Athlete/Leadership Development and Life Skill program through such organizations as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the Student-Athlete Mentors (SAMs) program, the APPLE Leadership Team, and the Bob and Sharon Krimmel Flash Leadership Institute (FLI). All first-year student-athletes begin their road to success with taking a one-credit Freshman Student-Athlete Experience course (GEN 101), supervised study table sessions, academic monitoring, free tutorial services, and student-athlete/leadership development programming committed to helping student-athletes focus on academic excellence, athletic excellence, personal development, career development, leadership development, and community service/engagement. These programs are available to student-athletes throughout their years at Saint Francis University.
Accessibility Services
The Center for Academic Success assists eligible students in receiving basic services as determined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Every effort is made to arrange appropriate accommodations based on a student’s disability. Individuals are encouraged to begin the process of arranging for accommodation services upon acceptance to the University.
Accessibility Services works with individual faculty members, academic departments, and other University offices to ensure that the classes, programs, and services are accessible to the students. The services provided by these offices are meant to help students devise strategies for meeting college demands and to foster independence, responsibility and self-advocacy.
In order to receive disability services, students must submit documentation of their disability to the Center for Academic Success. The submitted assessment report must:
- Be completed by a qualified professional such as a medical doctor or licensed psychologist
- Contain the evaluator’s name, title, and assessment date
- Identify the disability, describe the limits it imposes, and include the recommended accommodations
Once the documentation is received and evaluated, the Accessibility Services Coordinator will schedule an intake meeting to determine which accommodations are appropriate. Students who receive accommodations are responsible for communication their accommodation needs to each individual faculty member and for submitting the paperwork in a timely manner.
Basic services offered at Saint Francis University include:
- Assistance with note-taking in the classroom
- Accommodations for taking exams, such as readers, scribes, extended-time, and alternate locations
- Requests for adaptive classroom equipment
- Assistance in accessing University programs and services
- Early registration
If a student believes he or she requires a reasonable accommodation or has a question regarding education services, activities, programs, or facilities that are accessible to or used by students with disabilities, he or she should contact the Center for Academic Success and First-Year Experience.
For more information or to request an accommodation, please contact:
Ms. April Fry
Accessibility Services Coordinator
Saint Francis University
P.O. Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940
814-472-3176
Fax: 814-472-2819
Career Services
careerservices@francis.edu
www.francis.edu/career
Career Services supports all Saint Francis University students along their journey to Become That Someone by offering a variety of career development and exploration resources and programming. Career Services educates students on the search process and offers opportunities and support for securing jobs, internships, further education, and other professional opportunities. Our services, which include individual appointments, are available on campus and online. We also offer alternative and creative methods of job and internship search assistance by collaborating with alumni and various groups both on and off campus.
We offer alternative and creative methods of job and internship search assistance by collaborating with alumni and various groups both on and off campus. To launch students into their lifelong-career journey, Career Services provides the following services:
- Career Assessment and Major/Career Exploration
- Resume, CV and Cover Letter Assistance
- Job and Internship Search Support
- Mock Interviews and Interview Coaching
- Opportunities for Recruitment,Networking, and Mentorship
- On-Campus Student Employment
- Professional Development
- Graduate and Professional School Advising
- Graduate Assistantship Applications
- Comprehensive online career resources including Handshake, CareerShift, Candid Career, Focus 2 Career, and What Can I Do With This Major?
Center for Well-Being
The Center for Well-Being, located in the Library, 2nd Floor, Room 201, provides confidential, therapeutic services to all full-time students, including individual, marital, and group counseling as well as consultation. Counseling is provided by professional counselors. Students in need of services are encouraged to contact the Center for Well-Being via email at counseling@francis.edu. Students may also call the Center for Well-Being at 814-472-3211 during office hours. The Center for Well-Being is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Evening appointments are available by request, for after hours assistance the UPMC Call Center can be reached at 1-800-647-3327 which can connect to a counselor.
Programming on relevant psycho-social and developmental issues is provided and sponsored by the Center for Well-Being throughout the year. Topics include stress management, mindfulness techniques and relaxation strategies, suicide intervention and prevention, relationships, and family concerns. The Center for Well-Being staff can also assist students with information about local community resources for mental health, chemical dependency and general health and wellness.
Higher Education Equal Opportunity (ACT 101) Program
Contact: Ms. April Fry, 323C Scotus Hall, 814-472-3176, AFry@francis.edu
The ACT 101 Program was created as a result of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Equal Opportunity Act 101 in 1971 and focuses on serving undergraduate students in order to make the ideal educational opportunity a reality for all qualified students.
Support services include access to free textbooks through our lending library, assistance with class registration, free peer and group tutoring, workshops, and academic and career counseling.
To be eligible, students must be:
- Resident of Pennsylvania
- Economically disadvantaged
- Educationally disadvantaged
- Enrolled as a full-time student (carrying at least 12 credits in a semester) or as a part time student (carrying at least 6, but less than 12, credits in a semester).
ACT 101 students are eligible for support services at the University as long as he or she is enrolled at the institution and has signed the student contract at the beginning of each academic year.
You will be automatically notified of eligibility by the ACT 101 Coordinator.
Library and Learning Commons
The Library and Learning Commons is a dynamic community resource, providing access to information, offering instruction, and serving a proactive leadership role in support of the mission of Saint Francis University. Facilities include: electronic classrooms, the Bud Shuster Conference Room/Instruction Lab, group study, the Curriculum Materials Center (CMC), and the Margaret M. Tobin Center for Archives and Special Collections, the home of the University archives and records center.
The Library and Learning Commons provides access to its collections and online resources through the Library webpage at http://library.francis.edu. Access to materials not housed in the library can be obtained through interlibrary loan. All members of the University community may borrow materials and obtain other services from the library by presenting a valid Saint Francis University identification card. The library is open year-round with the exception of official University holidays. A complete posting of current library policies, regular hours, services, and other general information can be found by visiting the Library webpage.
Also located within the library facility is IT Services including the Laptop Help Desk, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), the Writing Center, and the Tutoring Center.
Military Science/Army ROTC
The Military Science program enables a student to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army after successful completion of the program and attainment of the baccalaureate degree. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps activities stimulate self-discipline, develop responsibility, promote personal integrity, enhance the value of a liberal arts education, and develop leadership qualities. Coursework consists of one course each semester and a summer camp between sophomore and junior, or junior and senior, years. No formal commitment is necessary until after the sophomore year, and all credits are accepted toward graduation. For further information, contact the Department of Military Science.
Multicultural Affairs
The Saint Francis University Office of Multicultural Affairs is designed to promote cultural awareness and understanding on campus and it surrounding communities. The office provides leadership to the university in its endeavor to create a campus characterized by equal access and respected participation for all groups and individuals, where diversity is not simply tolerated but valued. The Center for Multicultural Affairs is located in Ave Maria Hall and serves as a place to meet, to coordinate and facilitate activities that celebrate diversity, and to enhance the development of a multicultural community.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs assists students in their educational, cultural and developmental growth in order to promote the students’ overall success. The community’s understanding of the university’s diversity initiatives comes from a variety of sources and messages, including informal dialog among students, faculty, staff and administrators as well as through the public media. In addition, formal co-curricular opportunities further dialogue in the classroom, offices, residence halls, dining hall and student center on campus.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs creates an inclusive environment by furthering the campus’ multicultural dialog and by giving a voice to students of color as they embrace the Saint Francis University community and share a rich tradition of cultures and values which provides a positive effect on life at Saint Francis.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs embodies the mission of the University and is committed to:
- Academic/Social/Personal Development
- Cultural Development
- Programs and Workshops
which are achieved by:
- Academic/Social/Personal Development
Peer Mentors who facilitate the needs of minority students as they relate to academic, social and personal adjustments.
- Cultural Development
The Multicultural Awareness Society (MAS), a student organization serves as the voice of the minority students, and is an inclusive organization which strives to increase multicultural awareness and celebrates cultural diversity.
- Programs and Workshops
The Office, along with members of MAS, present programs, lead workshops, and facilitate discussions on topics such as diversity, prejudice, racism, sexism, and community building.
For additional information or questions, please contact: Lynne Banks, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Development, 814-472-3002, lbanks@francis.edu.
Study Acceleration: Gaining Excellence (SAGE) Program
Contact: Ms. Jessica Traurig, Scotus 322 A, jtraurig@francis.edu, (814) 472-3173
The SAGE program is designed for students who are experiencing academic difficulties. All undergraduate students on academic probation are required to participate and meet all of the requirements of the program throughout the semester. Students in good academic standing may also choose to participate in the program or may be required to do so as a requirement of their academic warning status. SAGE requirements are tailored to each student, and can include supervised study periods, individual tutoring, peer mentoring, personalized advising sessions, grade/class attendance check-ins, among other requirements. While not mandatory, part-time traditional students whose cumulative GPA’s fall within probationary status are encouraged to participate in SAGE. Students will sign an agreement at the beginning of the semester that outlines the expectations for program participation. Students who do not comply with the requirements of the program may be subject to dismissal.
OASIS Program
Contact: Ms. Jessica Traurig, Scotus 322 A, jtraurig@francis.edu, (814) 472-3173
The program is designed for traditional, full-time, first-year students who, upon applying for admission, demonstrate a need for academic support, and whose secondary school records indicate potential for college success. Students in the program receive extra support for their academic and social transition to college. Students in the OASIS Program are required to take GEN 111 in their fall semester, and GEN 112 in their spring semester. These courses teach and reinforce important academic skills, while also introducing students to services across campus. OASIS students also have access to peer academic coaching and structured study sessions to encourage academic success. Finally, students in the OASIS program take math and writing placement exams before their first semester, and may be placed in MATH 100 or WRIT 101 to ensure college-level academic competency.
Testing Center
Contact: Ms. Sandra Rea, Scotus 317, testing@francis.edu, (814) 472-3287
Located within the Center for Academic Success (Scotus 317), the Testing Center is a distraction-reduced, camera-monitored testing room. First priority for the distraction-reduced testing rooms is given to students with approved, documented disabilities. Other students may make up missed exams upon instructor approval only. For Saint Francis students to schedule a test request visit my.francis.edu
The Center provides test proctoring for both Saint Francis University students, and students from other institutions.
Standardized testing for the following exams:
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CLEP (Credit-by-Examination)
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GED® (high school equivalency exam)
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PECT (Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests)
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Teacher certification exams for certain states other than Pennsylvania
Tutoring Center
Contact: Ms. Sandra Rea, Saint Francis University Library, tutoring@francis.edu, (814) 472-3287
The Tutorial Services offered on campus are an important component of academic success. Qualified undergraduate tutors are available to all students at no charge. Tutorial sessions are offered in our Tutoring Center on the main floor of the Saint Francis University Library and Learning Commons. Students can schedule appointments in groups or come in to get help on an individual basis. Our tutoring program is certified through the International Tutor Certification Program sponsored by the College Reading and Learning Association. To schedule an appointment visit my.francis.edu
Upward Bound
Director: Ms. Anne Heinzeroth
A federal TRIO Program funded through the U.S. Department of Education, the Upward Bound Program at Saint Francis University has prepared over 2,500 disadvantaged high school students for the rigors of postsecondary education since 1966. Provided at no cost to participants, the program offers a wide variety of academic, career, cultural and social development activities for 110 high school students from Cambria County. Each participant must come from a low income family and/or be a potential first generation college student. In addition, students must attend a high school in the target area, be enrolled in the academic curriculum, and have a minimum academic GPA of 77%. From September through May, the students participate in Saturday follow-ups held on campus and tutorials held after school in their communities. Additional academic year activities include college visits, SAT cram sessions, FAFSA completion nights, and college fairs. In addition to SAT and college application fee waivers, the staff provides students with assistance completing their college and scholarship applications. During a six-week residential summer program students attend academic classes in math, lab sciences, composition, literature, foreign languages, and social sciences. Bridge students take Saint Francis University courses for credit. The program also sponsors daily tutorials, a work-study component, volunteer opportunities, and cultural events for students. The program’s postsecondary sending rate is 93% with 76% of alumni earning a degree within five years of high school graduation. Among the program’s alumni are physicians, engineers, educators, nurses, lawyers, business people, and physical therapists; they are employed by such companies as Alcoa, Chase Manhattan Bank, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, and State Farm. The program is housed in the Library and Learning Commons.
Writing Center
The Writing Center at Saint Francis University offers one-to-one consultations for students seeking assistance with their writing. The center’s tutoring staff is trained to work with students at any stage of the writing process on almost any type of assignment. Services and resources are free to all undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at Saint Francis University.
The center is physically located on the second floor of the Library and Learning Commons. During the fall and spring semesters, the center is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 11:00 to 4:00 p.m. (excepting the final three days of exam week and all scheduled University holidays). Online services are offered via Cranium Café during Summer Modules I and II. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome on a first-come-first-served basis. Students may schedule appointments by emailing writingcenter@francis.edu or visiting Cranium Café.
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