Student Support Services grant renewed, continuing nearly 50 years of impact

A home base for student success

SSS at UWL serves 350 students each year, offering a "home base" for students who may need additional support to thrive in college. Services include supplemental academic advising, tutoring, financial literacy education and career readiness programming.

"Many of our students are the first in their family to attend college," explains Luke Fannin, '09, director of Student Support Services. "They don't have the option of asking a parent what forms to fill out or how to talk to a professor - and often, they don't even know what questions to ask yet."

That was the case for Miranda Panzer, '10 & '12, who arrived at UWL as a first-generation, low-income student.

"Upon arriving at UWL, I had no idea how to navigate the university," Panzer says. "I felt like a deer in the headlights, frozen and not sure which way to go. Signing up for the SSS program and getting connected to my assigned SSS advisor, Wayne Jacobson, made a huge difference. He was there every step of the way, helping me understand each process and what it meant to be successful."

While more than 350 students may be eligible for SSS, federal guidelines limit enrollment to 350 participants, ensuring that students with the greatest need receive services. About two-thirds of SSS students meet at least two of the three federal criteria: first-generation status, low-income background or a documented disability.

"These are students who are statistically at the greatest risk of not being retained or persisting to graduation," Fannin says. "SSS helps level the playing field."

Proven outcomes

The impact of the program is measurable. During the previous five-year period (2020-2025):

• 96% of SSS students maintained good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher during the terms served by SSS.
• 93% of SSS students continued enrollment at UWL in the following year after receiving support from SSS.
• 70% graduated from UWL within six years of first being served by SSS.

Beyond the numbers, students describe SSS as a place of belonging.

For Kerrigan Trautsch, '25, the SSS office quickly became a home away from home after she joined the program in her sophomore year.

"It was my go-to space for everything - tutoring meeting with writing specialists, discussing my academic journey, grabbing a snack or simply taking a moment to relax," Trautsch says.

Amanda Keil, a senior communication studies major and current SSS participant, says the program helped her navigate two of her biggest challenges: financing college and registering for courses.

"Everyone in the office is so helpful," Keil says. "They're willing to help you with anything - even if it's not directly related to school."

Trautsch credits the consistency and care of SSS advisors - including Andrew Ives and Robyn Beahm - with shaping her experience.

"SSS is built on genuine commitment to students," she says. "No matter the advisor or circumstance, I always felt that I mattered and that people truly cared about helping me navigate the whirlwind of higher education."

Franky Zavala, '22 & '26, echoes that sentiment.

"Having an advisor who made sure I was mentally, academically, physically and emotionally well meant everything to me," Zavala says. "SSS helped me find my niche at UWL and laid the foundation for my future career in student affairs."

Finding a career home at UWL

For Panzer, Trautsch and Zavala, the impact of SSS didn't end at graduation - it shaped their professional paths.

All three now work at UWL, driven by a desire to offer students the same care and guidance they once received.

Panzer credits her SSS advisor with helping her clarify her career direction.

"Wayne encouraged me to reflect on what I liked and didn't like in my courses, to visit UWL Academic Advising & Career Services, and do some serious soul searching," she says.

That process led Panzer to study abroad in Frankfurt, Germany - "by far one of the best decisions I ever made" - and eventually change her major to German Studies. She later earned a graduate degree in Student Affairs Administration and worked at Kansas State University before returning to UWL in 2013 as an international student and scholar advisor.

"The SSS program is an unmeasurable asset to UWL and programs across the country giving hope to students navigating university," she says. "Had I not been part of the program, I am honestly not sure where I would be today."

After graduating in May 2025, Trautsch joined UWL's staff and now works as a retention specialist in the Office of Multicultural Student Services.

"The care and guidance I received through SSS shaped my entire college experience," she says. "That support was so transformative that it inspired me to pursue a career where I can provide the same level of care to others."

Zavala now serves as a multicultural admissions counselor at UWL while completing his master's degree in student affairs administration.

"I hope to make a difference in students' lives similar to the impact SSS had on me," he says.

A tradition of institutional support

Fannin notes that the program's renewal reflects both its strong outcomes and UWL's longstanding commitment to student success.

Support for SSS comes from campus partners across UWL, including Institutional Research, Assessment & Planning; the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs; Financial Aid; Admissions; the Budget Office; the Disability Resource Center; the Pride Center, and many others.

"This institutional commitment isn't a blip - it's a tradition," Fannin says. "It's also a moment to recognize the decades of work by people like Barbara Stewart, Mary Coady, Lynette Prieur Lo and so many others. Most of all, it's a celebration of our students and their perseverance over nearly 50 years."

TRIO at UWL: Student Support Services and McNair Scholars

Student Support Services is one of two TRIO programs at UWL. Nationwide, TRIO includes eight federally funded programs designed to support students from middle school through doctoral study.

UWL also hosts the McNair Scholars Program, which is currently in the middle of its own five-year federal grant cycle. The McNair Scholars Program serves low-income, first-generation students and/or students from groups historically underrepresented in graduate education.