By Michelle Adams 

Shenandoah University (SU) works hard to ensure the wellbeing of all its students by providing resources for student success. From counseling to academic services, anything you need to prosper is just around the corner, and free or almost free of charge to students.

Photo by Harley Ryan

If you fall ill, our on-campus health services team is there to help at little or no cost. Wilkins Wellness Center offers physical exams, immunizations, and various laboratory tests to help diagnose your ailment, and they are authorized to provide some over-the-counter medications to students (at a charge to your student account). They are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and, according to SU’s website, there is always a registered nurse available during these hours.

Photo by Harley Ryan

For a little extra study help, visit the Academic Enrichment Center in Howe Hall room 204. They will not only help with homework or assignments, but also prepare you for future success by working to develop study habits and strategies. On occasion, they offer group workshops to promote academic skills, or you can sign up for an individual appointment in almost every class on campus, across all majors, even conservatory. Joshua Fleming, a tutor and junior music education major, recommends that any student who wants to improve in a class sign up for a tutor. “If a student has any doubt that they are not being [as] successful [as they could be], they should sign up for tutoring,” he says.

Photo by Harley Ryan

In addition to tutoring, the Academic Enrichment Center also includes a Writing Center, to help students improve essays and writing skills. If a visit to the Center does not fit into your schedule, you can also visit their page on SU’s website for writing resources and handouts. To meet with a tutor, sign up via TutorTrac on Blackboard, or, to make an appointment at the Writing Center, visit https://su.mywconline.com/.

The Counseling Center provides a relaxation room for students who want to take their mind off school for awhile. There is even a massage chair students can use!

Mental health is vital to academic success. If you are in need of professional counseling, the Counseling Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Cooley Hall rooms 301-307. They offer complimentary wellness assessments, confidential individual and group counseling sessions, and stress reduction workshops.

Graduate Intern Kristen Myers is one of the many counselors in the center who are more than happy to help students that are going through a difficult time or just need talk.

Counseling is free to all students in, “degree-seeking programs,” according to SU’s website. To make an appointment, email Nancy Shulte at nschulte@su.edu. The Counseling Center urges students to remember that while sessions are confidential, they cannot guarantee privacy in email correspondence. 

Many of these on-campus resources are included in tuition costs for students, so it is important to make the most of your money and visit them when you need help. The entire university community is dedicated to your success; take advantage of that and visit today.