Jessica G. Staten
Assistant Director, Supplemental Education
Office: Downing University Center A330
Phone: 270-745-5065
Email: jessica.staten@wku.edu
Website: http://www.wku.edu/advising
Courses
Fundamentals of Public Speaking (COMM 145)
Business and Professional Speaking (COMM 161)
University Experience (UC 175)
University Experience – Special Topics (UC 176)
Bio
As the Assistant Director of Supplemental Education, it is my pleasure to lead the retention and supplemental education teams within the Academic Advising & Retention Center (AARC). While serving the WKU students, faculty, and staff in this position, I hope to provide superior supplemental education and retention services while changing perceptions that these services are solely used by students who struggle academically or those with little academic ability. Conversely, it is the student who wants to maintain his/her high academic achievement level that will make use of these services.
Supplemental Education is vital to the success of college students in the 21st century and is thus a necessary component to aid WKU students to graduation. The Learning Center (TLC) provides a supportive and engaging atmosphere for learning which supplements the concepts and theories taught in the classroom. This goal is currently tackled in a variety of ways. TLC is heavily utilized as a quiet study facility prided on maintaining an academic focus. TLC employs undergraduate students to provide free peer-to-peer tutoring in over 200 WKU courses and eight academic skill areas. The Academic Advantage Series: Workshops for Success (AAS) are a series of workshop presentations that focus on skills students at the collegiate level should possess but might not have learned over the course of his/her academic career. Each session provides hands-on, expert instruction from professionals at WKU who are dedicated to student success. Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) allow students to participate in a course specific group learning environment. These programs are offered with one goal in mind: student success.
While retention must be a campus wide effort, the Academic Advising & Retention Center’s Best Expectation Programs (BEP), provide WKU students with resources necessary for persistence to graduation. The elements of these programs focus on both academic and non-academic factors which inhibit degree completion. These retention initiatives aid in fostering a connectedness between the student and the university by nurturing the student’s understanding of campus resources available and promoting a culture with which to utilize those services.
It is evident that the students of WKU have the desire to complete a degree. As educators and administrators, it is our responsibility to provide resources to assist each student in their pursuit of becoming a WKU graduate. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the supplemental education or retention initiatives of WKU.
Education
Master of Arts, Communication, Western Kentucky University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Western Kentucky University
