It’s the beginning of the academic year, a time that can be filled with excitement, but also uncertainty. Some students are leaving home for the first time, while others may simply need an extra hand but don’t know where to look. Whatever the case may be, The Echo has nine resources to help students navigate college life and succeed at EMU.
Affordable food, item access
Swoop's Food Pantry is filling the gap between students and food insecurity. Located in Pierce Hall in Room 100, Swoop's Food Pantry provides EMU’s community with free food and non-food items including school supplies, hygiene items, clothing and more. Current students and staff members, as well as anyone who has taken classes at EMU within the last calendar year, are eligible to visit Swoops.
Ben Roberts, director of Swoop's Food Pantry, said he recognizes college students have diverse dietary needs and that Swoop's works to provide inclusive food options.
“Our food is 100% bought or donated or bought with donated dollars, so it’s always changing, but we try to provide all your basic necessities,” said Roberts. “That's canned goods, meat, dairy products; but we also do our best to support any dietary restrictions you may have, so if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, halal, low sodium, we try our best to stock as many items as we can.”
Prior to shopping at Swoop's, students should be sure to complete the required Swoop's Food Pantry intake form. This form takes approximately five minutes to complete and needs to be filled out before each academic year in order to utilize the pantry.
Among its other resources, the University Advising and Career Development Center operates a Career Closet that provides students and alumni with free professional clothing and accessories for career fairs, networking events and more. The closet offers clothing in a variety of sizes and styles. Located in Room 251 of McKenny Hall, the Career Closet is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays during the fall and winter semesters.
Academic support
EMU offers a number of free resources to support students throughout their academic journeys.
Located in Room G04 in Halle Library, the Holman Success Center provides students with tutoring, success coaching, supplemental instruction programs and more. Drop-in tutoring is available for many general education courses and is offered virtually through Google Meet or Zoom. Tutors can assist students with quick questions or provide long-term academic support.
Success coaches help students create personalized academic plans based on their short- and long-term academic and personal goals that are both achievable and sustainable.
Pointing to a whiteboard, Tracey Sonntag, one of the associate directors of the Holman Success Center, said, “Everything we do in Holman is basically centered around one question: What is in the best interest of our students? For example, in tutoring, we work very hard to make sure our tutors understand how to relate to anyone else who might be sitting across the table from them. How do you provide the right amount of challenge and support so that they’re actually learning something from tutoring rather than showing up to get answers?”
For students who struggle with math and statistics, the Math Lab is available to help.
Located in Room 411 of Pray-Harrold, the Math Lab offers tutoring in one-on-one and small group settings. Tutors help students understand difficult concepts, work through challenging homework problems and develop strategies to solve problems independently.
When it comes to writing, sometimes students need more than help with grammar and punctuation, and the University Writing Center recognizes this. The UWC supports students throughout every stage of the writing process, from turning ideas into writing and citing sources to reviewing drafts before submitting a final paper.
Students can meet with a consultant in Room 104 of Halle Library, over Zoom or receive written feedback. Visit the center's website to schedule a consultation.
Career and professional development
Whether beginning a career journey, need academic help or want better interviewing skills, students can turn to the University Advising and Career Development Center for support.
Located in Room 200 of McKenny Hall, the UACDC connects students and alumni with employment opportunities through career fairs, mock interviews and Handshake, EMU’s career management platform. The center also works with students to develop their academic and career goals.
One UACDC service that academic adviser Colleen McChesney believes more students should know about is drop-in advising.
“One thing that I think more students should know about is our drop-in advising,” McChesney said. “We offer drop-in advising every week and then every day for the first two weeks at the start of the semester. This is for if you need help with something right away and don’t want to wait for an appointment,” McChesney said.
John Carlson, a job and internship specialist at the UACDC, described the variety of ways the center helps students and alumni prepare for their careers.
“We help students with infrastructure,” Carlson said. “What I call infrastructure is your resume, your cover letter, how to articulate your ‘why,’ your passion for your profession, your role and your industry.”
Carlson said the UACDC teaches students how to advocate for themselves, develop a pitch statement and search for employment opportunities. The center can also connect students with EMU alumni, prepare them to conduct informational interviews, help them practice for job interviews and teach them how to negotiate an offer professionally.
Health, safety services
As students adjust to campus life, there are resources to bring a sense of safety and security. Student Eyes and Ears for University Safety, a student staffed program operated through EMU’s Department of Public Safety provides escorts to students walking alone after dark to locations across campus.
Kaylen Lawton, a SEEUS supervisor and senior at EMU, acknowledges that students may be hesitant to ask for support but encouraged them to reach out.
“When you finally do ask for that help, it feels great knowing that they’re trained to do this. They know how to do this and the fact that we’re going to help you. We’re gonna figure out how to get you together and get you to the place that you need, or whatever it is that you are asking,” Lawton said. “You’re going to feel great afterwards. Like, just ask for that, scan that barcode or dial our number whenever you see our signs around. Just do it because we are going to help you as much as possible.”
Students can identify SEEUS staff by their bright yellow jackets or a T-shirt with the SEEUS logo on the back and ID badges.
SEEUS operates Monday through Friday from 5-10 p.m. and students can reach the program at 734-487-3387.
To support students' mental health, EMU’s Counseling and Psychological Services provides free, confidential counseling through a short-term model. CAPS is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 1075 N. Huron River Drive in Ypsilanti.
Students can receive individual, couples and group counseling, along with emergency services and crisis intervention. CAPS also offers limited psychiatry appointments for medication, which require insurance or payment.
Students must be enrolled at least half time to receive services. For questions, call 734-487-1118 or email counseling.services@emich.edu. Students can reach a counselor after hours by calling 734-487-1118.
Beyond EMU, Ypsilanti also has resources to support the community. Located a little more than a mile from EMU’s campus in downtown Ypsilanti, The Corner Health Center strives to provide affordable health and mental health care to young people in a nonjudgmental environment.
The center offers a variety of services, including primary care, sexual health services, mental health care and psychiatry.
It is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
To make an appointment, visit the center's website or call 734-484-3600.
