Letter from the Vice Chancellor
The Division of Student Affairs 2024-2025 Annual Report serves as a snapshot of our student outcomes and achievements for the past year. Student Affairs staff work tirelessly to support student success and provide services and programs that help students develop a sense of belonging at SIUE.
We are committed to enhancing student retention, persistence, and graduation. In 2025-2026, the Division of Student Affairs realigned our goals to fit a 4ward Focus framework with our four areas of focus being Student Basic Needs, Student Health and Well-being, Career-Readiness Competencies, and Fostering a Vibrant Campus Life Experience. This strategic approach addresses the interconnected elements essential for student success.
With deep gratitude for their efforts to actively support student success and retention, I thank each and every staff member in the Division of Student Affairs. With appreciation, I thank our campus partners across the university who collaborated to co-create an outstanding SIUE student experience this past year. With humility, I thank our SIUE students and family members for allowing Student Affairs to join you on your journey tograduation. With pride in our collective work, I share the 2024-2025 Division of Student Affairs Annual Report.
With Cougar Pride, Miriam Roccia
Miriam Roccia Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Table of Contents
STUDENT AFFAIRS SUPPORTS STUDENTS AS THEY LEARN FROM AND NAVIGATE LIFE’S OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES.
Mission Vision
STUDENT AFFAIRS BOLDLY PREPARES STUDENTS TO IMPACT A CHANGING WORLD.
Framework
The Division of Student Affairs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is committed to enhancing student retention, persistence, and graduation through our comprehensive 4ward Focus framework. This strategic approach addresses the interconnected elements essential for student success across four key areas.
Student Basic Needs forms the foundation of our work, recognizing that students must have their fundamental necessities met before they can fully engage academically.
Student Health and Well-Being focuses on helping students thrive holistically once their basic needs are met.
Career-Readiness Competencies
prepare students for workplace success and lifelong career management through hands-on experiences.
Fostering a Vibrant
Campus Life Experience
creates intentional connections that help students feel they belong and matter at SIUE.
Department List
CAMPUS RECREATION
Campus Recreation offers the University community recreational and educational opportunities that teach the values of mind, body and spirit wellness.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Career Development Center offers guidance and resources related to career exploration and development, planning and preparation, experiential education, professional growth, and job attainment through collaborations with the University community and employer partners.
COUGAR CARE
Our integrated team delivers compassionate, inclusive, comprehensive medical and behavioral health services that support student wellbeing, promote resilience, and limit interruptions in academic pursuits with a student-centered focus consistent with the mission of SIUE. Cougar Care includes Health Service, Counseling Services, and Health Promotion and Education.
DINING SERVICES
SIUE Dining features a variety of venues designed to enhance the student experience, including a food court with ten restaurant concepts, a coffee shop, two snack shops, two convenience stores, and full-service. Catering Services that support both campus events and the broader community
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
The Early Childhood Center strives to provide quality care and education for children of the University community, ages two through five.
KIMMEL BELONGING AND ENGAGEMENT HUB
The Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub's mission is to work with the SIUE campus and community to create meaningful collaborations that curate transformational experiences where students learn to define their purpose and identify their impact.
MORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER/STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER
The Morris University Center provides a place for recreational and educational programming, as well as numerous essential services. The Student Success Center is a facility housing academic and personal support services in one convenient location.
UNIVERSITY HOUSING
University Housing fosters a living environment that promotes opportunities for students to become civically, socially and academically responsible individuals who are engaged members of their current and future communities.
DEAN OF STUDENTS AND STUDENT CARE/ADVOCACY
The Dean of Students Office (DOS) is dedicated to promoting the personal, social, and academic well-being of students. They strive to foster growth and development by teaching accountability, responsibility, and compassion. The DOS office supports access to basic needs, including food, housing, healthcare, technology, and transportation.
NEW STUDENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS
New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) helps incoming students and their supporters feel welcomed, supported, and ready to succeed from day one—academically, personally, and in planning for what comes next. NSFP empowers students to take charge of their first year by building community and confidence through orientation, meaningful connections, and the people, programs, and resources they need to thrive at SIUE and beyond as part of the Cougar community.
Focus Area Highlights
Basic Student Needs
Student Basic Needs forms the foundation of our work, recognizing that students must have their fundamental necessities met before they can fully engage academically.
With 52% of our students experiencing food insecurity, housing insecurity, or homelessness, we've expanded resources including Mini-Cougar Cupboards throughout campus, emergency funding support, and transportation assistance through our bus token initiative. Recent efforts have enabled us to address the root causes of housing insecurity while ensuring students have access to essential resources.
"I was so stressed about money and food, and now I feel like the kids and I will be able to make it through... break even if I don't end up getting food stamps. You just took a huge weight off my shoulders..."
What does this look like in Student Affairs?
Campus Recreation partnered with Cougar Cupboard to host an athletic wear and sports equipment drive, collecting hundreds of gently used items. 90 students were able to receive resources and equipment to expand participation and access to recreational actitities.
Student Affairs was awarded $200,000 from the Illinois Board of Higher Education to address the root causes of Housing Insecurity. The funds allowed the expansion of Mini-Cougar Cupboards throughout SIUE, greater emergency funding, the launch of a new bus token initiative to limit transportation barriers, and to broader essential needs resources.
University Housing & Dining Services launched a commuter meal plan to expand food access. The meal plan allows non-residence hall students the opportunity to bill the meal plan to their student account, utilizing available financial aid resources.
New Student & Family Programs offered an orienation bus from Chicago to SIUE to maximize participation and minimize transportation barriers for participants. 50 students and parents utilized the service.
Student Well-Being
Student Health and Well-being focuses on helping students thrive holistically once their basic needs are met.
While basic needs are about survival and stability, health and well-being is about thriving and optimal functioning across interconnected life domains. Student Affairs is grounding this work in the 8-Dimensions of Wellness.
"[SIUE] is helping more and more students feel educated on important topics, while also making them fel safe, supported, and empowered to succeed at SIUE, regardless of their program, physical or mental health diagnosis, or living situation."
What does this look like in Student Affairs?
Student Affairs was awarded $290,000 from the Illinois Board of Higher Education to support early access to mental health resources.
Counseling and Health Services sponsored a Mental Health Incubator challenge supporting 4 relaxtion/sensory rooms across campus, 7 SelfCare Carts, and student-led programming. University
Housing, New Student & Family Programs were also recipients of incubator grant funds.
Kimmel Belonging & Engagement Hub and Campus Activities Board hosted an ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian reponse) event during Finals Week. ASMR can include relaxtion, and lower heart rate and blood pressure.
Welcome Weekend, coordinated by New Student & Family Programs, expanded to a full-day of programming around the 8-Dimensions of Wellness on Sunday. This built on the annual Start Strong programming that is a signature of Sunday's Welcome Weekend programming.
Campus and community partners rounded out offerings during Welcome Weekend, centering student wellness. Campus Recreation hosted yoga and campus bike ride. Dining Services hosted "Nourish to Flourish: Food Tips for Campus Life.
Career Development Center sponsored "You're Hired: How to Use your Tools to get the Job."
Division Mental Health Trainings
Includes QPR, MHFA, Postvention Training, and Train the Trainer Sessions
Career-Readiness
Career-Readiness Competencies prepare students for workplace success and lifelong career management through hands-on experiences.
Our student employment programs consistently show higher retention rates, with nearly 95% of full-time freshmen with non-Federal Work Study employment retained from fall 2023 to fall 2024. We've launched a Career-Readiness Badge program, developed supervisor toolkits, and integrated NACE competency language into student positions to ensure meaningful skill development alongside academic learning.
"The most important thing I've learned from working in my Student Affairs department is the value of effective communication. It’s crucial to listen actively, express ideas clearly, and collaborate with others to create a positive and supportive environment for students and staff alike."
What does this look like in Student Affairs?
At the Early Childhood Center, students receive ongoing training including traumainformed care, food service training, and certification in First Aid and CPR. They gain hands-on experience and direct guidance while on the job, developing multiple career-readiness skills, build confidence, and enhance their ability to succeed in future professional roles.
Supervisors in the Morris University Center modified student position descriptions and duties to match NACE competency language to both maintain professionalism and to reinforce and refocus the learning outcomes of student employment experiences.
Career Development Center and Kimmel Belonging & Engagement Hub presented the Roadmap to College to Career sessions to more than 2,200 orientation attendees this summer, introducing the NACE Career-readiness Competencies and engagement strategies for growing essential skills.
Vibrant Campus Life Experience
Fostering a Vibrant Campus Life Experience creates intentional connections that help students feel they belong and matter at SIUE.
Fostering a Vibrant Campus Life Experience creates intentional connections that help students feel they belong and matter at SIUE. Research shows that students participating in four involvement practices are more likely to be retained, and we have every opportunity to provide access to campus activities that allow students to thrive. Through strategic programming and community-building initiatives, we're creating an environment where all students can find their place and contribute to our campus community.
What does this look like in Student Affairs?
Campus Recreation hosted the 9th Annual Late Night with Campus Recreation in August, welcoming 985 participants during Cougar Welcome and serving as a key connection point for new and returning students.
The 23rd Annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off in October transitioned to a daytime Quad location, significantly increasing event visibility and engagement. That same day, Campus Recreation introduced the inaugural RECplex Showcase, a new Homecoming kickoff event that blended intramural competition with campus-wide social engagement.
Together, the Chili Cook-Off and RECplex Showcase drew a combined total participation of 1,096. Collectively, these events reflect a continued commitment to creating accessible, engaging experiences that foster community, school spirit, and student connection at SIUE.
University Housing hosted Haunted Housing Week in October 2024, engaging residents in a number of halloween-themed activities, including pumpkin carving/ painting, trunk or treat, glow walk, bonfire and more. Nearly 288 residents engaged in these programs over the weeklong programming, creating numerous opportunities for engagement and community.
Division Recognition
The Division of Student Affairs recognizes the outstanding contributions of Student Affairs staff to improve the lives of students. As Student Affairs staff live the values and embody the mission of the Division of Student Affairs and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, they serve as role models for students and colleagues, inspiring others to be great.
The Golden Paw seeks to recognize the individual actions by Student Affairs staff that go above and beyond every day, year-round, as we promote and maintain student success.
The Division of Student Affairs recognizes excellence through two primary award cycles:
Individual Staff Awards presented at the Annual Student Affairs Kick-off Celebration in the fall, and Progress and Purpose Awards presented during a spring ceremony. Individual Staff Awards honor full-time staff for exceptional front-line service, behind-the-scenes contributions, impactful early career work, and sustained, studentcentered leadership that advances the Division’s “Students Firs t” mission.
The Progress and Purpose Awards recognize innovation, graduate assistant excellence, community engagement, advocacy for equity and inclusion, and collaborative partnerships that enhance student success and belonging.
Student Testimonials
"What I liked best about the internship experience was the opportunity to apply what I learned in class to real-world situation. Working on meaningful projects and collaborating with professionals helped me gain practical knowledge and build confidence."
"My student employee position at SIUE has had an extreme impact by providing hands-on experience that complements my academic learning. It’s helped me develop important skills like time management, customer service, and teamwork. Additionally, it’s allowed me to build relationships with faculty and staff, creating networking opportunities that enhance my overall college experience."
"As a Desk Manager, my role has improved my leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Assisting residents daily has strengthened my ability to handle diverse situations, from answering inquiries to resolving conflicts. This experience has also deepened my connection to the SIUE community, making me more engaged and confident in a professional setting."