The Center for Success at Franciscan University of Steubenville exists to address the individual academic needs of students and cultivate a welcoming atmosphere and inclusiveness for students with disabilities.
The Center for Success staff works to create dynamic student-centered services to help Franciscan University students thrive. We help students reach their educational and personal goals by providing the support, coaching, and encouragement necessary to build a strong foundation and achieve excellence. We provide additional campus resources for academic and personal enrichment services for students overcoming learning, physical, and mental health challenge.
We strive to develop the God-given strengths of each Franciscan student. From orientation to graduation, the Center for Success serves the needs of every member of the Franciscan community. Whether you are on our Ohio campus or pursuing online coursework, an academically excellent and passionately Catholic education is within reach.
Our Goals:
To assist our students achieve their full academic potential
To assist our students with disabilities by providing academic accommodations
The Center for Success assists students in meeting their educational goals by providing the support, training, and encouragement to build a strong academic foundation. Services available include academic coaching, peer tutoring, writing assistance, and accessibility services.
The Center for Success helps its students adjust to their first year of college life at Franciscan University. The most challenging time for any college student is the first year. Making friends and adjusting to academic life is not always easy. The transition to college is fun and exciting, yet it can present some challenges.
Franciscan PLUS is a one-year program for select first-year students, providing structured support as they adjust academically, socially, and spiritually to college. Participants attend weekly seminars on an online platform during the fall semester that cover a variety of topics. PLUS students meet regularly with a student success mentor to receive guidance and accountability. Our student success mentors help students set goals, create new habits, and cultivate strong time management skills.
Students who actively participate in the Franciscan PLUS Program have a proven track record of success at Franciscan University; not just in their first year, but through to graduation and beyond! If you would like more information, feel free to contact the Center for Success.
The Center for Success Staff and Graduate Assistants are available to work with students who wish to improve their scholastic performance and become more proactive learners.
Through weekly one-on-one appointments, students develop time management and study skills. Student success counselors help identify, explore, and overcome obstacles to student wellness and academic success. Students learn more about making good decisions, exploring and setting life goals, and increasing motivation in college and beyond.
Coaching sessions are tailored to meet each individual student’s academic needs and goals. Meeting with a student success counselor on a regular basis is an effective way to monitor academic progress. Students are encouraged to develop a more meaningful approach to their individual academic pursuits and participation in student life.
The Center for Success offers peer tutoring for students interested in additional instruction in a variety of courses. All of our tutors are current students, and most of them were once students in the exact classes they are now tutoring. Tutors offer advice, demonstrate practice problems, test students’ knowledge, offer feedback on assignments, and recommend additional studying resources. We learn best when we collaborate with others!
There is no fee for tutoring and is available to any student enrolled in a class at Franciscan University. In-person and online sessions are available.
We offer 3 types of peer tutoring:
Students schedule individual tutoring appointments online through the Port. A schedule of group tutoring times is also available on the Port.
First-generation students are students who are one of the first in their family to go to college. At Franciscan, we officially define a first-generation student as: a student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have not completed a four-year degree in the United States. Franciscan is a proud member of NASPA’s Center for First-Generation Student Success First Scholars Network.
Mission
The Center for Success seeks to celebrate, welcome, and guide first-generation students as they pursue their education, discern their vocation, and live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Celebrate: We celebrate first-generation students for being one of the first in their family to go to college.
Welcome: We welcome first-generation students, creating fertile ground for them to build community with one another. Current first-gen students help new first-gen students. Social events lead to the formation of new friendships. Faculty and staff who were once first-gen students offer advice about careers and preparation for life beyond college.
Guide: We guide first-generation students as they seek the truth, discern their vocations, grow in relationship with God, and prepare for their careers. Our workshops teach students how to study well and navigate the university’s many rules and expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a first-generation student if…?
Why do you place an emphasis on first-generation students? What’s the big deal?
We have a growing number of first-generation students attending Franciscan. You have something unique to share with this campus and with the Church. You are blazing a new trail for yourself. This requires courage, grit, and determination. Also, at times we assume everyone is on the same page about how college works. We have terms like credit, major, and household that you might not be familiar with. The best way to sort all this out is to look to one another for support and guidance. Some students ask their parents to help them figure all this out. However, your parents may not have all of the answers. We want to be another guide you can turn to as you make your way through college.
Contact UsMake-Up Tests
The Center for Success facilitates make-up tests and exams throughout the academic year, as space permits. Students must first receive approval from their professor before testing in the Center for Success. Make-up exams are administered during regular office hours, and walk-ins are welcome based on availability.
BYU FLATS Language Exams
The Center for Success Testing Center is an approved proctoring site for BYU FLATS (Foreign Language Achievement Testing Services) exams. FLATS exams allow students to demonstrate foreign language proficiency and may provide up to 12 college credits, depending on their institution’s policies. Students must register through BYU FLATS in advance and may choose either an approved in-person testing center or an approved remote proctoring option.
CLEP Tests
The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate courses. The tests are computer based and are available to students who have not yet completed 26 credits of college coursework. Consult the CLEP Score Sheet (available at the Registrar or the Center for Success) for a complete list of approved tests, course equivalents, and the minimum scores required to receive credit. Students need to register and pay for CLEP exams at their website.
To schedule a make-up, distance learning, or CLEP test, please email [email protected].
The Center for Success coordinates the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. Our mission is to collaborate with and empower students with disabilities in order to coordinate support services and programs that enable equal access to an education and university life. Our staff strive to create and sustain a welcoming, accessible, and supportive environment to promote academic independence and success of all students with disabilities.
We are committed to providing the highest quality service to each student with a disability. The focus of the department is to ensure that every student with a disability has an equal chance to participate in and benefit from university programs. It is the policy of Franciscan University to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair Housing Act, and other regulations issued thereunder to the extent applicable to the University.
Students and parents are encouraged to thoroughly review the information on the Accessibility Services page for information on registering with the office, how to provide documentation of a disability, as well as an overview of services and accommodations available. On behalf of the Center for Success Team, we look forward to working with you during your academic career at Franciscan University.
In His service,
Gaby Taylor
Director of Student Success
More information is available on the Accessibility Services page.Advising appointments with Franciscan’s student success advisors help you develop academic paths, determine necessary college credits, and prepare for graduation.
On campus students as well as students pursuing distance learning or online education can find assistance with writing assignments from beginning to end.
Stop by our office on the lower level of the St. John Paul II Library, or call:
Gaby Taylor
Director of Student Success
[email protected]
740-283-6304
Aaron Foldi
Accessibility Coordinator
[email protected]
740-284-5263
Anne M. Gabor
Student Success Counselor, PLUS Program Advisor
[email protected]
740-284-5303
Andrew Klabnik
Student Success Counselor, First-Generation Student Programming
[email protected]
740-284-5371
