“I have been blessed with a multitude of benefits from the Student Support Services Program. Through this program, I have grown by removing barriers in my mind, identifying my strengths as a learner, receiving academic and personal support, and by making more objective decisions about my academic career and life.”
Kelly, sophomore
“I am working every week to improve my reading speed and comprehension. My reading speed when we started was at 135 words per minute and it is now at 250 WPM. This has been very helpful to me because it decreases the amount of time that I spend on reading textbooks, and I also get more out of what I read because I comprehend and thus retain the information with greater ease. This also gives me more time to study and do my homework.”
Lori, freshman
“The SSS program has been a part of my life since my freshman year when the SSS staff welcomed me into their own little family! I have had the opportunity to work with the SSS staff, helping me make decisions about my classes to take and working on my academic profile to help me figure out my class schedules. During these times it is also nice to be able to talk with someone about all the things going on in my life besides school. When I took college algebra I needed some help with my math homework. I was able to get that help through the SSS program by getting a math tutor. I also have used the graphing calculators and tape recorders many times to help me in my classes”……I also am a part of the very rewarding SSS organization. We have done many fun activities, raised money for the organization, and volunteered time. I am glad I had the chance to be in such a great organization with caring people that are supportive of my academics, me, and most importantly my daughter and fiancé.”
Jessica, junior
“ The staff from Student Support Services has been a tremendous source of encouragement and help. They have never judged me and are always eager to help with any questions or concerns that I may have. I normally spend about 4-5 hours there a week, getting assistance for my classes. Through my hard work and help from the staff at SSS, I was able to do excellent work last semester and achieve a 3.40 GPA. This makes me very proud of myself, and helps me to see that I can do anything that I put my mind to.”
Naomi, junior
“ Student Support Services Program has always been there to help me overcome obstacles and to assist in directing me towards my goals. They have been genuinely concerned about my education along with my future success. I have utilized all aspects of the resources provided through Student Support Services Program. They have a wonderful math tutor that helped me with algebra and also prepared me for the CAAP Exam. From the English Specialist, I learned about my personal learning strengths and how to apply certain strategies to help me with note-taking and memorization.” ….. “The financial aid workshop has been a wonderful asset to get assistance in filing the FAFSA on time.” …… “I have been able to use their book program….mentoring program, and I have benefited from various workshops. Student Support Services staff has always taken the time to help me solve the problems I have had. They are a wonderful staff, and I wouldn’t be here today without their encouragement and problem-solving skills.”
Bernie, junior
“Throughout my first semester, I literally spent hours each week in the SSS math lab for tutoring. I am happy to report that I have a greater understanding of Algebra than I ever have had before.” ……”Most importantly, however, is the fact that I gained a lot of confidence due to my success. This confidence caused me to believe that I did indeed have the ability to succeed in college despite the obstacles I faced as a single mom. Currently, I continue to utilize tutoring for Biology.”
Megan, freshman
“When I first attended Black Hills State University in 2001, I didn’t have the commitment and dedication that I needed. I slacked as much as one could; I dropped out of school my first semester only to enter the work force thinking that a high school diploma was all the education that I needed.” …..”I knew I wanted to return to school to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree. Except, this time would be different; I was going to pursue a degree with a two-year old son to care for at the same time.” …..”As I was going thru the pre-registration days, it became very apparent that attending college as a single parent was going to be an enormous challenge. To be honest, I was intimidated as I sat in the seminars on Orientation Day. Then I was introduced to the Director of Student Support Services. She was very helpful and kind, and right then I knew I wanted to be a part of this organization. I knew Student Support Services would help me achieve my goals at Black Hills State University.”
“Not only does SSS offer tutoring assistance through their specialists, they offer an even more important support, and that is emotional. The doors of SSS are always open to students who just need to talk about their challenges or even talk about what they had accomplished that semester. College students need not only academic guidance, but they also need emotional support at times to be successful.”
“In the seven months that I have been enrolled with SSS, my GPA has risen from 1.5 to a 2.0. Trust me, it’s not going to stop there, especially when SSS stands next to me with the most supportive encouragement. I will obtain my degree for my son and for myself, and when that happens I will give Student Support Services a big THANK YOU.”
Jake, freshman
“Student Support Services has been a tremendous asset to me. The scholarship I received removed some of the financial roadblocks, and the textbook loan kept my book purchases at a minimum. Also, the tutoring program has served as tremendous personal support. It allowed my grades and my self-esteem to improve exponentially! Consequently, this is one of the main reasons I am still enrolled as a student at Black Hills State University.”
Andy, senior