SRU officially opens new Campus Success Center
Slippery Rock University’s new Campus Success Center is filled with resources to help students succeed.
SRU officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The building had been open since students’ first spring semester day on Tuesday. It was particularly busy with students who lost power already utilizing various workspaces.
Much of the space that makes up SRU’s new Campus Success Center was once used for storage. It is now sprawling with conference rooms, study areas and a range of academic resources.
“The magic that will occur in this space is the nurturing of relationships. It is here where they will engage with incredibly talented professionals who care for them and ensure their success,” SRU president Karen Riley said. “One of our goals within the strategic plan, is to provide a premier student experience, by enhancing, the quality, functionality and aesthetic appeal of the campus environment. This Campus Success Center does that.”
The new facility has offices for the office of disability services, center for career and academic progress, mailing services, and the office of financial aid and scholarships on the first floor. The second floor has the dean of students’ office, a student health center and a student counseling center. Throughout the multiple wings of the building are student study lounges, a tutoring center, conference rooms, and a renovated space for holding events and speeches with larger crowds.
Riley said the new facility was designed to have flexible learning spaces that can have multiple uses.
“The fluidity of work and of students learning and support is reflected in the space,” Riley said. “It’s multipurpose, and it should be able to grow with us as higher education continues to change.”
The structure, in addition to former storage space, used to house the university union building.
Repurposing the building cost just under $20 million.
Scott Albert, an associate vice president at SRU, said during the ceremony, the first study for building a new Campus Success Center dates back to 2009.
“Part of our strategic plan is to just create an environment where it’s functional for learning and aesthetically clean, and this is just it. It works so well for our students, it’s designed for them, and it’s beautiful — it makes a difference,” Riley said after the ceremony. “I was talking to financial aid, and they said they’ve been in a building with no windows, and look at all of this space. With students, there will be more foot traffic, which means access to our students for support will be easier.”
Riley said the project would not be possible without the support of Pennsylvania taxpayers, saying this project was “by you and for you.”
In addition to various university officials and trustees, several public officials attended the ceremony and open house tour of the new facility, including state Rep. Tim Bonner, R-17th; Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel; and representatives for other local politicians.
SRU student Ella Boom, president of the SRU student government association, said the new facility is beneficial for students’ needs, helping them more easily access services that make a difference in academic success. The campus success center “was designed with you (the students) in mind.”
“Today’s ribbon-cutting for the new center marks an important step forward in supporting student wellness and achievement on our campus,” Bloom said.
