By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Wendy Adams wasn’t sure she could do it.
Leaving her small hometown of Almena, Kansas – population 350 – and the family she leaned on for support felt overwhelming. The youngest of eight children and a first-generation college student, she put off packing for the big move to the University of Nebraska at Kearney until the very last minute.
“I was not ready to leave home. I’d never really left home for more than just camps, so this was a big change,” she said. “My parents started bawling when I had to leave, and it made me want to cry, too.”
An elementary education major, Adams chose UNK because she liked the safe community and “homey vibe,” plus she pays in-state tuition through the New Nebraskan Scholarship.
However, she was still “really nervous” when she arrived on campus – “nervous to the point where I wasn’t sure whether I’d make it through the first month.”
Much of that uncertainty faded once she settled into the Loper Success Academy, a UNK program designed to give students the tools and confidence they need to start college on the right foot.
During Loper Success Week – a five-day event held before fall classes began – Adams and nearly 30 other incoming freshmen explored campus, attended practice classes with UNK professors and participated in team-building activities that quickly turned strangers into friends.
“In the first day I made multiple friends, which I did not think was possible,” Adams said with a smile. “It made me feel a lot more ready for classes to start.”
Expanding student support
Formerly called the First-Gen Trailblazer Academy, the program was rebranded and expanded this year to include more students. No longer limited to first-generation participants, the Loper Success Academy is available at no cost to any student seeking extra support as they transition to college.
“By expanding the program, we’re able to reach a wider population of students who could benefit from personalized academic support and guidance,” said Emily Bahr, director of UNK Tutoring and Academic Support. “We want them to feel like they belong at UNK. We want them to feel like they’re connected to this community. And we want them to recognize that this is a place where they can be successful.”
The program begins with Loper Success Week, a “practice run” for the fall semester that allows students to create connections with faculty, staff and peers before campus is bustling again. Participants move in early, eat meals together, attend workshops on academics, wellness and campus life, and complete group projects that prepare them for classroom assignments. They’re also introduced to campus resources such as the Loper Success Hub, Calvin T. Ryan Library, Financial Aid Office and Student Health and Counseling.
The support doesn’t end there. Throughout the semester, academy participants will meet weekly in small groups led by peer success coaches, check in with professional staff and receive regular communication to keep them on track. The fall semester concludes with a celebration recognizing their hard work and accomplishments.
“We felt like we were doing a lot of good things for those five days before the semester started, but that’s a really short amount of time. The challenges students face don’t stop once the semester begins,” Bahr said. “Our goal is to really focus on things like retention and good academic standing, and those require ongoing support.”
Boosting academic skills
For freshman Asher Luse, the academy was a chance to make a fresh start.
The Hickman native admits he wasn’t the strongest student in high school, especially when it came to studying. But he wants to pursue a career in finance, so he knew college would demand more discipline.
“I did not have the best study skills in high school, so I was a little bit nervous coming into college,” Luse said. “I knew that I needed a large amount of help in that area for sure.”
Through the Loper Success Academy, he learned practical study skills, discovered the best places to focus on his coursework and connected with a group of peers who share his goals.
“The academy has been so beneficial. I feel like I’ve already built some quality friendships here, which is really helpful,” he said. “All of that has just made my confidence higher.”
Luse encourages other students to take advantage of the opportunity.
“If anyone is thinking about joining the Loper Success Academy and is maybe doubting themselves, I’d strongly encourage them to do it,” he said. “It’s just super helpful and a huge confidence booster. It makes you feel like you know a lot more about college before you even start.”
Ultimately, that’s the objective of the Loper Success Academy – creating a sense of belonging.
“We don’t want students to feel like they’re on their own,” Bahr said. “We’re here to guide them, motivate them and do everything we can to help them reach that goal of earning a college degree.”
PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRITCHARD AND KOLLIN GOFF, UNK COMMUNICATIONS
