University of Northern Colorado Launches New Center to Remove Barriers to Degree Completion

Financial concerns are one of the biggest barriers preventing first-generation students from persisting in their college education. At the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) more than 40% of its students are first-generation college students, and 19% are both first-generation college students and low-income students. Often, students who are financially vulnerable can face difficulty meeting their essential (basic) needs. UNC aims to change this through the launch of a new Center for Student Well-Being (CSW).

The Center for Student Well-Being provides students with individualized support related to their essential needs. Resource navigators in the CSW provide private support to undergraduate and graduate students to help them connect with resources related to housing, food, utility assistance, medical and mental health care, health insurance, childcare, transportation, access to course materials, clothing, and emergency financial support. Resource navigators can also help students apply for federal and state benefit programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, or the Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).

“We have been working on this new concept for the past 11 months of creating a dedicated space that will support students who are facing financial challenges” said Taylor Schiestel, the director of the CSW. The new Bear Pantry and the Center for Student Well-Being will be a one-stop shop for basic needs resources, instead of having them housed in different areas around campus.

UNC began focusing on supporting students’ basic needs with the launch of its first food pantry program in 2014. That pantry was little more than a closet, and in the following decade the needs grew. A spring 2023 survey revealed that more than 57% of undergraduate students and 52% of graduate students at UNC were reporting some degree of food insecurity in the past 30 days. The CSW project includes a new pantry that triples the size of the former space and provides a food processing area so fresh fruits and vegetables can be prepared. The pantry will also be able to package leftover food from Dining Services. Construction and launch of these new programs were made possible in part by a $310,000 grant from The CSW is located at the heart of the campus in the University Center, signifying the importance of the center to community and relationship building. In addition to providing a pantry UNC has been able to add emergency housing vouchers, laptop computers, and emergency funding of up to $750 for students facing unexpected expenses. Sometimes small expenses can derail a student’s progress. UNC aims to eliminate as many of these barriers as possible. The Weld Trust, ongoing support from The Weld Food Bank, and donations from individual and corporate donors.

UNC is recognized as a Hunger Free Campus by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The designation recognizes that UNC has a comprehensive program in place to expand food support for students and employees.

To learn more about the CSW, including how to access services, visit the CSW webpage. A podcast with additional information about the new center can be found here.

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For more information on University of Northern Colorado's approach, please visit their website here.