Daily Pioneer News

The staff of UWP Student Support Services includes, back row, left to right: Priscilla Hahn, learning specialist; Dale "Bernie" Bernhardt, director; and Dan Griffiths, tutoring supervisor; and front row, left to right: Sharon Pink, counselor; Marsha Stewart, associate; and Sharon Carns, reading specialist. (Photo by Amy Kreul)

PLATTEVILLE - 2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Student Support Services (SSS), a federally funded program supplementing existing campus services. SSS serves low-income and first-generation students and students with disabilities, focusing on the academic side of student life. SSS provides tutoring, advising and counseling, skill workshops and a learning specialist to the UWP campus.

The SSS director, Dale "Bernie" Bernhardt, is responsible for securing funding for the SSS program from the Office of TRIO Programs, a component of the U.S. Department of Education, every four years. Bernhardt obtains the grants through a highly competitive process of proving UWP's need for such programming.

SSS is part of the UWP Student Success Center, which also includes Advising and Career Exploration Services (ACES), Counseling Services, Services for Students with Disabilities, Patricia A. Doyle Women's Center, Writing Center and University Tutoring Services. SSS has provided free services to 300 eligible students each year for the past 30 years.

SSS has several long-standing staff members who have contributed to its success over the years. Bernhardt, a 1971 B.S. and 1977 M.S.E. graduate of UWP, has served SSS for more than 28 years.

"Personally, the most rewarding aspect of working at SSS happens at the end of each semester. Our students anonymously evaluate the services they have received. The thanks and gratefulness they express for our services makes it all worthwhile," said Bernhardt.

University services associate, Marsha Stewart, has given 27 years to SSS, having acquired a degree from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in 1971. Dan Griffiths, the SSS tutoring supervisor, gained his B.S. in 1971 and M.S.E. in 1991 from UWP. He has worked 26 years for Student Support Services.

"I am an educator, and my goal is to help any student be successful. Seeing college students graduate from UWP that had many negative doubts about even attending college in the first place is the most rewarding experience for me," Griffiths said.

Sharon Pink, the SSS counselor, graduated from UWP with a B.S. in 1981 and M.S.E. in 1985 and has served SSS for 22 years. Priscilla Hahn, the learning specialist, obtained her M.S.E. from UWP in 1997 and has dedicated 17 years to SSS.

"I think that SSS is a very valuable program for students because it provides the academic assistance and support for students who might need it the most. I believe that a college education is very important and am committed to SSS because its main purpose is to help at-risk students stay in school and graduate with a four-year college degree," Hahn said.

Reading specialist, Sharon Carns, graduated with a B.A. from UWP in 1964 and has served SSS for six years.

"In the past six years, my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of educational endeavor - making the dream of a college degree achievable for students who thought they couldn't make it - maybe because of finances, because of a disability or because no one else in their family had finished college. SSS equips, empowers and energizes these types of students. Sometimes I describe my role as an academic cheerleader. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of my work is seeing students gain confidence in their abilities to manage the demands of college life and to achieve academic success," said Carns.

Anyone interested in learning more about Student Support Services may visit http://www.uwplatt.edu/stusuppserv/ or call (608) 342-1816. Anyone interested in more information about the services of the Student Success Center may visit http://www.uwplatt.edu/successcentr/ or call (608) 342-1818.

Contact: Dale Bernhardt, director, UWP Student Support Services, (608) 342-1816, bernhard@uwplatt.edu

Prepared by: April M. Schmidt, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, schmidap@uwplatt.edu