Find Your Way to Success: Places New Spartans Should Know

As the 2023-24 school year begins, incoming UNCG students will find no shortage of support on campus to help with their personal and professional career goals.

UNCG University Communications reached out to staff who run resources across campus to make sure students were aware of the benefits of being a Spartan.

Resources on College Ave

New Student Transitions and First-Year Experience – Forney Student Success Commons

“The driving purpose of our unit is to ensure that all new undergraduate students at UNCG, including first-year transfers, are onboarded and transitioned into college life in a way that sets them up for success,” Says Dr. Kim Sousa-Peoples, director of New Student Transitions and First Year Experience.

New Student Transitions and First Year Experience host several programs to make sure all incoming students have what they need. This includes the NAV1GATE and 1GNITE programs which introduce students to campus in the days before the first day of classes, the FYE 101 course which serves as an onboarding training process to UNCG, and the Peer Academic Leader Program (PALS) which gives first-year students an upperclassmen mentor.

“We support them through three primary buckets of work,” says Peoples. “Academic success, personal purpose and development, and Spartan pride and affinity to UNCG.”

UNCG Career and Professional Development – EUC

“What career aligns with my major?” “How do I write a resume if I’ve never had a job before?” “Where should I look for jobs?” These are just a few of the most common questions students at UNCG may have when they come to UNCG Career and Professional Development (CPD).

UNCG CPD gives students a space to improve their professional skills, so they leave UNCG knowing they have the keys to success. CPD also offers career services related to resumes and cover letters, job and internship searches, interview preparation, LinkedIn, and other tips for networking.

UNCG CPD offers multiple technology platforms which allow students to get started at their convenience. “Handshake” is the primary career management platform through which students can search and apply for jobs and internships, schedule appointments with career coaches, connect directly with employers, and register for upcoming events.

CPD Assistant Director Justin Golding says, “Career Development is a lifelong process; it never ends and it’s important to continually engage in your own professional development. When preparing for the future, spend time identifying what you like to do, what you’re good at, and what’s important to you. Then, be sure you can speak confidently about those interests, strengths, skills, and values.”

Career and Professional Development is located on the lower floor of the Elliot University Center (next to Chick-Fil-A). It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Virtual and in-person appointments can be scheduled through Handshake. For more information about resources, students should visit cpd.uncg.edu.

Spartan Central

An important resource for students to consider is the UNCG Financial Aid office located in the Mossman Building on Spring Garden Street. There they handle everything surrounding your financial needs for attending UNCG. When you complete your FASFA form through UNCG, you’ll have access to various forms of financial aid such as scholarships, federal student loans, grants, work-study, and more. Students can access their financial aid programs through Spartan Central, the same place they can go to view the academic calendar and register for classes.

UNCG Financial Aid also works closely with the TRiO office found in the Forney Success Building on College Avenue. This department works with Student Support Services (SSS) Classic, SSS STEM-Health Sciences, and the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program. These are federally funded programs that serve undergraduate students who are first-generation, low-income, students with disabilities (SSS), and/or Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous, or Pacific Islander students. Through these programs, students gain supplemental academic support that can prepare them for a healthy and successful academic career.

UNCG Writing and Speaking Center

Learning how to write academically or stand in front of a crowd and speak can be intimidating. Students can bolster their confidence before they have to do that, thanks to the UNCG Writing and Speaking Centers, located on the third floor of the MHRA Building.

The Writing Center provides services such as giving templates, resources, and citation guides as well as giving general feedback on writing assignments.

The Speaking Center exists to support all forms of oral communication. Whether it’s help with an assignment or preparing for an interview, the Speaking Center can help students excel during a presentation, research conference, or job opportunity.

Resources at your Fingertips Around Campus

Student Health Services

One of the most important resources on campus is the Gove Student Health Center, which houses UNCG’s Student Health Services. Located on Gray Drive beside the Housing and Residence office, Student Health Services prioritizes all aspects of student’s wellness

The center includes an in-house pharmacy, health clinic, women’s clinic, campus violence response center, counseling services, and more. Students have the option to use their account to schedule health appointments online or call the counseling center to receive a free mental health screening.

Student Health Services also work closely with the Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS), which supports students with disabilities who may need reasonable accommodations. Their services include registering a service animal, accessible testing, or registering to have an interpreter accompany you to class.

Spartan Open Pantry

Another invaluable resource available to students is the Spartan Open Pantry. The pantry moves on-campus this year and is now located in the Smith Campus Ministries Center on Stirling Street, across from the EUC. It serves students, faculty, and staff during times of need.

Not only does the Spartan Open pantry always have food available on the pantry shelves, but they also supply “SOPtoGo” meals and host an annual meal of thanksgiving. The pantry serves as a pillar of support to the UNCG community, welcoming one and all with open arms.

Kaplan Center for Recreation & Wellness

Located on Gate City Boulevard, the Kaplan Center for Wellness is our gym and natatorium which provides students with the opportunity to engage in physical wellness. Students can have fun on the 54-foot climbing wall, check out student and professionally-led adventure trips, and go to our off-campus 40+ acre Piney Lake.

The Kaplan Center breaks down and focuses on 8 forms of wellness, including physical, emotional, social, intellectual, cultural, career, financial, and environmental with the belief that “well-being is the combination of what we think and feel about our lives.”

UNCG Police

UNCG takes the safety of our Spartans seriously, and our police department is active on campus.

This year, we’ve unrolled a new and improved safety tool: the Spartan Safe mobile app. This replaces UNCG’s previous Livesafe app and includes new technological tools such as the Mobile BlueLight to contact police in an emergency, and the Friend Walk which allows a friend or relative to virtually monitor your walk to your destination.

Other resources offered by the UNCG police department include Adopt-A-Cop, which assigns a specific officer to a residence hall to participate in hall activities and deliver presentations, the police ride-along program that grants the public firsthand experience to a UNCG police officer’s day-to-day activities, and sexual assault awareness and prevention programs.

Services in Moran Commons

Moran Commons is located below the Fountain View Dining Hall in the center of campus and is home to various departments such as the Spartan Card Center, Office of Sustainability, Mail Center, and one of UNCG’s Spartan Markets, or “Sparkets.”

The Spartan Card Center is essential for all UNCG students living on campus. The original SpartanCard that all UNCG students receive is free of charge, and students can either choose to upload their own photo or have their picture taken at the UNCG Business Center. In the event that the SpartanCard is lost, there is a $20 fine for a student to replace it. Students can access all the resources available through SpartanCard here.

“The SpartanCard is necessary for students to access their dorm, Kaplan Center for Wellness, as well as accessing their meal plan. All stored value transactions require the SpartanCard at any location, be it food, printing, books, or clothing,” says Brian Wilson, director of the Business Center.

The Mail Center is located directly beside the SpartanCard Center, Wilson says, to “accurately and efficiently handle inbound and outbound mail while staying accessible and support all members of the UNCG Community.” During the first month of school, Spartans will receive their UNCG mailing Address, which will allow them to send and receive mail from one location on campus. This department also handles student passports should they study abroad.

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