Master’s student Julia Keippel initially hesitated asking for help. The daughter of Polish immigrants and a community college student before attending Roosevelt University, Julia was initially apprehensive about finding an academic support system and navigating the transfer process. But Roosevelt’s admission staff and SSS STEM team assured her that she belonged at a four-year institution and that she could manage her STEM-heavy workload as a biology major.
Thanks to Roosevelt’s Student Support Services, Julia can balance her academic workload and proudly become the first member of her family to graduate from college. Often shortened to SSS, Student Support Services oversees a specialized program titled SSS STEM for individuals like Julia who seek free academic assistance.
“I was initially apprehensive about attending Roosevelt because nobody else in my immediate family had attended college or could offer advice, and I wasn’t sure I could find people who had my career success in mind,” she says. “But before I formally applied, I reached out to the SSS STEM team and was able to have a long phone conversation with [assistant director] Maria Elena Miller. Maria Elena completely assured me that SSS STEM could be my source of stability, and I can’t imagine my success without her.”
Miller is part of SSS STEM’s peer mentor program, which pairs trained coaches with students who seek guidance on time management or developing new study skills. Since attending Roosevelt, Julia meets with Miller weekly in Roosevelt’s Learning Commons area to discuss study schedules, review for an upcoming test or simply vent about a stressful week.
“I can’t possibly imagine graduating this spring with my biology degree without her,” Julia says about Miller. “She was the first person to sit me down and tell me: ‘This team is determined to help you succeed, and I know you have it in yourself to do great things with your degree.’ She’s been an incredible sounding board, and the entire SSS STEM team sincerely cares about us beyond it just being their job.”
As a former biology undergraduate and current biomedical sciences master’s student, Julia uses many SSS STEM services beyond peer tutoring. The program provides career guidance to land an internship; financial literacy coaching to help with scholarship applications and budgeting; and an expansive STEM center that houses study space and laboratory equipment available to rent. Julia has gratefully utilized all these services, but her favorite benefit offered by SSS STEM is the welcoming community found in the Learning Commons.
“As a nontraditional student who struggled early to find friends and support at other schools, just showing up to the Learning Commons brightens my day,” she says. “Everybody here is so genuine and happy to see you succeed. I get an immediate energy boost just from visiting.”
Since that initial conversation with Maria Elena Miller two years ago, Julia has found her confidence and community on campus. She is an active member of the Pre-Health Professional Club (which allows aspiring doctors, nurses and doctors to network and study for the MCAT) and has successfully completed a dental assistant internship in suburban Park Ridge.
With continued help this fall, Julia will begin Roosevelt’s biomedical sciences program before applying for dental school next spring. The nine-month program allows students to advance to a doctoral program faster than traditional graduate school and gives them key skills for a first-year health professional program. With assistance from SSS STEM, Julia is confident she can succeed.
“I have no doubts about my upcoming school year because of the support from Roosevelt and especially SSS STEM,” she says. “My dream of becoming a dentist is so much closer because of this school’s belief in me.”
