A recently re-imagined renovation to Madison College’s student enrollment area opened this summer. Dr. Tim Casper, Executive Vice President of Student Affairs, said the goal was to provide better service to students.
“In the past our financial aid offices and our support for students with questions about enrollment, admission, and our payment center where students would pay their tuition and fees, were all located in different parts of the building,” Casper said.
Casper the rest of the Student Affairs leadership team faced the riddle of, “How do we better centralize the services that support our students?”
They produced a renovation plan to fit all service departments with ample space to better service students and provide support.
“A big part of the redesign focused on, how do we better centralize the services that support our students in a more singular location. So, that part of the work began two years ago,” Casper said.
“The Student Affairs Leadership team really focused on taking advantage of the relatively small foot print we had. We wanted students to not have to transverse from the front of the building to the center for service needs that were complementary to one another.”
Entering Madison College Gateway east entrance, the Betsy L. Barhorst Welcome Center is just beyond the doors. The welcome staff can give directions, and answer both visitor and student questions alike. Down the hall are signs that point towards the new student services area. Along the way, such sights as wall murals, the Mitby theatre, and Public Safety Services line the way. As the path widens, visitors can see the Student Services Center in its new centralized location.

As part of the renovation, offices were updated as well to better utilize the space.
“Our staff professionals, many of them work a hybrid work schedule, so we are able to do office sharing,” Casper explained. “We have our service professionals fit because many of them are now sharing their space with another service professional.”
The adjacent Career and Employment Services area has also been updated.
“In this space we have our career employment services, so those individuals who are seeking to explore what careers they might want to pursue professionally that might help inform their program selection, or how to find a job within their degree occupation area, or looking for work during their tenure, they are able to do that here,” Casper said.
Casper said new spaces were also created for student veterans and the Scholars of Promise participants.
“We created new space to support our student populations,” Casper said. “We also created new space for our veterans. They now have a bigger office to work with the staff professionals there and other partners who might come in to work with that population specifically.”

Lindsay Gustin is the manager of the new Student Support Services, overseeing a staff of eight students and staff who help provide intake support. Gustin described the supportive services her staff provides.
“We do triage – referrals, intake, financial aid, enrollment, applications, drops, advising. We are the first stop for student questions and concerns, and we help them figure out where to go and provide a solution for them,” Gustin said.
“Our job is to figure out the true questions. Then just like at the doctor’s office, prescribe what they might need to resolve the issue. Over 50% of the time, if a student comes to us, we resolve their issue without sending them anywhere else. We are problem solvers. We always have two people at the front desk, always a smiling face. The staff that is there will always greet the student.”
Gustin and her staff welcome questions from students.
“I recommend for all new students to just come visit us. Whatever their question is, even if it has nothing to do with the services, we provide we will make sure we point them in the right direction,” Gustin said.