The Daily Bulletin Archive

A local television station once began its late-night newscast with the line, “It’s 11 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?” This semester, that time of night often signaled the completion of an hour-long academic seminar for dozens of students—right in their residence halls.

With support from University College, Residence Life sponsored “Seven Steps to Success,” a series of late-night seminars designed to bolster academic skills. Thetenth of 12 seminars takes place tonight at 10:00 p.m. in Neumann Hall, where students will learn about analytical skills and critical thinking.

The sessions are free and open to all students, resident and commuter. This is the first time Buffalo State has tested late-night academic programs in the residence halls, according to Michael Heflin, associate director of residence life.

“Students have responded very well to the seminars,” he said. “On average, we’ve had about 25 students attend each session. The series is a great complement to BSC 101, and gives students an alternative for something to do on Monday and Thursday nights.”

Eileen Merberg, retention and leadership specialist for student affairs, and Alexis Cole, a graduate student and resident director, coordinate the seminars. They devised the series name, “Seven Steps to Success,” to encourage students to attend more than one session.

“We’re trying to create a community of learners where students might look forward to the next topic, and get in the habit of attending them,” said Merberg. “Plus, it is a catchy, alliterative phrase.”

Other session topics have included time management, stress reduction, reading comprehension, motivation, study strategies, advising, test preparation, grammar skills, and study groups. The final two sessions on December 3 and 6 include learning styles and math fundamentals.

“The seminars are practical,” said Heflin. “For example, one recently taught about the importance of advisement and how students can better connect with their advisers. It created awareness of services like Degree Navigator, one of many tools that I think helps students get ahead of the game now instead of waiting until later.”

In addition to reaching out to commuter students, Residence Life offered two seminars at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, where dozens of students remain while Cassety Hall undergoes reconstruction. The December 3 session also will take place at the hotel.

To further encourage student attendance, organizers offered housing lottery points for participation. Some professors offered extra credit for classes. All students who attend a seminar receive a free pedometer, which Merberg says symbolizes “steps taken.” Students who attend seven or more seminars receive a certificate of achievement.

Overall, Heflin thinks the “Seven Steps” series is going over well with students. Residence Life will offer a similar series during the spring semester.

“Hal Payne [vice president for student affairs] and Tim Ecklund [associate vice president for campus life] challenged Residence Life to help bring academics to the residence halls,” said Heflin. “I credit Eileen Merberg with many of the original concepts for the seminars. The series became more of a collaborative effort than I anticipated—we even have professional staff helping with instruction. The most important thing is that, ultimately, we’re reaching students when it’s most convenient for them.”