College life involves passing through a series of gates before reaching the classroom. Northeast State has established a single gateway of communication to save time and get students answers at a new information hub with on-ground and virtual capabilities.
Dubbed “The Bear Den” the new student-friendly space opened for the spring semester at the College’s Blountville campus in room C2107 of the General Studies Building. The Bear Den connects Northeast State students with staff members who can answer a variety of questions.
“The Bear Den provides key information on the in-demand services of advising, registering, financial aid,” said Jennifer Starling, assistant vice president for Student Success and dean of Students at Northeast State.
The Bear Den concept sprang to life from the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) titled Northeast State Bear Strong: A Culture of Service Excellence. Starling said that while student surveys found mostly favorable ratings of the College, staff continued to seek ways to improve the student experience. One such area was communication.
“The most frequently mentioned was, students felt they had to visit several offices to get one answer,” said Starling. “The Bear Den plan invests Northeast State staff as problem-solvers for students at one site.”
Northeast State agents staffing the Bear Den bring a wealth of knowledge about student services under one roof. The Bear Den staff communicate the answers to the business side of college life so students can focus on their academic work. The Bear Den concept seeks to end the need for students traipsing from one office to another in search of information.
The Bear Den operates from the former Scholarship and Student Needs offices. A U.S. Department of Education Title III grant funded the Den’s creation and space renovation.
Interactive artificial intelligence (AI) software enables students to chat with staff during office hours and by appointment as needs be. The Bear Den will extend service hours during peak registration times and special events. The Den welcomes anyone interested in enrolling at Northeast State as a full-time or part-time student.
“The AI technology aspect of the Bear Den allows us to communicate with students through any smartphone or device,” said Rayma Gibbs, Student Needs Specialist and future Bear Den agent. “That capability is a must to keep students informed especially with social distancing and COVID.”
The main campus Bear Den is the first of several student success centers that the College will phase in over the next few years. Dens will be added at the Johnson City, Kingsport, and Elizabethton campuses.
College life involves passing through a series of gates before reaching the classroom. Northeast State has established a single gateway of communication to save time and get students answers at a new information hub with on-ground and virtual capabilities.
Dubbed “The Bear Den” the new student-friendly space opened for the spring semester at the College’s Blountville campus in room C2107 of the General Studies Building. The Bear Den connects Northeast State students with staff members who can answer a variety of questions.
“The Bear Den provides key information on the in-demand services of advising, registering, financial aid,” said Jennifer Starling, assistant vice president for Student Success and dean of Students at Northeast State.
The Bear Den concept sprang to life from the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) titled Northeast State Bear Strong: A Culture of Service Excellence. Starling said that while student surveys found mostly favorable ratings of the College, staff continued to seek ways to improve the student experience. One such area was communication.
“The most frequently mentioned was, students felt they had to visit several offices to get one answer,” said Starling. “The Bear Den plan invests Northeast State staff as problem-solvers for students at one site.”
Northeast State agents staffing the Bear Den bring a wealth of knowledge about student services under one roof. The Bear Den staff communicate the answers to the business side of college life so students can focus on their academic work. The Bear Den concept seeks to end the need for students traipsing from one office to another in search of information.
The Bear Den operates from the former Scholarship and Student Needs offices. A U.S. Department of Education Title III grant funded the Den’s creation and space renovation.
Interactive artificial intelligence (AI) software enables students to chat with staff during office hours and by appointment as needs be. The Bear Den will extend service hours during peak registration times and special events. The Den welcomes anyone interested in enrolling at Northeast State as a full-time or part-time student.
“The AI technology aspect of the Bear Den allows us to communicate with students through any smartphone or device,” said Rayma Gibbs, Student Needs Specialist and future Bear Den agent. “That capability is a must to keep students informed especially with social distancing and COVID.”
The main campus Bear Den is the first of several student success centers that the College will phase in over the next few years. Dens will be added at the Johnson City, Kingsport, and Elizabethton campuses.
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