Indiana University Northwest officially opens new Student Success Center

On March 30, 2026, Indiana University Northwest held an official ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Student Success Center, which opened to students in January. The new space is located on the third floor of Hawthorn Hall and houses many resources for students, including study spaces, the Writing Center, the Math Center, computers, and more.

According to an article on Indiana University Northwest’s website, Arrick Jackson, the Chancellor of Indiana University Northwest, was quoted as saying of the new Student Success Center, “We realize that students on our campus have specific needs, and we’re pleased to have a space that can meet all of their needs in one centralized location. The Student Success Center took years of planning and many coordinated efforts to finish. Walking through and seeing the students utilize this space daily makes all that work worth it.”

Indiana University Northwest planned the opening of a Student Success Center for several years. Originally, funding came from the INVEST (Inspiring, Valuing, and Empowering Success Together) grant, with additional funding coming from the Anderson Foundation for construction, signage, and furnishings.

The space that is now utilized by the Student Success Center used to hold a related purpose: it was a meeting spot for students to talk with their advisors or professors. However, once those meetings ended, students and their advisors left the space, as it was not a welcoming environment that encouraged anyone to stick around for any additional time.

Kate Bennett, who serves as the Director of Student Success, said, “We feel like our students are unique. They’re today’s learners, not yesterday’s learners. And we believe today’s learners should have a cutting-edge, welcoming space to gather, study and be students. That’s the idea behind the Student Success Center. We wanted to create an open, welcoming space. That’s exactly what we got.”

The various resources that have existed around campus have now come together to be housed in a centralized hub: the Student Success Center on the third floor of Hawthorn Hall. Inside the newly renovated space, students will find two open communal spaces, eight study rooms, a testing room, the Math Center, the Writing Center, and a resource navigator. Students also have access to snacks.

One student who has found immense value in the new space is senior Fatima Berumen, who also works at the Student Success Center’s reception desk since its opening in January. She noted that throughout her several years at Indiana University Northwest, she and her classmates had occasion to get together for projects or studying, but never felt like there was a space specifically meant for that purpose. 

She said, “Since many students commute to campus, it’s important to have these spaces to just communicate with each other, make new friends or just meet with each other outside of classes. It’s nice to have somewhere in common that we can all use.”

Indiana University Northwest has been focusing on completing projects that will directly benefit students and their success. In addition to the new Student Success Center, the university has also recently established the Crimson Corner Game Room, the RedHawk Refuel Food Pantry, and the STEM Center. It has also launched initiatives like developing the RedHawk CARES program, renovating classrooms for active learning, faculty training, and improving the first-year student experience.

For more information about Indiana University Northwest, visit the school’s website.