After more than a decade, the second floor of SCTCC’s Heartland Building is now open to students and the public. With the support of the J.A. Wedum Foundation, SCTCC started a journey in 2024 to create not just a physical space but also a support system for first-generation students who attend the College.
On Sept. 9, members of the J.A. Wedum Foundation, students, community members, public officials, and SCTCC employees all gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Wedum Center for Student Success. At the same time, an SCTCC student and staff shared results from the first year of First-Gen Cyclone Success work.
The J.A. Wedum Foundation awarded SCTCC a $2 million matching grant for the renovation of the Heartland Building and funding three new student support roles at the College specifically for first-generation students. Sixty percent of SCTCC students have parents who have not earned a bachelor’s degree, and 27% of them have parents with no post-secondary degree. These students are navigating a system with no prior knowledge and often hit unanticipated barriers when considering and while attending college.
As student Danika Anderson mentioned in her remarks at the grand opening, “I knew that I had the drive. I know that I had the motivation. And I knew that being successful here was not a question. But I also knew that I had hardships and barriers that were outside of my control.”
One thing SCTCC knew they could control was the support students receive while they are here. Proven cohort models at the College, like student-athletes, show that student accountability, intensive advising, and connected services increase student retention rates of first-generation students. When meeting with the J.A. Wedum Foundation, Leadership showed that with this investment, SCTCC would be able to serve 550-600 students annually and become a self-sustaining program by 2029.
This work has been in place for a year, with Cyclone Success Coordinators reaching out to first-gen students about registering for classes, meeting them where they’re at, and providing workshops on how to overcome common obstacles. Nena Vasovich, one of two coordinators, has been a steady presence for SCTCC first-gen students.
“Our job is to make this institution legible,” Vasovich remarked during the event.
With the opening of the space on the second floor of the Heartland Building, the First-Gen Cyclones Success department and the Mary Stangler Center for Academic Success (CAS – student tutoring) department are moving in. The two departments, alongside the Library on the first floor, will provide a central ecosystem for students in their academic journey.
What was special about the gift from the J.A. Wedum Foundation was its matching element. It’s not often that the foundation prioritizes non-scholarship funding, but they considered SCTCC a worthy cause as part of its grants and contributions philanthropy. They award grants for capital needs on an annual basis, and SCTCC’s proposal fell into its guidelines.
The leverage of that gift brought forward the community’s passion for student support. Within a year, the grant had fulfilled its matching dollar amount.
Deb Holstad, an SCTCC retiree, donated to the center: “SCTCC is a first-generation school – it’s what we do. Donating to the Wedum Center for Student Success was a very easy decision to make.”
Another way the J.A. Wedum Foundation grant provided leverage was through legislative investment in the Heartland Building’s roof, which needed replacing due to structural building codes.
“We were able to leverage the $2 million gift to say that we need that $1.2 million investment, and with these two efforts—capital improvements through legislative investments and transformational programming through philanthropic investment—represent a powerful alignment of public and private support,” said President Lori Kloos at the groundbreaking event in October 2025.
Fast forward to the grand opening and the renovations are complete, including a new first-floor entrance facing the Northway Building for easier access. A common refrain from those visiting the second floor for the first time is how light it is and open the space looks. Whether it’s someone looking for a chemistry tutor or a first-gen student on their way to meet with a Cyclone Success Coordinator, the welcoming atmosphere was created with students and their goals in mind.
“This program will allow students to get the opportunity to be their best selves,” noted Anderson of the First-Gen Success program. “I’m asking everyone to help us build a bridge and the next cycle of first-generation students. Students who can come here to get past their challenges and feel supported.”
Ultimately, it’s the students’ goals that are at the heart of the Wedum Center for Student Success and all services located in the Heartland Building. From Cyclones Athletics in the lower level to the regular visitors to the CAS, the research says again and again, when students get consistent support, students will succeed.
And when students succeed, it’s not just for them and their families; it means success for the community, local businesses, the state, and society. That’s why SCTCC has been and continues working toward an exceptional student experience: the academic options and support services at SCTCC—long-standing and brand new—provide the opportunity for students to succeed.
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An Open House for students will be held on Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
