Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Center for Access and Academic Success

The Jeffries Center is excited to announce that our 2024 Study Abroad & Donor Scholarship opportunities are officially OPEN! Each year, the Jeffries Center is able to award 10-15 scholarships in values of $500 - $2,000 thanks to the generosity of our alumni, friends, and campus partners. A special THANK YOU to our supporters who make these opportunities possible! 🙏

📣 Application Deadlines 📣

⏳ Study Abroad Scholarship:
Sun. Sept. 22nd @ 11:59pm

⏳ Donor & Jeffries Scholarships:
Sun. Sept. 29th @ 11:59pm

Learn more about the eligibility criteria and apply at:
go.illinois.edu/JeffriesAbroadScholarship
OR
go.illinois.edu/JeffriesScholarships

Is this your first semester on campus? Looking into your options for financial aid or off-campus living? Well, we have a community of support that is ready and eager to meet you!

Back by popular demand, join us at our upcoming welcome/resource fair event which will feature units such as the Office of Student Financial Aid, Off-Campus Community Living, Chez Veterans Center, First-Gen. Student Initiatives, Counseling Center, free giveaway prizes & more! 🎉
 
Date: September 12, 2024
Time: 2-4pm CST  
Location: Main Library 2nd floor, Scholarly/Media Commons Room 220

The Jeffries Ambassadors have hit the ground running for Fall ‘24! 🏃💨

Sunday kicked off our Fall Retreat where the team had a blast at unraveling the mystery of the haunted cabin and saving the world from impending doom! BOTH teams made it out in one piece with minutes to spare 💪

The Jeffries Ambassadors are an instrumental part of the Jeffries Center and this cohort features some of the best and brightest Illinois has to offer! Look forward to the great things this team will accomplish this year 😁

Join us in celebrating our premier students leaders!! 👏

WELCOME HOME ILLINI!! 🧡💙

With your first week of classes on the books, we hope you’re settling in and continuing to make some lifelong memories!

We had an absolute blast welcoming our incoming class for Welcome Week 2024 and wanted to share a few highlights!

A special shout out to the Class of 2028 for breaking our attendance record and helping the Jeffries Center host our LARGEST Welcome Seminar to date!! 👏👏👏

Attention student creatives and graphic designers!! 📣📣📣

Are you looking for a professional opportunity to express your creativity? Need a fulfilling PAID internship opportunity to showcase your skills and build your resume?

The Jeffries Center has you covered! 👏

We are seeking 2 Marketing & Communications Interns for the academic year to help us tell our story and the increbile work our partners do every single day! 💪

To learn more and apply by the August 9th deadline, visit:
go.illinois.edu/JeffriesMarketingIntern

Interested in studying abroad over Spring Break? The Jeffries Center has you covered!

The Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Center for Access and Academic Success is thrilled to partner with our wonderful colleagues at the College of ACES, Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange, and Scholar Support Programs to offer a NEW study abroad experience for Spring 2025! 🌎

"Bridging Sustainable and Personal Development Goals in Panama City" is a week long abroad experience for Jeffries Center and Scholar Support Programs eligible students where they will immerse themselves in sustainable development practices, engage with local communities, and discover what it means to be an ethical traveler and global sustainability-minded professional!

Learn more and apply via the QR! 📱

Questions? Feel free to reach out to [email protected]!

🎓✨ Are you the first in your family to attend college? Your experience is valuable! Participate in a study to share your thoughts on "college readiness"! 📚

🔹 WHO: First-generation college students at the University of Illinois
🔹 WHAT: A 90-minute in-person focus group
🔹 WHY: Contribute to research supporting future first-gen students!
🔹 HOW: Scan the QR code or visit https://buff.ly/4c30gXu

Email Anna Barkley at [email protected] with any questions or to sign up today!

Your story matters! 🌟"

The OMSA is here to help you achieve your educational goals and navigate the academic dismissal appeal process! 🤝

Sign up to meet with one of our Student Success Advisors to discuss your success plan today. Scan the QR to sign up today!

Happy First Day of Finals! We know you've been working hard to ace your exams so from everyone at the OMSA, we wish you the best of luck!

YOU 👏 GOT 👏 THIS!!

The Academic Services Center is excited to announce our Final Exam Review Session Schedule & Reading Day Drop-In Hours! 🙌

If you need a little extra boost to prepare for your exams, you don't want to miss our Final Exam Review Sessions hosted by our amazing tutors! Don't forget to stop by ALL DAY tomorrow for snacks and drop-in tutoring at the ASC!

We look forward to seeing you there and giving you one last push before your exams! You got this! 💪

Join us for our Reading Day Drop-In this Thursday for snacks, tutoring, and a friendly environment to get your studying in! 📝

Our Academic Services Center will be open all day so feel free to pop in and get any of those last minute study questions answered by our amazing tutoring team! 😊

We are delighted to announce that effective Fall 2024 the Office of Minority Student Affairs name will change to The Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Center for Access and Academic Success (in short, the Jeffries Center)!

"OMSA" was our third and longest standing name spanning a phenomenal 36 years of providing exceptional support services to first-generation, low income, and historically underrepresented students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Rest assured that this legacy will not change with our name.

We intend to continue our commitment to service and excellence as the Jeffries Center and look forward to providing all of the services, resources, and programming our students, community, and campus partners have come to know and love!

Here's to another chapter and continued success under our new title! 🧡 💙

The OMSA is excited to partner with the Office of the Dean of Students Basic Needs to host a SNAP Benefits workshop! SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food essential to health and well-being. Join us to learn about eligibility requirements, complete an application, and learn budget strategies!

Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 25th from 5 - 6pm in the OVCDEI Conference Room 3003! We look forward to seeing you there! 😊

Join us for the LAST workshop of the Proud to be First Gen Series for the spring 2024 semester! This open dialogue seeks to empower first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented college students to explore study abroad opportunities confidently and to develop their toolkit to participate in global experiential learning. Please RSVP in advance to ensure enough food (Scan QR Code/Webtools Form Link).

Hosted in collaboration with LAS International Programs, ACES Study Abroad, and Grainger IPENG.

April 24, 4–6 PM • Lobby Area, Siebel Center for Design, 1204 S. Fourth Street, Champaign, IL 61820

With midterms and final exams just around the corner, the OMSA would like to remind you of a FANTASTIC online academic support resource, NetTutor®!

NetTutor offers FREE 24/7, 1:1 online tutoring to ALL students at Illinois! Simply log in using your Illinois credentials to access degree holding, professionally trained tutors in over 350+ subjects!

Learn more using the QR or head over to our OMSA Online Tutoring Page at omsa.illinois.edu!

The OMSA is proud to feature another one of our incredible Ambassadors, Viviana! 🙌

Viviana Ordoñez (she/her) is a Junior majoring in Chemistry on the Pre-med track. Her career goal is to become a neurosurgeon or cardiovascular surgeon. She takes part in RSOs related to medicine and healthcare to increase her understanding of the medical field and all of its facets. She likes to advocate for the Latinx community and how health disparities impact our neighborhoods.

Join us in celebrating Viviana and her accomplishments! 🎉

To our graduating Seniors, don’t forget to complete the Chancellor’s Senior Survey for a chance to win VIP tickets to Commencement or a $15 Amazon gift card! 🥳

The survey is a great opportunity to share insight on your Illinois experience and provide important feedback for the future of the University!

The OMSA staff had an awesome time at the ARC Instructional Kitchen last Friday! The team cooked up some delicious, plant-based food including vegan tofu, vegan egg rolls, and chewy banana chocolate chip cookies to round off the evening on a sweet note! 😋

A very special thank you to the OMSA Events Committee for planning this wonderful event! 🥳

Advising & Mentoring is excited to collaborate with , , and to deliver an important conversation on mental health, myths, and resources you can take advantage of to stay in top mental shape! 😊

Join us Tuesday, 4/2 to connect with YOUR support network and “Debunk the Myths About Seeking Resources at the Counseling Center”! 💪

📣 Quick announcement!! 📣

The OMSA Academic Services Center is getting NEW interactive furniture for our Matched Tutoring space! We are beyond thrilled to update our facilities and have improved technology to provide the best, interactive learning experience possible for our students and tutors!

That said, Matched Tutoring will be VIRTUAL the week of March 25th while the updates are made! Please connect directly with your tutor to set up your online sessions! 🤝

*Drop-in tutoring will still be in-person*

We hope your week is off to a great start! As your semester progresses and you continuing juggling responsibilities we encourage you to take some time to rest and recharge!

Need help approaching the conversation? Join the OMSA and McKinley Health Center to have a discuss strategies for dealing with the pressures of your responsibilities as a college student!

See you this afternoon! 😊

The OMSA LEADS Spring Series continues with another exciting session: LEAD with Money!

Join the OMSA and Illinois Extension to learn about the stages of change, your money personality, money management resources, and more! 💸 💸 💸

RSVP using the QR and we'll see you tomorrow!

The OMSA's Proud to Be First-Gen. Series is thrilled to partner with the National and International Scholarships Program and The Career Center to provide an open discussion on campus resources that can help you locate competitive scholarship opportunities and support you through your application process!

Join us on March 20th from 4-6pm to enjoy a great meal and learn about some of the spectacular scholarships out there! 💪

No RSVP required!

Join the OMSA in celebrating one of our amazing Ambassadors, Arielle! 🎉

Arielle Capel (she/her) is a Senior majoring in philosophy on the pre-law track. She studies as both a Chancellor Scholar and President’s Award Program recipient at Illinois while most recently working as the Equity Intern for the State of Illinois’ Governor’s Office. Through each opportunity, she seeks to deepen her understanding of the historical injustices that still impact underrepresented groups today and fights for a more equitable tomorrow.

Interested in learning more about the OMSA Ambassadors program? Visit go.illinois.edu/omsaambssadors for the full program overview and application!

Applications close THIS SUNDAY, March 17th so check us out and apply today! 🙌

Happy Spring Break Illini! We wanted to give you a quick heads up that the OMSA on John Street & OMSA on Oregon Street will be working remotely the week of Spring Break! Please feel welcome to reach out with any questions or if there's anything we can do to help! 💪

More importantly, get some well-deserved rest and we'll see you back in person on Monday, March 18th!

Enjoy your Spring Break! 🧡 💙

Calling all student leaders! The OMSA Ambassadors Program is now recruiting talented, passionate individuals who want to positively impact their first-generation, low income, and historically underrepresented peers at Illinois while building up their professional portfolio! 🤝

Ambassadors work directly with the OMSA Leadership Team to craft programs, provide feedback, and lead discussions on better serving our students at Illinois! As an Ambassador, you will attain the skills necessary to be a competitive candidate in the work place, a role model to the community, and a fierce advocate for the Office of Monority Student Affairs!

The application is a simple 3 question, short response so head over to go.illinois.edu/omsaambassadors to learn more and apply!

YOUR voice matters so apply to join one of the premier groups of student leaders today! 💪

Congratulations to the newly admitted Class of 2028! The OMSA can't wait to welcome you to the Illini family and help you find success at Illinois!

When it comes to academic support, passionate mentorship, and unwavering advocacy the OMSA has your back so congratulations once again on joining the BEST university family out there!

Welcome home, Illini! 🧡 💙

Our OMSA LEADS Spring Series continues with our upcoming session: Exploring Multi-Dimensional Leadership at Illinois!

Join us for an exciting session on the College of ACES LEAD courses and learn more about the Illinois Leadership Center’s I-Programs, certificate program, and The Institute by LeaderShape.

Don’t forget to rsvp and we’ll see you Thursday! 💪

Interested in pursuing Graduate School but not sure where to start? Come meet with our incredible McNair Scholars Program Graduate Mentors!

Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:30pm our Graduate Mentors will be hosting Drop-In hours at BNAACC, NAH, and La Casa so stop by to get your questions answered and learn about the McNair Scholars Program! 😊

Join the OMSA Advising & Mentoring Team for "Know Your Illinois Resources" Part 2!

Our very own Student Success Advisor, April Garrison, will walk you through more campus resources to help you succeed and meet your A+ goals! 💡