For most students, college is the first time being on your own. While independence can be fun and exhilarating it also can be scary with trying to learn how to live on your own. Southwestern offers many resources for students to ensure that school, living, and socializing are a little easier.
Academics
Southwestern offers a variety of academic resources that will help students excel in their studies.
In-Person Tutors:
Southwestern offers free tutoring services for every student within their major. These services are led by students who can help you study for a quiz, check homework, or walk you through a concept that you might be struggling with. Tutoring times vary for every department but can be found on SWOSU’s web page.
The Bulldog – Online Tutoring (swosu.edu)
Online Tutors:
In need of tutoring but can’t make any of the tutoring times? Southwestern also offers online tutoring services through Upswing for when you can’t make the scheduled tutoring times. The process of finding an online tutor is super easy and can be done in seconds.
- Log into your GoSwosu account and click the upswing app
2. Select “Meet With a Tutor”
3. Search for the subject of choice
4. Lastly, browse to find a tutor that works best with you and start your session immediately or schedule one!
Writing Center
The writing center is located in the Al Harris Library and is open to all majors. The writing center is a student-led tutoring service that offers free sessions to look over your essays, mid-term papers, and even resumes and cover letters. The writing center is a great way to get extra eyes on your writing to ensure that all grammar, spelling, and punctuation are 100% ready to turn in. The writing center also helps with citations and setting up your papers in different formats so that your paper matches up to your professor’s requirements. All sessions must be scheduled through the SWOSU writing center website. An account is required.
SWOSU Writing Center (mywconline.com)
On-Campus Jobs
Trying to find a healthy balance between studying while participating in multiple organizations can be challenging and expensive, leaving no time to fit in a part-time job. Finding an on-campus job allows students to do all of those things with their flexible scheduling. Southwestern has over 40+ on-campus jobs for students. The benefits of a campus job make for a balanced semester. Southwestern values its employees and their academics therefore only allowing students to work a maximum of twenty hours a week. Campus jobs are also flexible with scheduling to ensure that all students have the opportunity to excel in college academically and socially. Another benefit of working at Southwestern is when enrollment rolls around, student workers get first priority over class schedules. Student jobs can also be found in your department if you’re interested in gaining experience in your field. Students can apply for an on-campus job through Handshake that can be found in your self-service.
Free Lunches
Imagine getting a free, fresh, homemade meal three days out of the school week! Thanks to our local Weatherford churches you can! All campus ministries host a free lunch once a week and lunches are open to all students, even if you don’t attend that ministry. All student ministries are within walking distance from campus and you can grab a bite in between classes. Past meals have consisted of taco pile-up, soup, spaghetti, and much more!
Bulldogs for Christ:
Tuesdays 11 am -1:40 pm
109 W Davis Ave, Weatherford, OK 73096
BCM:
Wednesdays 12 pm
719 N Bradley St, Weatherford, OK 73096
Wesley Foundation:
Thursdays 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
817 N 7th St, Weatherford, OK 73096
Wellbeing
Mental health and well-being should be a student’s number one priority because mental health is a part of every aspect of a person’s everyday life. Southwestern can help with mental health through services located at the wellness center.
Health Counseling:
Southwestern provides counseling services through the Jed Foundation (JED) campus community which is an organization that deals with mental health and suicide prevention for universities across the country. JED’s goal is to “create positive systemic change on university campuses”. Southwestern employs four campus counselors: Trudy Hoffman-LADC, Susan Ellis-Director/LPC, Cathy Baker-LPC, and Josh Wise-LPC.
Services are open during class hours:
Monday – Friday
8 AM – 12 PM
1 PM – 5 PM
Campus Police:
The Southwestern Police Department has a team of seven full-time officers, one dispatcher, two student cadet officers, and eleven reserve officers. The department is on call 24/7 and other than keeping the safety of students, the department also provides a few services to students. Two of them dealing with vehicles. Car malfunctions are inevitable and sometimes it takes an extra person to get a vehicle moving again. Southwestern officers are here to help if your car happens to break down, all you have to do is call the department.
Lost your car keys or locked the keys in your car? Southwestern police department can also help with that. If you ever find yourself getting locked out of your car the department can help open the car while trying to prevent any damage. While the department can provide this service they encourage students to always have a plan B. This plan B is carrying an extra key. The department will hold your extras in a safe in case of an emergency. Carrying an extra key prevents having to manually open your car with the risk of damaging it and having the department store your keys takes off the stress of having to keep up with your extras.
SWOSU Police Department: 580-774-3111
Bulldog Food and Resource Center:
The Bulldog food pantry provides meals for all Southwestern students who own a student ID. Students are allowed to visit once per week and times vary. Bulldog pantry is made so no student goes hungry and is stocked with snacks, produce, and microwavable meals. The pantry also provides other resources such as toilet paper, diapers, cleaning supplies, and more. Southwestern encourages students to utilize the pantry with no shame because the university is here to help.
Pantry times:
Sunday 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Friday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Campus Activities
The friendships you build in college will be the friendships you will never forget. Living on your own is hard but out of all the resources listed in this article community is what every student will need the most. What makes Southwestern so special is the people and the university go above and beyond to make every student belong by hosting block parties, socials, and more. One of the biggest campus get-togethers is hosted through Res Life.
Southwestern’s ResLife:
ResLife hosts multiple events throughout the year at all the dorms. These events are free and open to all students. ResLife does a little bit of everything from craft night to karaoke night to an ice cream social. There’s an event for everyone.
Res Life events this past year:
- Casino Night
- S’Mores Night
- Painting and Mocktails
- Board games and Brownies
To learn more about these events follow SWOSU ResLife on Instagram or look out for fliers around campus.
Instagram: SWOSU Residence Life (@swosureslife) • Instagram photos and videos
College is all about learning about people, yourself, and life. Don’t let the fear of growing up stop you from reaching out and growing. The SWOSU community is here to help and will always support their students through these resources.
