The most anticipated component of Chancellor Karla Hughes’ Student Success Initiative at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will become a reality on Monday, August 13 when Chick-fil-A opens its doors for business in UAM’s new Student Success Center.
Chick-fil-A will be open to the public as well as students, faculty and staff from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant will be closed Sundays. There will be no drive-through service. Limited parking is available to the public in front of the Student Success Center with additional parking in a new lot currently under construction across University Drive next to the Fine Arts Center.
“Adding a Chick-fil-A to this wonderful new facility is just one small piece of a much larger puzzle as we build a culture of student success at UAM,” said Hughes. “We knew we were going to add a food service option to this building, and when we polled students and asked them for their preference, Chick-fil-A was the overwhelming choice.”
Thomas Bedward, director of Aramark Food Services on the UAM campus, said the restaurant will offer 35 new jobs to students and the community. “We are excited to partner with Chick-fil-A and UAM to create a dining experience we believe our students and the community will enjoy.”
The Student Success Center, a two-story 35,300-square-foot structure, will be formally dedicated by Governor Asa Hutchinson in a ceremony September 11. The $8.5 million building brings together several programs that directly impact student success, including admissions and enrollment services, orientation, retention, academic advising, career counseling and testing, tutoring and developmental education. There will also be temporary offices for the cashier, financial aid, housing and the registrar to be used primarily during the early days of each semester to provide a one-stop shop for all student services. The building will also house a new bookstore and provide space for computer labs, small meeting rooms, and the chancellor’s office.
In constructing a Student Success Center, UAM is following a nationwide trend in higher education to consolidate vital student services under one roof. “It’s a proven strategy across the country that facilities like this improve student services from entry to exit,” said Hughes. “Our ultimate goal is to recruit, retain and graduate students. That is the lifeblood of the institution and is at the core or our Student Success Initiative”
