Professors, staff and students filled the Faculty Dining Room yesterday to welcome the Office of Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR) at their grand opening.

SOAR is a new program run by the Division of Student Affairs. Coordinated by Veronica Garcia, it supports and assists first-time freshmen with their transition to college. Through a mix of outreach campaigns and programs designed to strengthen personal resilience, SOAR equips students with valuable skills and resources needed to overcome academic, social or financial obstacles. SOAR partners with offices university-wide to deliver a host of retention-based initiatives to NJCU faculty, staff, students and parents.

SOAR offers the following:

• For students: the Rising Knight Peer Mentoring Program, Financial Assistance, NJCU Success Navigators and Academic and Personal Development Workshops.

• For NJCU Faculty and staff: Access to an online referral system for students and a centralized retention triage system as well as advocacy for referred students.

• For Parents and Family: Online student referrals, Meetings with the SOAR coordinator (online or face-to-face), and parent and family Communications. (This is an option for students.)

For more information about SOAR and their services, you can contact Veronica Garcia via email at [email protected], via phone at (201) 200-3577, or walk-in Monday – Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the Gilligan Student Union Building (GSUB) Room 211.