Patrick Gillespie
SSC: What is your major?
Patrick: I am a double major in Special Education and Elementary Education.
SSC: When will/did you graduate?
Patrick: I will graduate in 2020.
SSC: What career aspirations do you have?
Patrick: To become a teacher and be able to help students succeed just as I have been while being a student.
SSC: What other plans do you have after graduating from EIU?
Patrick: I plan to become a teacher or Chicago Police officer just like my father.
SSC: How did you become introduced to the Student Success Center?
Patrick: I was in the Summer Institute program and was advised to meet a success coach every few weeks and as time went on I became more comfortable and confident in academics and myself.
SSC: How long did you/have you been visiting someone in the SSC? Who did you visit? How often?
Patrick: I have been visiting my success coach for over a semester now, I have been visiting Brian Gorman once every few weeks to talk about my progress and any questions I have.
SSC: What were some academic problems you were facing prior to visiting the SSC?
Patrick: I came into school without any time management skills or knowledge of just how much help EIU offers to students. With the help of my success coach I was able to take full advantage of the resources here on campus and use them to the best of my ability.
SSC: How did the SSC help you overcome your academic struggles?
Patrick: The SSC helped me become the student I am today by not giving up on me and always being there when I had questions or needed help with my school work. They are always keeping a positive attitude.
SSC: Have your academic habits continued to improve since you began visiting the SSC?
Patrick: Yes my academic habits have improved much more than I ever could have imagined. Time management is not a problem anymore. I have made a set schedule for each week of the semester with times to study, eat, workout, etc.
SSC: Has your GPA improved? How much?
Patrick: Coming into college my high school GPA was a 2.1 I now have a 3.2, the SSC has been a huge part of that increase.
SSC: Would you recommend the SSC to other students? What would you say?
Patrick: I would highly recommend the SSC to students who are afraid they don't know how to handle all the coursework and extra curricular activities college throws at you. Also, anyone seeking help, or just someone to talk to and maybe get a few ideas on how to improve their academics.
SSC: Are there specific types of students you would recommend the SSC to?
Patrick: I would recommend the SSC to any students unsure on how to have a successful academic year.
SSC: Please provide a statement of your overall feelings of the SSC.
Patrick: The SSC has helped me tremendously in just one short semester. My academics have never been better and my confidence to do well and succeed is at an all-time high. I would like to thank the SSC for getting me on track fast and efficiently. The SSC is one of the best things that have happened to my while attending EIU and I would like to thank them for that.
Interview completed 1/27/2016
