As the 2025-26 academic year kicks off, students at the University of Central Missouri have access to a range of free campus resources designed to support academic, career and personal success. These services include writing assistance, walk-in coaching and wardrobe support. Here’s an insight into five campus resources that are making a difference this semester.
Career and Life Design Center
The Career and Life Design Center is located in Ward Edwards 1200 and is open Monday-Thursday from 12:30-4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9-11a.m. They offer courses to aid you with designing the life that you want for yourself, exploring career options and creating skills that employers are looking for.
“My biggest piece of advice is for students to come early and often,” said Amber Goreham, director of the Career and Life Design Center.
W.I.S.E.
W.I.S.E., or the Walk-In Studio Experience, is located within the Career and Life Design Center. Their hours of operation align with the center. They provide walk-in, in-person and virtual meetings with coaches who are qualified to assist students in developing their life and career paths. In particular, the coaches help you prepare for the future, create cover letters and resumes, conduct practice interviews and discover job choices.
“It’s a really inviting and welcoming center. If they need help with any of our resources, anywhere from setting up their handshake profile, which is the platform that we use to connect students with jobs, W.I.S.E. is where they can do it,” said Derrick Gill, Assistant Director of Faculty and Employer Partnerships.
Professional Clothing Studio
Located on the second floor of Ward Edwards, the Professional Clothing Studio offers students up to four free items of professional attire each month. Their hours of operation also align with the center. Whether you’re prepping for an interview or a presentation, this donation-based resource helps students build a wardrobe for career success. They also offer Headshot Central, which allows you to take a professional photo for your career needs.
“Whenever students come, we encourage them to come down and check in here in our center, and one of the coaches will take them up to the clothing studio,” said Gill, Assistant Director of Faculty and Employer Partnerships
Learning Commons
The Learning Commons, located in JCKL 1250, is an academic assistance center offering free in-person and online tutoring for UCM students. They offer subject-based tutoring, supplemental instruction, which is weekly study groups led by trained students, and embedded tutors that attend class with students. The Penji app allows for online and in-person appointments, where tutors can assist with concept understanding, test preparation and study skills.
“If you reach out early and often when you need assistance, you won’t have to go through the struggle of learning alone. You can get insight from someone who has been in your shoes before who can explain it in a way that you can understand,” said Faith Ford, Learning Commons Manager.
Writing Center
UCM offers writing and tutoring assistance, available Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays. The Writing Center, located inside of the Learning Commons in JCKL 1250, provides guidance on crafting thesis statements, creating paper outlines and understanding projects with tutoring catered to your needs. This resource includes an Online Writing Lab, the Penji app for appointment scheduling and seven knowledgeable writing tutors.
“We want students to feel comfortable coming in here,” said Ashley Fisher, Learning Commons Coordinator. “Just know that when they bring in whatever class, paper, or stage of the writing process you are in, we are going to help you right where you are.”
Further information about all of these resources can be found on the UCM website.
