Academic and Career Development Center

Pope John Paul II Center, Room 210
Phone: 260.399.8065
[email protected]

Office Hours: 8:30am – 5pm, Monday-Friday, or by appointment

Online Resources: MCC, Handshake, Bookings, and many more virtual resources

Social Media:  Twitter (@USF_CareerHelp) and Instagram (usffw_careerhelp)

Accessibility Services

Accessibility Services within the Academic and Career Development Center provides services for students with documented disabilities and/or documented accessibility needs.

Students who present appropriate documentation for a qualifying disability can receive reasonable accommodations to facilitate academic access. USF offers a variety of services and assistance at no cost to the student.

Accessibility services can include ordering textbooks of alternative format, priority class scheduling, interpreters, as well as other services as needed. Available assistive technology includes: Kurzweil text-to-speech reader, smart pens, and screen readers to assist students with reading and writing challenges. Testing accommodations include reading tests or directions, receiving extended time, providing an alternate exam site, providing exams written in large type, and exams in a distraction reduced environment. Also, Accessibility Services can provide accommodations on placement tests if the student presents appropriate documentation. Documentation must be sent to the Coordinator of Student Accessibility Services as soon as possible prior to arrange testing. Students may access testing services through Form Central on My Cougar Connection page.

Stop in or call for an appointment. Students may access additional information on sf.edu or My Cougar Connection (MCC).

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the test scheduling process and to arrive on time for their testing appointment.  To initiate the testing process, the student will go to Form Central on My Cougar Connection and complete the Test Proctoring Request form.  Once the form is submitted, the student will schedule their test using the online Booking link provided in the confirmation email.  Once the test is completed, tests will be returned as indicated by the instructor.  For more information, please see the Testing Services page on My Cougar Connection.

For additional information regarding accessibility services, visit accessibility.sf.edu

Career Development

Career Development within the Academic and Career Development Center can help you develop your career plan, understand the employment outlook in your field, acquire the professional skills needed for success, and build a portfolio that represents your qualifications, abilities, and achievements. Come take advantage of everything the Career Development Center has to offer, including:

  • Career Coaching
  • Strong Assessment Inventory
  • Resume and Interview Preparation
  • Mock Interviews
  • Job/Internship Search Assistance
  • Cougar Ready Workshops
  • Career Fairs
  • Mentoring Assistance
  • Graduate School Interview and Resume/CV Prep

To meet with Career Development stff, you can schedule an appointment through Career Services platform called Handshake. You can access your Handshake account at My Cougar Connection>Employment/>Student Internship and Job Hunting>Handshake or visit sf.joinhandshake.com.  Your account is already created and just needs to be activated by completing your profile information.

Follow us on Twitter (@USF_CareerHelp) and Instagram (usffw_careerhelp), for job, internship, and graduate school opportunities, career tips, and event information! 

Indiana 21st Century Scholar Grant

Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars awards students whose families have met the income guidelines and enrolled in the program by June 30 of the eighth-grade year. Students must also meet additional program requirements, which include fulfilling the 21st Century Scholars Pledge.

All 21st Century Scholars must enroll as full-time, undergraduate students at an eligible institution within the state of Indiana and file the FAFSA by April 15. Scholars must complete the College Scholar Success Program each year of college. The details of this program can be found on the Learn More Indiana website, learnmoreindiana.org. Scholars also must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), and the definition of SAP can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog in My Cougar Connection.

21st Century Scholars are required to complete 30 credit hours during an award year in order to renew their scholarship. If you do not complete this, you may be able to pull credits from your credit bank to get to 30 credits. You credit bank is populated by credits you earned in high school through dual credit or credits over 30 you earned in an award year. If you don’t have credits in your bank and don’t receive the 21st Century Scholarship in a particular year you can earn your way back into the Scholars program by completing 30 credit hours the following year and staying in good standing with all other requirements. For example, if you earn 28 credits your first year, but earn 30 credits your second year, you will be eligible to receive your full scholarship your third year if you’re in good standing otherwise. If you fail to complete 30 credits in an academic year and don’t have enough in your credit bank to get to 30, but complete at least 24 credit hours and have financial need as defined by FASA, then you may switch to using the Frank O’Bannon grant (an alternative state grant). The Office of Financial Aid will automatically assess your eligibility as part of their annual awarding process.

For more information about the 21st Century Scholars program, visit the 21st Century Scholars page on My Cougar Connection.

Student Success

Student Success within the Academic and Career Development Center offers programs, resources, and assistance, at no cost to the student, to encourage academic success. Students receive an individualized approach to their academic support needs by meeting with the Student Success Coordinator. Tutoring is available both in person and online through peer tutors and SmarThinking Online Tutoring. Subjects tutored and hours available vary by semester.

Check Academic Support and Tutoring on My Cougar Connection for more information and how to schedule an appointment.

Mentoring for Academic Progress

Mentoring for Academic Progress (MAP) is a student support program run through the Academic and Career Development Center (ACDC). The MAP program is designed to support students’ academic success in the face of potential academic challenges.  Students will be placed on MAP based on certain academic criteria.  While a required program for these students, the program is not designed as another hoop to jump through or a “punishment” of any sort. Rather, this program is meant to offer students the guidance, support, and peer camaraderie that will help them to be as successful as they want to be in college.

The primary goal for MAP students is to create and build up strong foundations for thriving in the academic setting.  As benchmarks toward that end, students are required to meet a minimum of 75% attendance through a combination of activities and have a goal to earn a minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA.

All MAP students’ GPAs and MAP attendance records are reviewed at the end of the term to determine academic progress.

For more information about MAP, contact the Academic and Career Development Center.