Academic Support
As part of providing the Essential Experience, Western Athletics focuses not only on developing student-athletes on the competitive playing field but also in the classroom. Western Technical College Athletics Department emphasizes individual responsibility with the added tools and resources to ensure they succeed in the academic environment. The end result is to succeed in the classroom, in sport, and in life. Team and Athletic Department GPA is a key metric for the overall success and improvement.
NJCAA Eligibility Requirements
All student-athletes are required to meet and exceed the requirements for National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) eligibility. These eligibility requirements ensure success in the classroom is the main priority. The NJCAA requires all student-athletes to be enrolled full-time, have good academic progress towards a degree program, and meet a 2.0 GPA.
PALS Program
Western Athletics partners with the Learning Commons/Learner Support & Transition to ensure the needs of student-athletes are being met. Western's PALS program provides Personalized Applied Learning Strategies to ensure students are successful. All student-athletes are assigned a PALS Advisor upon the start of each school year that works with students in a 1:1 and small group format. Our PALS Advisors provide regular check-ins, technology support, friendly, non-judgemental guidance, assistance with navigating course/college expectations, and connections to the various services on campus.
The success of our PALS program is clear in the feedback we receive from our students:
-
88% say grades went up
-
89% report they felt exceptionally more confident about their academics after participating in PALS
-
93% would highly recommend PALS to a friend
Western Learning Commons
Student success is our top priority! The Learning Commons provides library services, tutoring, and college prep programs for Western students. The Learning Commons works with you one-on-one or in small groups to help you gain the skills to succeed in college, jobs, and careers, and beyond. The Learning Commons is also a great place to relax between classes, a quiet place to study, and the perfect place to meet with classmates for group projects.
Learning Commons
Student Success Center, Room 201
400 7th Street North
La Crosse, WI 54601