If you’ve ever attended classes at Blackhawk Technical College’s Beloit-Janesville Campus, you’ve probably walked by the University Center. Whether coming out of the Follett Bookstore, walking from the main entrance to the Integrated Science Center or coming inside from the top level of the inner courtyard, the UC, as it’s called, is hard to miss.
But have you ever gone inside?
Plan your path
The UC offers academic advising services students can use to meet with an advisor to discuss degree requirements, course selection, academic planning or just to track their progress. In the UC, students can also find details about programs, majors, courses and other academic opportunities.
“The University Center is the hub for students to gain insight and resources on continuing their education after Blackhawk,” Suzy Dantuma, Blackhawk’s Transfer Coordinator, said.
The UC can provide guidance on credit transfers and course equivalencies to help students pursuing a bachelor’s degree navigate the transfer process between colleges. By centralizing multiple university offerings in one location, it is ideal for those who prefer to stay within the local community while pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
Cris Mendoza, a Medical Assistant student pursuing a BSN, first heard about the UC as a new student during the Advising, Registration and Onboarding, or ARO, process.
“ARO was really my first introduction to the UC, and that’s when I got the chance to walk around, explore and ask a few questions,” Mendoza said. “After that, whenever I was on campus, I’d check out the UC more on my own and look at the flyers around. Later, when I became a Peer Advisor, I wanted to understand it better, so I did more research and even asked Suzy to help clarify a few things.”
Dantuma helps students examine their options or review the many articulation or transfer agreements Blackhawk has with other colleges and universities. Many come to the UC for advice on the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs, she said. Students can stop in anytime, but Dantuma said she encourages students to visit early in their journey if they plan to transfer.
“Having conversations with your advisor at your next institution while you are at Blackhawk is going to set you up best,” she said. “Whenever possible, we try to do parallel advising–meaning we want students to get advice from both institutions at the same time to get the most out of their experience here.”
Liz Dean, a first-year student in the Substance Use Disorder Counselor program, shared how she first stopped in the UC to talk with Dantuma about transferring credits from another university. Later, she returned to the UC to seek career guidance and advice on where to go to pursue her bachelor’s degree after graduating from Blackhawk.
“I remember when I first met Suzy; she was very warm and approachable, gave helpful guidance and she made great conversation in general. It’s easy to walk into the Center and feel welcomed and comfortable from the start,” Dean said.
Mendoza will graduate from the Medical Assistant program in May. After that, she shared that she hopes to obtain a position that will help her build clinical experience. She is on the waiting list for Blackhawk’s Nursing program and is looking forward to completing her CNA requirements in the fall.
Dean is looking to graduate in spring 2028 and will then pursue a four-year degree in law and/or social work.
The UC is also the place to go for information on discounts, scholarships and other options available to help make education more affordable, Dantuma said.
Path to partners
With four Tier One partner colleges–Beloit College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Lakeland University and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County–going on to complete a bachelor’s degree is easier than ever before. Representatives from each partner college have office hours in the UC to assist students who are looking to continue their education after graduating from Blackhawk.
Some of the most popular transfer programs are:
- Nursing
- Business Administration/Management
- Education
- Biology and related science fields
- Criminal Justice
“We have 18 transfer agreements with our Tier One University Center partners and are working to create more,” Dantuma said. “Each of these agreements is with our Applied Associate Degrees, which is in addition to the specific University Transfer Degrees. Overall, we have about 60 transfer agreements with a variety of institutions for our programs.”
“The UC has helped me narrow and weigh out the pros and cons on what four-year university will best suit my needs all around,” Mendoza said.
She’s looking at continuing her education at University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or Concordia University.
“As of right now, I’m leaning more toward Concordia,” Mendoza said. “The UC is a great opportunity to explore which four-year path might be the best fit for you.”
Dean shared how meeting with JoRae Schultz and Nicole Ryan from UW-Whitewater at Rock County helped her research academic paths that made sense for her.
“In the future,” Dean said, “I will be sitting down with JoRae to look at my individual courses from my previous university. I want to make sure I get as much out of my previous coursework as I can.”
Space for planning, progress
In addition to advising and transfer resources, the University Center also provides a quiet place for students to study, meet with university representatives or simply explore their options.
And while many students pass by the UC every day, Dantuma said she hopes more will step inside.
“If the door is open, students are always welcome,” she said.
For those thinking about their next step—whether it’s advancing their education, exploring a new career pathway or preparing for a bachelor’s degree—the University Center is a place where those plans can begin to take shape.
Visit the Bachelor’s Degree Options webpage for more information on the UC and to get in touch with partner colleges.