A New Texas Student Experience
New unit brings together key services, programs and support systems Longhorns depend on
Beginning this fall, the new Texas Student Experience portfolio will bring together Strategic Enrollment Management and the Division of Student Affairs, combining all the services, support systems and programs that shape students’ daily lives at UT. This new direction will provide a Longhorn experience that is more cohesive and supportive, and also easier to navigate.
“This is an exciting and important evolution of our structure — and our student-centered strategy,” said Miguel Wasielewski, UT’s first Vice President for Student Experience. “We’ve created a single unit where we can guide the entire student experience. Together, we will strengthen our ability to assist students across the full lifecycle, from the first recruitment interaction to commencement.”
In Texas Student Experience, resources will be more streamlined and readily available to students. Offices such as student life and financial aid will work hand in hand with others like the University Health Center, the Texas Union and RecSports, providing an integrated network that is easier for students to navigate.
Establishing more collaboration across student-centered offices is just one part of the new Texas Student Experience. Student support areas will now be more defined, so current Longhorns can better understand where they need to go when looking for specific information. Whether it be opportunities to participate in student organizations or volunteering, emergency services or academic resources, resources will be easier to find and more helpful. Texas Student Experience encompasses:
- Admissions and Orientation — works to strengthen the student journey from first interest in the University through enrollment and the transition to campus
- Enrollment Processing — will streamline and enhance operations across both undergraduate and graduate admissions while also creating a foundation for broader processing support across Texas Student Experience
- Student Support & Resources — combines student outreach and support, UT Outpost, student legal services and resources for students living off campus
- Student Life — designed to support student engagement, leadership and involvement both inside and outside the classroom
Texas Student Experience is working on a single portal where students can be quickly directed to the right resource. Over the course of the academic year, the team will evaluate each service to explore opportunities to further enhance the student experience as well as gather information from current students to help the unit best serve student needs. Alongside input from the UT Student Government, the team hopes to connect with students who spend time in places like the Union, to better understand what the general student population would like to see in those spaces.
Wasielewski — with over 33 years of experience as a Longhorn including time as an undergraduate, a student employee, graduate student, staff member, and now a Texas parent — will lead the new unit. Having worked across financial aid, admissions and strategic enrollment management, he understands the importance of a strong support network across the University.
“The work we do has immediate impact on student success and long-term impact on students’ lives and families,” said Wasielewski. “Our focus will be on a more integrated approach that helps students fully engage in University life while ensuring strong support during challenges or times of need.”
