The COMPASS (Career and Opportunity Mentorship for Personal, Academic, and Student Success) Center serves as a central hub for student success at North Carolina Wesleyan University. It provides a comprehensive range of programs and services designed to support students’ personal growth, academic achievement, and professional development. By connecting students with meaningful resources and opportunities, the Center plays a vital role in helping them navigate the college experience with confidence and purpose.
The COMPASS Center is grounded in Life Design, a student-centered framework that encourages intentional exploration and growth. Students are guided to reflect on their strengths, interests, and values while engaging in experiences that shape their academic and career paths. Through this process, students learn to make informed decisions, adapt to new challenges, and develop a clearer sense of direction over time.
This approach emphasizes whole-person development, supporting not only academic success but also the cultivation of resilience, confidence, and self-awareness. These outcomes align closely with North Carolina Wesleyan University’s mission to prepare students for meaningful lives, professional success, and responsible citizenship. The COMPASS Center offers an integrated network of programs that support students throughout their academic journey:
New Student Orientation
At NC Wesleyan, New Student Orientation is called WesWay! WesWay assists students in making the transition to university and teaches the Wesleyan way of life. WesWay is a three-part experience: WES 101, WesWay Day, and WesWay Weekend.
- The Course: WES 101 is an online course that students take in the weeks leading up to the start of the semester. The course includes videos and slide shows that help prepare students for WesWay Day.
- The Day: WesWay Day occurs over the summer. It is the day that students come to campus and meet staff, faculty and new Bishop friends! Students can handle any university business and familiarize themselves with the campus. Wesleyan offers multiple WesWay Days and students sign up for the day they prefer.
- The Weekend: WesWay Weekend is the big orientation event in August which includes new student check-in, moving into dorms, attending informative sessions and having a blast with fun activities on campus!
First-Year Experience
North Carolina Wesleyan University believes every student has the potential to succeed here and beyond. Our First Year Experience program is designed to help new students make the most of their college journey by offering support and resources that make the transition to Wesleyan and college life easier and more successful.
COL 103 – Wesleyan Transitions (1 credit)
This seminar course helps first-year students transition to college and become familiar with the North Carolina Wesleyan community. With small classes of 20 or fewer students, it encourages campus engagement and interactive discussions. The course covers three key areas: Bishop Foundations, Life Skills, and Career Path Development. Taught by first-year academic advisors, students connect regularly with their advisor throughout the semester. All new students are enrolled in COL 103 during their first semester.
COL 150 – First-Year Inquiry (3 credits)
Designed for first-year students with little or no college experience, this course introduces students to academic life through a discipline-specific topic taught by full-time faculty. It encourages students to explore scholarly questions while developing critical thinking and learning habits essential for success at Wesleyan. COL 150 is offered annually in the fall and spring semesters.
Peer Navigators: Your Guides for Success
Peer Navigators are student mentors who support new students as they adjust to life at Wesleyan. Grounded in Life Design principles, they foster belonging, curiosity, and academic confidence by providing regular check-ins, leading campus tours and orientation activities, and helping students develop important skills like time management and self-advocacy. Peer Navigators serve as trusted guides throughout the first year, connecting students to campus resources and promoting active engagement in the Wesleyan community. These programs help students build a strong foundation, connect with the campus community, and successfully adjust to university life.
First Year Advisors
At North Carolina Wesleyan University, academic advisors and coaches help students plan their college journey using Life Design principles. They work with students to understand their strengths, values, and goals so they can make thoughtful choices about their classes and future careers. Advisors support students in building confidence and solving problems, helping them face challenges and create meaningful, goal-focused lives. This approach fits with Wesleyan’s mission to prepare students to be successful leaders both in school and in their lives beyond college. In addition, advisors help students:
- Understand the University’s Wesleyan Core requirements
- Prepare fall and spring term registration
- Meet university requirements
- Explore majors and careers
- Utilize available resources to reach goals
- Set short- and long-term academic goals
The advising process involves planning an educational program consistent with the student’s interests and abilities while providing accurate information about educational options, requirements, policies, and procedures. After the first year, students will transition to a faculty advisor in their chosen major.
Academic Support
Academic Support Services is a key part of the COMPASS Center (Career and Opportunity Mentorship for Personal, Academic, and Student Success). Through the lens of Life Design, we provide services to assist students in achieving overall academic success. This is done by providing programs and resources that encourage students to become active and responsible learners. These programs and resources include Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Tutoring. Details on these programs are below. Tutoring schedules will be emailed to one’s campus email address throughout every semester and are also available on our website. To request a tutor at an unscheduled time, please use this link: https://ncwu.edu/request-a-tutor/.
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
SI is an academic assistance program that targets historically difficult courses. The program aims to help students improve their understanding of course material and improve their grades. The program helps students in targeted classes by providing a trained, peer SI leader to assist with the subject matter. Three times each week, SI leaders conduct regularly scheduled, out-of-class, study sessions that focus on specific course content and learning skills to integrate what to learn with how to learn.
Peer and Professional Tutors
To promote academic success on campus, peer and professional tutorial services are offered at no cost to the students. Requesting a tutor is easily done, either online or at the COMPASS Center. After requesting a tutor, expect to hear back from him/her to set up an appointment within 2 days.
Online Tutoring
North Carolina Wesleyan University partners with Brainfuse, an on demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning platform that provides free online tutoring and academic support for all students. Brainfuse offers live tutoring in a variety of subjects, writing assistance, study tools, and practice tests. It allows students to get help when and where they need it, supporting both academic success and long-term learning skills through the Life Design approach.
Students can access Brainfuse in four simple steps:
- Log in to my.ncwu.edu
- Select the Students tab
- Click Tutoring Services
- Click “Access Brainfuse”
If you have any trouble logging in, please email ssc@ncwu.edu or helpdesk@ncwu.edu for assistance.
Academic Intervention and Success Programs
The COMPASS Center serves as the main hub for early support and intervention, helping students stay on track toward their academic and personal goals. NC Wesleyan uses an Early Alert system through my.ncwu.edu that allows faculty and staff to report concerns when students may be facing academic, social, or emotional challenges. When an alert is submitted, COMPASS staff quickly connect the student with the right campus resources so they can reflect on challenges, explore solutions, and develop strategies that support their academic progress and personal growth.
Project Success
Project Success is a student-centered program at North Carolina Wesleyan University that helps students get back on track academically while building the skills they need for long-term success. The program supports first-semester students who are placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation by providing guidance, accountability, and structured support throughout the semester.
These initiatives are designed to promote accountability, strengthen academic habits, and ensure students remain on track toward their goals.
Career Development and Preparation
The COMPASS Office supports students in intentionally designing academic, career, and life pathways through a life design approach grounded in reflection, curiosity, and purposeful action. Using design thinking principles, COMPASS helps students explore values, interests, and strengths while building adaptability and confidence for decision‑making in an evolving world. Through guided exploration and experiential learning, COMPASS empowers students to take ownership of their journeys and design meaningful, sustainable futures. Services include:
- Individualized life design coaching
- Career and professional development skill-building workshops
- Resume and cover letter development support
- Interview preparation
- Internship and job search assistance
- Graduate and professional school application guidance
- Employer and alumni engagement opportunities
Leadership Development
North Carolina Wesleyan University believes leadership development is an important part of the student experience. Leadership is not only about holding a title or position. It is about building confidence, understanding your strengths, working well with others, and learning how to make thoughtful decisions. Through leadership programs, students have opportunities to grow personally and professionally while learning how to respond to challenges and change.
In support of North Carolina Wesleyan University’s mission to prepare students for lives of leadership and service, the COMPASS Center works closely with Student Engagement, Athletics, and other campus departments to offer a wide range of leadership development opportunities. Together, these programs ensure that all students have access to experiences that help them grow as leaders during their time at Wesleyan.
National Society of Leadership & Success
North Carolina Wesleyan University students can join the online chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), the largest leadership honor society in the U.S. with over 700 chapters and 1.4 million members.
Commitment to Student Success
The COMPASS Center offers a balanced approach that combines support with challenge, ensuring that students are both guided and empowered throughout their academic journey. Through its comprehensive services—ranging from orientation and advising to career preparation and leadership development, the Center equips students with the skills necessary to succeed academically and professionally.
By fostering effective learning strategies, encouraging engagement, and promoting intentional growth, the COMPASS Center prepares students to navigate the complexities of college life and to pursue meaningful, fulfilling futures.
