During the last 17 years, University Connect and Persist (UCAP) has made a substantial impact on students at Northern Kentucky University.

UCAP, located on the first floor of University Center, is a place where students can address academic, financial and personal needs as they navigate their college experience.

One could argue that it all began with Peg Adams.

Adams, who graduated from NKU in 1986 with degrees in English and psychology, began her career here in 1987. She worked in TRIO Student Support Services for 16 years before moving to First-Year Programs, where she later became director. Adams was dedicated to supporting students, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

In 2009, former Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Zebulon Davenport asked Adams to lead the creation of UCAP to help address retention.

“The idea was to help students navigate campus, connecting them to various people and resources on campus in the hopes they would stay on track and persist through to graduation," she says. "I worked with colleagues across campus to implement a coordinated care/wrap-around approach model and introduce it to the Norse community. The model encouraged students to identify faculty and staff and build networks of support so they would have people in their corner.”

Over time, the initiative evolved, retention rates improved and UCAP became a student-facing office. In 2023, UCAP programs and services expanded to include the campus student food pantry, FUEL NKU, and the Care Closet @ NKU, which provides free new and gently used clothing for enrolled students.

Thousands of students utilize UCAP each academic year. Students can walk in any time for assistance. However, UCAP staff also receive progress reports and alerts from faculty and staff. The office coordinates with a variety of campus partners such as advisors in the First-Year Student Success Hub, Office of Financial Assistance, Student Account Services and a multitude of student support offices to identify strategies based on what the student needs to be successful.

“Within UCAP, we work with students one-on-one,” Adams says. “We help align their financial goals with their academic goals, making sure that they understand different aspects of how they can make it all the way to the finish line—both academically and financially. The UCAP team and I are constantly thinking about creative ways we can impact students and help them move through their college experience in the most positive way they can.”

David Rodriguez, a freshman majoring in general business, utilized UCAP when he started feeling lost with his coursework.

“My parents and grandparents never went to college. I’m the first in my family, so college is new to me,” he says. “I got a bit overwhelmed when I had too much work and too many assignments. I almost quit all of my classes, but [Peg] helped me give it a try and worked out a study schedule.”

As a first-generation student, Rodriguez is grateful that he had someone in his corner to help push through his first semester and get one step closer to his degree.

For some students, UCAP is a great support system for those who don’t have family nearby.

Kylie McCulloch, who grew up in Berea, Kentucky, was away from family and friends for the first time when she started attending NKU.

“Being away from home was a little bit difficult. I had to kind of build my own community here,” she says. “I had so many people go above and beyond what their job title required them to do to make sure that I was OK and that I could still achieve my goals even when life was hard. As soon as they know kind of what's going on in your life, they're willing to jump into action—not just to get you through your classes but also for what do you need as a person. I don't know if I would have graduated if I didn't have faculty and staff support.”

Now, McCulloch has come full circle. After graduating in May 2025 with a degree in journalism, she joined the admissions staff as a counselor and soothes concerns for incoming students.

“The problem that students run into a lot is they're not sure what they need, so they just don't ask,” she says. “I feel confident when I talk to students about student support because it's something that comes up in every conversation. When I talk about NKU, the two big things that I talk about are how our faculty and staff really care about our students and how we are big on wraparound student support. You're not just a student. You're a whole person, and we want to make sure that you're supported as a whole person—especially a whole person who's figuring out how to be an adult for the first time.”

UCAP also offers a space for students to navigate the tough moments that life throws at us.

“There are students who come in and you can see that they're defeated. They don't know where to go. They don't know who to talk to,” Adams says. “They come in, we talk and they share what's going on. Sometimes it's a matter of having somebody to just really listen and support them and then taking little baby steps toward what to do next and how to break down a big problem into manageable solutions.”

Senior Anna Vroegindewey was a student who felt like she was facing an uphill battle. She dropped classes during the fall semester of her sophomore year due to struggles with mental health.

“At one point, I didn't think I was coming back to school,” she says. “I was able to re-enroll for spring, but I only enrolled in one class to prove that I could do it.”

When Vroegindewey dropped her classes, she lost her scholarship money. However, Adams helped her navigate the financial process and supported her to get her scholarship money back. Even though Vroegindewey came back to school with a full course load the following fall semester, she still kept in touch with Adams and the team at UCAP.

“They have done so much to get me where I am and where I want to be. It doesn't feel transactional. It feels like having a community, which is a really big part of being in school. Finding your community on campus is really important,” she says. “It doesn’t matter your major or what college you’re in. UCAP is there for everyone, especially students in special circumstances. It really is just about having a support system. And when it comes down to it, everyone needs one.”