Western New England University (WNE) is launching the 2025–2026 academic year with historic momentum—welcoming the largest incoming class in its history, 1,152 students, during move-in day on Thursday, August 21. This represents an increase of 209 students over 2024 and 387 over 2023. The year also marks the debut of the Golden Bear Discovery curriculum, WNE’s first update to general education requirements in more than two decades. At the heart of this transformative moment are two powerful pillars of student support: the Student Hub, a vibrant and collaborative space connecting students to resources, people, and guidance, and Spirit, WNE’s AI-powered chatbot that provides 24/7 answers and assistance to help students navigate campus life with confidence.
Now bolstered by powerful technology and strong engagement, the Student Hub is helping redefine what student success looks like at WNE.
“What our experiences and metrics tell us is that the Student Hub plays a crucial role in helping students—especially first-year and transfer students—navigate the college experience,” said the Student Hub’s Executive Director Jeanne “JP” Powers.
One-Stop Support with a Personal Touch
Located in the St. Germain Campus Center, the Student Hub brings together essential offices under one roof: University Advising, Academic Success, Dean of Students, Student Involvement & Connections, Cultural Education & Inclusion, Student Outreach & Support and Residence Life. Students visit the Student Hub for everything from academic advising to community-building—and even just to grab a snack.
In its inaugural year, usage of the Student Hub remains strong, with 1,623 student sign-ins in Fall 2024 and 980 in Spring 2025, not including many others who used the space informally to study, meet with peers, or attend events. During the 2024-2025 academic year, first-year students were the heaviest users. One new Student Hub feature is Transfer Tuesdays. Started at the beginning of the spring 2025 semester, the weekly service at the beginning of each semester provides targeted assistance and connection opportunities for transfer students.
Engagement From Day One: The Student Hub’s Cub Hub Challenge
“The Student Hub is about more than just solving problems,” said Powers. “It’s about creating an environment where all students—but especially first-years—feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.”
To help first-year students make a successful transition, the Cub Hub Challenge offers six weeks of interactive activities focused on academics, social life, and campus engagement. From attending a professor’s office hours to uploading a resume to the career platform Handshake, students complete challenges to earn prizes and build community.
Working with the new Golden Bear Discovery curriculum BLUE course committee, the Cub Hub initiative will be further embedded into Fall 2025's first-year BLUE courses, with added peer advisor support and new reward tiers designed to increase participation.
Spirit the Chatbot: Smart, Scalable, Supportive
Launched in early 2024, Spirit—WNE’s AI-powered SMS chatbot—has become a key tool in the Hub’s proactive student support strategy. Like “Siri” or “Alexa”, Spirit is built to guide students on everything from campus resources to community engagement.
Spirit also provides proactive support in the form of check-ins and answers questions 24/7. Example check-ins include questions like, “How are you feeling about the term so far?” and “How is being away from home?”
Over the past year:
• 94% of students who interacted with Spirit remained opted in
• More than 17,000 text messages were exchanged between students and the chatbot
• 64% of students engaged actively by texting Spirit
• Spirit answered 2,228 student-initiated questions.
The chatbot facilitated 1,880 automatic connections to campus resources and flagged 377 students for follow-up based on academic or wellness concerns
“Spirit allows us to reach students at scale and intervene before challenges escalate,” said Powers. “It’s an incredible tool for listening to what students need—especially if they don’t want to talk to a person or don’t want to say what they need out loud.”
A Space to Connect, Relax, and Recharge
Beyond services and technology, the Student Hub is designed to be a welcoming space—with comfy seating, collaborative meeting rooms, a mindfulness-focused Zen Den, and yes, cookies every Tuesday. The Student Hub Instagram account keeps students in the loop with events, reminders, and highlights from across campus.
As the University prepares for Fall 2025, the Student Hub continues to evolve as both a physical place and a digital ecosystem where every student can find connection, care, and a clear path forward.
Fast Facts About the Class of 2029
Top 5 Majors
-
Mechanical Engineering
-
Criminal Justice
-
Health Sciences
-
Psychology
-
Pharmacy Studies
Where are our students from:
-
33 U.S. states
-
20 countries
How many are first in their family to college?
- 562 first generation students
