By Taylor Jensen/nw news editor

More than 700 students registered for the annual NW Student Success Conference Sept. 11-12, academic advisor Pete Portillo said.

The conference is a two-day event comprised of workshops designed to help students become more successful, he said.

“We had a great turnout this year. I’ve been walking around wearing the T-shirt for this year’s conference and have been getting a lot of high-fives,” Portillo said. “I think everyone left with an idea of what success means to them and how to achieve it.”

Vesta Martinez, director of student development services, said the conference offered a wide variety of workshops to students.

“There was something for everyone,” she said. “Students also had the flexibility to choose workshops that will help them succeed in the future. It was a wonderful, collaborative effort.”

Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley closed the event by addressing NW and Marine Creek Collegiate High School students, vice president for student developmental services Joe Rode said.

“We had over 300 students there. I think there were three seats left in the room,” he said. “She gave an exhilarating speech.”

During the address, the chancellor picked at random three students from Marine Creek High School and asked them what success meant to them, Rode said.

“I remember one student said that success meant that even when you fail at something, you always get back up again,” he said.

In the past, students have been tested after participating in the conference and been found to have improved their academic retention rates by 10 percent, Rode said.

“If anything, students will have better knowledge of their resources and how to practice successful study habits,” he said.

NW student Michelle Beckham said her experience with the conference has motivated her to take her education further than she had originally intended.

“These seminars are a great way to stay on track academically. It’s just like in the workforce when employers offer training to keep their employees competitive in the workplace,” she said. “The advice I received was invaluable, and I feel that it will be extremely helpful in my college career.”