Communications
Academic Success Center Assists Students as they Navigate Virtual Learning
January 2021
Tutoring and academic support is vital in helping students progress through their university experience. During the Fall 2020 semester the Academic Success Center (ASC), Tampa campus, continued to support students remotely where students meet with tutors through Teams.
This semester the ASC started a new initiative of taking their face to face model of group tutoring to virtual study groups. In this time of remote teaching students have a need to connect and build relationships with other students. The students were excited to have conversations with other students and the tutors to work through study habits. The program was well received by students allowing them to study, collaborate, and connect remotely. In the current learning environment these groups meet the human need to connect and talk through the understanding of the required course material. Having others understand and relate and help them make the adjustments of studying online. These tutoring sessions served 65 students in varied courses of Calculus and Chemistry.
All of the tutoring staff in ASC are Graduate Assistants and undergraduate students with majors in the specific area of tutoring or a writing related major such as English or Journalism for the Writing Studio. ASC had a dedicated week in the Fall to highlighting and commending the skill and work of these vital student employees. Many student tutors start tutoring in their undergraduate years and continue to stay connected to USF by going on to graduate school, coming back to tutor as Graduate Assistants, or finding other positions at the university.
Some examples are:
路 Jaeden Ayala: Worked for ASC as a tutor during undergrad and as a GA during grad degree. Graduated and will return in the Spring as part-time admin support while completing additional graduate coursework towards a higher-ed mathematics teaching credential.
路 Temi Adegoke: Worked for the ASC as a tutor during undergrad, returned to tutor during grad degree. Graduated and is pursuing work in the field of mechanical engineering, specifically in mechanical design and analysis.
路 Gitte Ost: Worked for ASC as a tutor during undergrad. Graduated and is continuing at USF for a Masters in Mathematics and has accepted a TA position with the Math Dept.
路 Linh Nguyen: Worked for ASC as a tutor during undergrad. Graduated and is considering a second bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing.
路 Callie Politano is graduating with her BA degree in English. She has been accepted to the Women's and Gender Studies MA program, and she plans to continue working with the Studio in a Graduate Student Coordinator role.
The ASC has served many students this past Fall:
SMART Lab: Served 423 students/1323 tutoring sessions
Tutoring Lab: Tutoring support in Calculus, Physics, Statistics, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Accounting, and Finance provided to 423 students for a total of 360 sessions.
The Writing Studio held 1470 consultations this Fall, a 141 appointment increase from Fall 2019. The studio served 623 students from 12 colleges and 150 majors.
鈥淵ou helped me write my personal statement for Duke Law. I鈥檓 emailing you to say thank you; I got accepted yesterday and I honestly couldn鈥檛 have done it without your help!" - Writing Studio student