The Academic Tutoring Center is open for business on all campuses
By Zari Brice, with additional reporting by Rocket Belden
Calling all students who are confused, stressed, or overwhelmed with their classes: you may find a life buoy in Pellissippi State Community College’s Academic Tutoring Center. Located in ER 330, the third floor of the Hardin Valley Educational Resource Center (see sidebar for other campus locations), the center is open five days a week and offers one-to-one tutoring both in-person and virtual.
Even though it is certainly a helpful place for students to learn and grow over time, walking into the tutoring center for the first time can be stressful. Students may feel scared, nervous, or embarrassed about going, but getting help from tutors can actually relieve all of these feelings and improve their confidence, if they give it a try.
As founder of the Academic Tutoring Center, Professor Sydney Gingrow created the organization as a space to benefit people throughout the campus system, focusing on long term success to fulfill “a mission of working with students to clarify their assignments, to model effective strategies, and to encourage independent study.” Not only was Sydney a driving force in these aspects; Academic Tutoring Center Director Jan Sharp adds that “[she] decided to provide support for all learners around the campus to help students succeed academically.”
Because of the hard work from the founder and all tutors past and present, types of support students can always gather from the tutoring center include improvement of student retention, assistance in classroom learning, development of academic skills, and lessened academic stress and anxiety. These tutoring services are primarily focused on helping students with support, academic tools, and the resources they need for success, all while improving their quality of education in the process. Whether they are pursuing a degree, certificate, or preparing for the workforce, students can utilize what they learn from tutors to pave their path forward.
In addition to improving academically, students can learn new studying skills to help them further adapt their ways of learning in a classroom environment. However, the role of the student as a learner is just as important as the role of the tutor; they both have to work together for the best learning experience.
Not only do the tutors help the students to learn, but students also help themselves and one another in the process. Meeting other students in the program that struggle with their same needs can also help the student grow their personal community, thereby strengthening the school’s community.
Students who embrace these opportunities will not only be successful, but they will learn more than they might expect. If they put in the required time and effort, students will quickly gain the confidence to walk into the tutoring center with their heads held high knowing they are going to get the help they need.
