Walk by the courtyard of the 420 building and you’ll notice Southwestern College students buzzing in and out of the Academic Success Center. With final exams beginning next week, Southwestern College students are even busier than usual with studying, final projects and essays. Many head over to the Academic Success Center (ASC) as their go-to resource for tutoring, studying, academic advising and more.
“The real strength of our program is our belief in peer tutoring, tutors who empathize and sympathize with our students, and who serve as role models of success,” said Andrew Rempt, Academic Success Center coordinator.
Waiting for them inside are writing and subject tutors who are eager to help students succeed with their courses. Students visit the Academic Success Center more than 20,000 times each semester for free tutoring and specific course workshops. The center has multiple rows of computers for student use and study spaces, including private study rooms. The center also manages the popular PowerStudy Program, which places tutors inside classrooms to help give students specialized course tutoring.
Let’s take a peek inside the Academic Success Center and check out what other services they offer.
Subject Tutoring
The Academic Success Center offers specific tutoring for almost every course subject, from Astronomy to Zoology, on a walk-in basis and by appointment.
Many of the tutors are Southwestern College students themselves who know the ins and outs of specific courses. All of them are dedicated to helping students succeed and create an accessible learning environment.
The tutors are always keen on helping students however they can, and sociology major Xavier Pua also sees his job as a campus tutor as a way to gain experience for his future career path.
“When I work with students, I know I can make a positive impact and be a part of their educational experience,” Pua said. “I want to be a teacher, and with this job I’m getting first-hand experience.”
The Writing Center
Whether you need guidance crafting the perfect thesis for your English paper, creating a biology lab report or polishing up a personal cover letter, the folks at the Writing Center are there to help.
“I really enjoy helping students through the whole writing process, from the brainstorming to proofreading,” said Angela Garcia-Sermeno, English and writing tutor. “My major was English and Spanish, and I get to use both my majors every day here. I get to hear and read essays from a variety of courses. When I help students I get to revisit and explain disciplines that people might not consider ‘fun,’ like grammar.”
Students who can’t go to the Academic Success Center on the Chula Vista campus can still access the center’s services at the Higher Education Centers or online through eTutoring or the Online Writing Lab.
