The U’s Learning Center, located in the J. Willard Marriott Library, has long been a resource for students to receive individual tutoring, attend study sessions for specific courses and learn academic success strategies. Last fall, one-on-one tutoring would cost a student $7 an hour. This fall, thanks to a grant from the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation, it is completely free for all U students.

“COVID-19 has changed the way we’re offering our services, so we took all the money we usually use for the drop-in tutoring center and we’re using it to offer free, individual tutoring,” said Casey Hoekstra, program manager of the Learning Center. “It’s one-on-one and whenever a student needs it, they can just schedule the appointment online with our tutors and choose whether they prefer a video or phone call.”

In April, Undergraduate Studies conducted a student survey to find out how students were doing accessing student services during the coronavirus pandemic. The survey revealed that students were feeling a decrease in motivation to complete coursework.

“We know that can lead to less studying, less attentiveness during class, lower grades and even less retention in the courses,” said Hoekstra. “I think this semester in particular, tutoring is really important and can help students with time management strategies and make sure they’re staying on top of their courses when they may have been moved online.”

While the Learning Center is not the only tutoring center on campus, Hoekstra said they are able to connect students to the right resources if there is a more specialized tutoring service available. Faculty, student organizations and staff can also request presentations and workshops from the center.

“It can be anything from study skills, test taking strategies, note taking skills, learning styles—anything that is some sort of student success skill they think their audience would benefit from,” said Hoekstra.

Schedule a free tutoring appointment or learning consultation here.