As the spring semester begins at UTEP and students return for classes, some may need extra help with tough classes. One of the most beneficial tools a university can provide for their students is tutoring, which UTEP offers in many forms.
Tutoring assists someone that may be having trouble in a specific academic subject and guides them toward higher success. However, obstacles such as cost and in-person scheduling can hinder supportive opportunities like this. The Student Support Service Program (SSSP) is a part of the Federal TRIO programs sponsored by the U.S Department of Education assisting 200 students yearly. Most importantly, SSSP provides only 200 slots for students who need the opportunity the most and take advantage of its resources.
The program, which has operated for years, focuses on the betterment of students academically regardless of their backgrounds. The program says they want to see students believe in themselves and see themselves succeed in whichever field they want to pursue after graduating college. They provide tools from college success workshops to their new partnership with the online service Tutor Me.
Tutor Me is a 24/7 fully free and online tutoring platform for SSSP students. Ricardo Burciaga is the current Director of the Student Support Services program. Burciaga says the partnership has been a long time coming for the SSSP and most definitely will have a positive impact for the students.
“Twenty-four seven online tutoring, Saturday, Sunday, 11 at night or 1 a.m. Whenever you need it and they have more than 300 subjects,” Burciaga said. “With this platform, we get way more subjects, more than 300 and it also provides some sort of tutoring for juniors and seniors. It’s hard sometimes to provide tutoring for them because their classes are so advanced.”
Not only does the Tutor Me service provide on the clock time and assistance, it is also encouraged for all students above the sophomore classification.
The layout of Tutor Me has many details and a wide array of options for academic help. Tutor Me is connected to the online website Blackboard, which most college students use for university classes. Once you log onto the site, there will be an option for students to find a specific live tutor tailored to the kind of help they need for their work. The student describes the help they need by uploading their assignment with a small description. The student then enters an online waiting room, then connects with the tutor they need.
While supporting many different subjects like math and science, there is also a featured Writing Lab section on the platform. Which helps with providing students supportive comments with such things as class essays to professional resumes. Tutor Me also provides many helpful features because of how it is structured to be online, there is an option where students can watch over a pre-recorded tutoring session for an assignment, they need help with. Whether the session is past or present, Tutor Me can help students when it comes to any exams they may have.
This is just one of the many beneficial programs SSSP has to offer for students this upcoming semester.
H. Catching Marginot is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]
