Academic Support Center

Academic Support Center

Florida Tech Academic Support CenterAbout Us

About Us

 

Our Mission

We support the university mission by providing peer tutoring, writing assistance, and instruction in the use of academic strategies to promote a learning environment where undergraduate students may develop to their fullest potential.

How do peer tutors support the mission of the Academic Support Center?

  • Provide an undergraduate perspective of learning at the university that includes the use of campus resources and department initiatives to promote academic success
  • Support fellow students’ quests for knowledge and understanding by using student-centric academic strategies
  • Share subject-specific skills and techniques to help students realize success in their courses
  • Promote an environment of learning and academic discourse through knowledge of campus resources and participation in peer-tutor professional development
  • Engage students in the learning process through active listening, constructive questioning, and critical thinking

The Academic Support Center serves the students and provides resources to enable academic success at Florida Tech. We are located adjacent to the teaching auditorium (P-133) of the Evans Library Pavilion. The Testing Center is at the south entrance, and the Tutoring Center is at the north entrance.

Our Services

  • One-to-one, one-hour tutoring sessions in most undergraduate courses, particularly business, chemistry, computer science, and physics
  • One-to-one assistance from English instructors who help students improve communication skills by answering questions and reviewing written work
  • One-to-one assistance in core self-management skills such as goal setting, time management, note-taking methods, and exam-review strategies
  • Supplemental instruction sessions in cooperation with academic departments for challenging courses such as General Chemistry 1
  • Study groups of three or more students who meet in advance of exams to prepare with materials provided by departments
  • Community outreach to local 6-12 grade students who need help in mathematics and science
  • Academic alerts that allow faculty to contact advisors and ASC staff when a student requests
  • Counseling students who need help with their studies or with campus life as it relates to their studies
  • Midterm progress reports to students
  • Liaison between students and academic units

Meet the staff

Profile

 Rodd Newcombe, Director

Rodd assists students regarding class/instructor conflicts, uncertainty regarding college major choice, college adjustment, or issues resulting in academic probation status.

Kawanda Rembert, Associate Director

Kawanda manages issues specifically relating to peer tutoring, campus academic resources, time management, and peer tutoring assessment. Kawanda coordinates peer tutor certifications for ASC tutors and manages various social media platforms to inform the campus regarding upcoming group studies and academic workshops.

 

Shirley Czekanski, Administrative Assistant II

Ext. 7110
sczekans@fit.edu

 

Taylor Hetherington, Testing Coordinator

Taylor has been the Testing Center Manager since August 2016. Taylor ensures the students taking tests in the Academic Support Center receive the testing accommodations afforded to them by the Office of Disability Services, in addition to serving the entire Florida Tech community with their test-proctoring needs.

 Dr. Marci Hanks, Writing Instructor and Tutor

Dr. Marci Hanks earned her Doctorate of Education in Teaching Reading and Writing, her Master of Science in Biochemistry, and her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. Dr. Hanks is a published author. She has written magazine articles, developed writing curriculum, conducted writing workshops, written and directed plays, and edited school newspapers and a science textbook. Dr. Hanks has 21 years of teaching and tutoring experience. Dr. Hanks enjoys helping students improve their writing.


Alycia Pardoe, Writing Instructor and Tutor

Alycia earned her Master of Science at Florida Institute of Technology in Technical and Professional Communication and is currently pursuing her PhD. She has taught Speech and various writing courses at Eastern Florida State College and Florida Institute of Technology for the past ten years, virtually and face-to-face. Working with students is her passion.

Carol Tillema, Writing Instructor and Tutor

Carol started at Florida Tech as a community volunteer disc jockey at WFIT in 1975 and then became a grill cook at the Sub Café and a flight student from 1993 to 1997. She earned degrees in English Creative Writing, Composition and Rhetoric, and General Business, and after twenty years of combined teaching and consulting experience, she is eager to show her gratitude to Florida Tech and to help others earn better grades and positions in life.