Pilots Prevent
September 21, 2021
With fall semester in full swing, the return to campus and in-person classes comes with an array of emotions: excitement, relief, joy—and, yes, anxiety. Many students are finding it difficult to stay organized, finding their essay writing skills are a little rusty, or wondering if they can live up to classroom expectations.
If you’re struggling, you are not alone, and Brenda Greiner, director of the Shepard Academic Resource Center (SARC), has answers (and hot chocolate!). Brenda’s first piece of advice to any student struggling in a class is to check in with the faculty member and remember that your professor wants you to be successful. Take advantage of office hours. If those hours don’t work for you, it’s okay to ask to meet at a different time.
But if you aren’t sure where to start, or even how to articulate what the problem is, the staff at SARC are here. “We are the customer service,” Brenda says, “the concierge, the booster shot of confidence, the reminder to you that you’re freaking awesome, and you belong here at UP. We are here to help you find your way!”
All SARC staff can help students with “big-picture” navigation of the college experience, and they can connect you to other programs for more specific needs. If you’re a first-year student, Brenagh Sanford runs workshops, academic coaching, and more. First-Generation (FGEN) college students can find a range of support through programs directed by Matt Daily. If you’re struggling with organization, time management, test-taking, studying, or reading comprehension, Br. Thomas Giumenta provides learning assistance counseling. “Brother Tom is like a personal trainer for study skills,” says Brenda. “He understands that tests are different between high school and college and can help you find ways to change or pivot.”
For folks who need accommodation for documented disabilities, Accessible Education Services (AES) can provide you with equal access to education, the classroom, and activities on campus. Brenda says over 350 students are registered with AES and have access to accommodations to all aspects of this academic environment. Your disability information stays private unless you choose to share. Faculty members only know what accommodations each student can have.
The Learning Commons provides students with peer-to-peer assistance and tutoring in multiple disciplines—the most popular ones are math, nursing, and biology. There is also a dedicated writing center. Brenda says that they typically log 4,000 tutoring appointments over the course of a year, making it a popular resource. Peer tutors know the material and are specially trained in how to tutor and help engage other students.
Sometimes, the hardest part is asking for help. It can be intimidating. Brenda has advice for that too: “Recognize and hold that fear—don’t shame that fear. That fear is informed by a challenge. Ask yourself what you’ve done before, what’s the strength within you that’s helped you overcome similar challenges before? Anchor in yourself.”
Parents might recognize that a student is struggling before anyone else. Brenda suggests that “parents check in with their student, ask them to share what the ‘big weeks’ are for the semester. If you know the third week of October is going to be extra stressful, that’s the time to show a little more love, send a care package.”
Know that you’re not alone in your anxiety. “Everyone has had a similar experience,” says Brenda. “Everyone had to learn how to be online, then come back. You might feel isolated and alone, but there’s been no other time like this, when we’re having the same experiences.” This includes UP faculty and staff—all of us here on campus are adjusting together and eager to help. “Every staff or faculty person on campus is dying to have a student ask them a question,” says Brenda. “We are so happy to have students back. We are excited to help you. We are experts at it. It’s part of our culture. We want nothing more than to help students and be a part of the journey of their time here.”
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