News & Updates
Last updated on December 22nd, 2021 at 05:21 pm
Spring 2022 Newsletter
Managing Editor: Beth Holden
Layout: Karen Panke
Cheers to Another 75 Years
by Beth Holden
This issue is dedicated to our students who inspire us daily and who
achieve great success, sometimes against all odds.
Westchester Community College is celebrating its 75th year educating students from Westchester, surrounding counties, and the boroughs that comprise New York City. Although the Academic Support Center hasn’t been offering student tutorial services for 75 years, we do have a long-standing tradition of helping our students succeed in their coursework, continue in their degree programs, and complete their programs of study. The Academic Support Center Coordinators, tutors and staff are proud to participate in and celebrate student success. We help students with academic studies. We cheer them on when the going gets tough and we watch proudly at commencement when they receive their degrees. Whether you’ve been studying for 75 weeks, 75 days, 75 hours, or 75 minutes, it is important that you set yourself up for success. We offer the tips throughout this issue in that spirit.
Seven Steps for Student Success
by Phyllis Zahn
Whether you’re taking online courses or in person courses, there are always challenges.
Developing skills and habits to manage your time and to organize has never been more important. Remember, your ability to manage your time and to organize your work will always be a work in progress. As you learn and grow, you will become stronger and more capable and the demands of your course work will increase. You will find solutions that work, and these solutions will need to be monitored and adapted.
- START: Just get started. There is no perfect moment, or perfect mood. Get rid of the notion of perfect. Create a start time and stick to it.
- SMALL STEPS: Create tasks that are small, specific and do-able. Large assignments can feel overwhelming. Break a large task down into a series of small steps. Start with the first small step.
- STAY FOCUSED: Set yourself up to reduce or eliminate distractions.
- STOP: Create a stop time. And reward yourself. Have a cup of coffee or tea. Take a walk. Chat with a friend. The reward is not meant to take the rest of the day. It’s meant to make you feel good about the effort you put forth.
- SPACE: Create a dedicated space to do your work when working from home. Most of us don’t have a spare room, but perhaps there is a corner of a room that you can claim. Set up a table and chair that you can use to do your work. Have a place for your textbooks, binders, notebooks and backpacks.
- SYSTEM: Create a file system for papers and online work that you can rely on. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it is always a work in progress. It will change as you move through the semester. You need to know that you can find what you need when you need it.
- SELF CARE: Often over looked, but absolutely essential. Get enough sleep. Eat well and don’t overdo junk snacking. Set aside time to exercise or meditate. Have some fun; see friends and family. Create balance in your life. Don’t be thinking about work all of the time.
Don’t just work hard — work smart!
75 Tips for Student Success from your Friends at the Academic Support Center
National Day on Writing
To celebrate the National Day on Writing, the Academic Support Center collected one-word responses to the question, “What does WCC mean to you?” The ASC used your answers to create this word cloud, which commemorates the college’s 75th anniversary
What does WCC mean to you?
ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION
For our hours of operation, contact the Academic Support Center at (914) 606 – 6470 or email us at asc-group@sunywcc.edu or any of the tutorials below.
Math: Askatutor-math@sunywcc.edu
Physics: Askatutor-physics@sunywcc.edu
Science: AskAtutor-sci@sunywcc.edu
Writing: Askatutor-wri@sunywcc.edu
ESL: Askatutor-esl@sunywcc.edu
Reading & Study Skills: Askatutor-read@sunywcc.edu
Economics: Askatutor-economics@sunywcc.edu
Computer Science: Askatutor-compsci@sunywcc.edu
Psychology: Askatutor-psychology@sunywcc.edu
ZOOM IN: STUDY SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, WEDNESDAYS AT 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Time Management & Organization: FEB 2
- Note-Taking Ideas: FEB 9
- Memory Skills: FEB 16
- Metacognition Skills: FEB 23
- Reduce Test Anxiety: MAR 2
- Predict, Prepare, and Take the Test: MAR 9
- Review for Finals and Projects: MAR 23
ZOOM IN: WRITING WORKSHOPS, WEDNESDAYS AT 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
- What To Do Before You Write: FEB 2
- Thesis Statements: FEB 9
- Developing The Essay Body: FEB 16
- Intros & Conclusions: FEB 23
- Citing & Quoting: MAR 2
- Revising & Editing: MAR 9
WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT ASC TUTORS:
“It was a pleasure to work with Mia.”
“Thank you so much for helping me. You’re the best!”
“I really appreciate you guys!”
Fall 2021 Academic Support Center NEWS

Silver Linings Pandemic Play Book: A retrospect from the ASC
By: Beth Holden
In the spring issue of the ASC newsletter, I posed the question, “Are we (students, faculty, and staff) really thriving in this (virtual) environment?” In the throes of the pandemic, I wondered. Now that we’ve had time to reflect I can say unequivocally, not only did we thrive as a department, but our students thrived under our tutelage as well. The entire experience was humbling. In the beginning, I likened it to everyone jumping in a life raft and rowing to keep afloat. Tutors were now in the students’ shoes and learned new technologies and new ways of tutoring in different modalities. At times, we suffered from stormy weather. “ I can’t hear you?” “Can you hear me?” “You’re muted!” “Did you have the correct link?” All of these became common phrases in our collective lexicon. Some students and tutors suffered from spotty internet connections, and got kicked out of the life boat, but they jumped right back in. Now, like a vessel that achieves stability with the proper ballast, so have we.
When I think about what we were able to do as a department—to continue to provide students with the quality tutorial support that they are accustomed to practically seamlessly –I can look back, on my question and answer unequivocally yes we did thrive as did our students. As is so often the case with students who dedicated them-selves to working with tutors in the ASC tutorials, many succeeded in their studies exemplifying the true meaning of GRIT.
Some students preferred this environment and Zoomed in to receive tutoring during their lunch hours from work. One showed up in scrubs. Others commented that they had more time to study due to less com-mute time. Others were grateful to have a little more money because they didn’t have to commute to campus by train, bus or put gas in their cars.
Some students with ADHD or with Autism Spectrum Disorder were able to thrive in this remote environment where there were no distractions or sensory stimulation. Theresa Revans-McMenimon, Counselor for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder from our Disability Services Office, tells us that, “Some of my ASD students have reported preferring the remote learning environment because it eliminated or reduced some of the sensory issues they experience on campus. The anxiety level experienced in the classroom was reduced because the students can control sensory stimuli in their own home.At the end of the spring 2021 semester, only 7 students of the 91 I worked with failed a class. Whereas comparatively, in spring 2019, 17 students out of 112 failed a class.I think the bottom line is that a great variety of teaching methods needs to be offered so students can pick the format that works best for their individual learning style.”
During this time we have learned so much about ourselves and about our students. We are resilient and we will not be shipwrecked. The waters may have been a little rough at first but now our rough edges have been washed away for the most part. They have been polished like sea glass tossed about by the tempests of time and we come into the fall semester a more seasoned crew, ready to face the waters of fall 2021 whether they be fair or foul.
Below some retrospective comments from tutors and students:
“I am in awe of our students. Plain and simple awe.Some have told us they and/or their family members contracted Covid. Some have lost people dear to them. Many have lost their incomes or have been out there this whole time on the front lines while so many others were able to work from home.Some are desperately trying to use unfamil-iar technology to get the most out of their academic experiences, of-ten in a language other than their native tongues. But they persevered, stuck with us, saw their classes through to the end. Inspiring.”
“What surprised me about the students was their resilience in a really trying year. Despite all the technological obstacles and the notion of Zooming into classes, I thought our students were impressively dedicated to doing their best in school and truly improving their writing skills. Especially when ‘Zoomed out,’ I give them credit for seeking out Zoom meetings.”
“I would like to keep Zoom meetings an important part of the tutorial. I found them sometimes more helpful in some ways than an in-person meeting, and to the extent a student may be more likely to “Zoom in” than walk into a physical space, we should keep Zoom as key part of the ASC tutorials.”
“ASKATUTOR service has been a tremendous support to many of us students. I speak from experience when I say that without it many students would be struggling to keep their grades up. I have always felt heard and taken care of, and the interactions are always pleasant. I can’t put my gratitude into words, but thank you for providing this service!”
“I really enjoyed meeting one on one through zoom with tutors and I think that it was very convenient to have zoom meetings rather than in-person meetings. Once schools open I suggest you still have zoom meetings because it is easier for students like myself who have a busy schedule, to get help on assignments.”“Keep smiling because when we are feeling down the most, tutors light up our spirit.”“It was my first time using Zoom but tutors were understanding. Thank you so much for the help.”
Tutoring News
After more than 18 months of working remotely, ASC tutors will be back on campus in a limited capacity for the fall semester. Tutors will be available to work with students taking courses on campus in-person by appointment from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Our remote Zoom option is also available Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Students can request in-person or Zoom appointments by emailing us at:
All levels of Math: Askatutor-math@sunywcc.edu
All levels of Physics: Askatutor-physics@sunywcc.edu
All levels of Science: AskAtutor-sci@sunywcc.edu
Writing: Askatutor-wri@sunywcc.edu
ESL: Askatutor-esl@sunywcc.edu
Reading & Study Skills: Askatutor-read@sunywcc.edu
Economics: *Askatutor-economics@sunywcc.edu
Computer Science: **Askatutor-compsci@sunywcc.edu
Psychology:***Askatutor-psychology@sunywcc.edu
*Economics: Mondays 12 p.m.—5 p.m. / Tuesdays 9 a.m.—12 p.m. / Wednesdays 9 a.m.—1 p.m. / Thursdays 10 a.m.—5 p.m. / Fridays 10 a.m.—2 p.m.
**Computer Science: Mondays & Wednesday 12 p.m.—4 p.m. / Thursdays 11 a.m.—3 p.m.
***Psychology: Mondays 1 p.m.—5 p.m. / Wednesdays & Fridays 10 a.m.—2 p.m.
Designated Tutor Program Continuing in Fall 2021
By now, you may have heard from some of your colleagues about ASC’s the Designated Tutor Program. The program was designed to provide greater access to students for academic support and to assist in helping motivate students to use ASC services. Over the last academic year, Faculty and Adjunct Faculty members in Math, English, Reading, and ESL had a tutor assigned to a specific class one hour a week. Faculty and adjunct faculty members participated in various ways: some were interactive with the tutor, speaking to their assigned tutor weekly and organizing topics to be covered in the session; others offered a designated hour once a week for students to get additional support. In the end, ASC surveys showed that when students participated in the Designated Tutoring Program by attending Designated Tutoring Sessions or by working with their Designated Tutor, the program worked for them, and they had positive experiences. Faculty, tutors and students agreed that overall, the program was helpful for students. We invite you to become part of the program this fall by contacting the ASC coordinator in your content area for more information.
Here is what the students, tutors, and professors are saying about our Designated Tutor Program!
“Our designated tutor in our writing class was Stephanie DiMartino. She was available for open zoom for our class but also through ask-a-tutor. She was incredibly helpful to me. I learned so much. The time and effort the tutors put into their jobs at WCC is very much appreciated by all the students program was so helpful. I am so grateful for all of the help that they provided me throughout the semester.”
“Since I wasn’t able to make the designated weekly session due to an interfering class, I still utilized the tutor services on other days of the week. Madalena was very reachable, kind, and responsive.She always promptly scheduled appointments for me and replied quickly to emails. The tutor I worked with most frequently with was Lauren. Again, so kind, helpful and patient. Thank you everyone on the tutor team!!”
ZOOM IN | Study Skills for Success Wednesdays @ 11 AM Online (or anytime with a tutor), Fall 2021
9/22: Time Management and Organization | 9/29: Note-Taking | 10/6: Memory Skills | 10/13: Metacognition and Learning to Learn10/20: Reduce Test Anxiety | 10/27: Predict, Prepare, and Take the Test | 11/3:Review for Final Exams & Projects
ZOOM IN | Writing Workshops Wednesdays @ 12 PM Online (or anytime with a tutor), Fall 2021
9/15: What to do Before You Write | 9/22: Claims & Thesis Statements | 9/29: Developing the Body | 10/6: Effective Introductions & Conclusions | 10/13: Incorporating Sources into the Text | 10/20: Revising & Editing
ZOOM IN | Science Study Groups Fall 2021:
Contact Askatutor-sci@sunywcc.edu to reserve a time for you and your classmates
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