The Academic Support Center Fall 2025 Newsletter

He has also offered transfer essay writing workshops and presented on AI at professional development events. But who is Andrew Selig? Learning center professional, college instructor, author, playwright, journalist – Andrew has been in many roles, each one with writing at its core.

At seven years old, he wrote his first novel, Tree Man (about a superhero who “happened to be a tree”).  His interest in writing continued through high school, when the coverage of the 9/11 attacks inspired him to become a journalist. While studying journalism at Fordham, he met a professor who encouraged him to write for the school newspaper and radio station and introduced him to influential media figures at CBS. Mr. Selig was on his way toward a journalism career, but when graduation came, he felt that need for self-expression that had been with him since the Tree Man days tugging at his sleeve. Andrew began in a creative writing MFA program at Adelphi University. During this time, he penned a collection of short stories and wrote and helped produce a play that received acclaim during its short run.

 

Graduate school was also his first opportunity to teach writing, which he immediately fell in love with. After he received his MFA, Andrew became a college instructor, teaching eleven sections (!) per trimester at multiple campuses for a few years. His hard work and dependability got him noticed, and he was offered a full-time position as Director of Berkeley College’s Center for Academic Success. While Andrew was initially intimidated by this new position, his dean suggested that he think of the center as his classroom. “That notion really helped me to visualize my directional role, and that belief carried over into my current role as Writing Coordinator,” says Andrew. “I loved the mentorship aspect of the job—I developed close bonds with the tutors and saw them grow.” A few years later, when he was offered the position of Writing Coordinator here at SUNY WCC, Andrew was elated. A New Rochelle native and resident, Mr. Selig has always respected our college’s role in Westchester County. He started in January and has been impressed by the warm, collegial atmosphere and the grit of our students.

 

While Mr. Selig has always felt the need to write, he is aware that not every student is as enamored with the power of the pen. This is part of why he thinks writing centers are so important. “Writing centers are meant to not only assist but inspire,” says Andrew. “Of course, in the age of AI, finding your voice has become even more essential.”

  

With Andrew at the helm, the Academic Support Center’s Writing Tutorial will continue to inspire students to find their own voices and produce their best work. Drop by LIB G13 to meet the ASC’s newest Coordinator and find out what the Writing Tutorial can do for you.

 

WHAT’S NEW AT THE ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER?

• The Science Tutorial is now located in G14 of the library building near the rest of the Academic Support Center.
• National Tutor Appreciation Week is October 6-10. Come by for a celebratory tutoring session and thank a tutor for the important work they do!
• National Day on Writing is October 20. Come celebrate and sharpen your writing skills at the ASC’s Writing Tutorial!
• SUNY WCC’s Integrated Learning Project is coming to the ASC. We’ll be posting tips on this year’s theme of Good Health and Well-Being in the hallway outside LIB G31 and G14. Come by the ASC to learn how you can improve both your health and your academics!
• The Designated Tutor program continues in Fall 2025! Students in select sections of Math, Science, ESL, Reading, and English courses will receive dedicated time with a tutor at the ASC.

Recent WCC grad and tutor Ajax Kofsky, now studying agricultural science at Cornell, reflects, “Working as a tutor has really helped me to start developing my teaching skills such that in the future, I will be able to pass on the many things I have learned to others.” The ASC wishes these future leaders well in their chosen careers, and we’re excited to witness their next achievements

The ASC’s Tutorials

MATH TUTORIAL
LIB G44, Coordinator: Madalena Mansinho
Pre-Algebra, Beginning Algebra, College Algebra, and College Quantitative Reasoning

MATH/PHYSICS TUTORIAL
LIB G36, Coordinator: Bishara Al-Akeel
Development of Math Thought, Nature of Mathematics, Math for Elementary School Teachers, Elements of Geometry, Statistics, Pre-Calculus, Calculus for Business, Calculus I, II, & III, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, College Physics I & II, Engineering Physics I & II, Technical Physics I & II, and Physical Science Explorations

COMPUTER SCIENCE TUTORIAL
LIB G36, Coordinator: Bishara Al-Akeel
Intro Computing Concepts, Computer Programming I/II, Linux Operating System, Java Programming, GUI Development, Computer Architecture
SCIENCE TUTORIAL
LIB G14, Coordinator: Agnieszka Tereba
General Biology I/II, Biological Science I/II, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry I/II, Anatomy and Physiology I/II, Microbiology, Non-major Physical Sciences, and Respiratory Care and Nutrition

READING, ESL, AND STUDY SKILLS TUTORIAL
LIB G38, Coordinator: Stephen Perry
Analytical Reading, College Success, First-Year Seminar, Intro to Academic Writing 2, Speech Communication for Non-Native Speakers, Writing for College 1, Upper-Level English Language Institute courses, and reading strategies, study skills, and English language support for all courses.

WRITING TUTORIAL
LIB G13, Coordinator: Andrew Selig
Writing and Research, Writing and Literature, and papers in all disciplines

CONGRATULATIONS, 2025 HIRSCH FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS!

Lany Hirsch was one of the founders of the Academic Support Center. For the past five years, her family has generously donated thousands of dollars to be awarded in scholarships to WCC students who use the Academic Support Center to achieve their goals. The Academic Support Center and the students it serves are grateful for her family’s generous support. Here are this year’s winners, who express their thanks to the Hirsch family and the ASC.