by One of the most crucial things that NCC’s Science Resource Center aims for is making students comfortable in the face of tutoring.
According to Geraldine O’Dowd, the coordinator of the center, since the SRC was created four years ago, it now comprises about 30 tutors, ranging from students to doctors.
She states that even though the credentials are valuable, one of the key traits is politeness. “It’s not just the knowledge, it’s how welcoming they are,” she said, “because if you feel less than for seeking assistance, you’re not going to come in.”
The center is a walk-in service, so throughout the semester it would be packed with students, said O’Dowd, and that can be intimidating for other students.
About 50 students can be in there at once, but she states that they will always find space, no matter the number.
The center focuses mainly on two subjects, Biology and Chemistry, but their assistance goes beyond that. They cater to other topics by providing models for Anatomy and Physiology.
Having 3D models is one of the main attractions in the center because even though textbooks help, having a physical model of the human anatomy gives students more advantage in their studies.
Since the labs are locked after each class, they don’t have as much access to them, and this is why the center’s open six days a week.
“There are a number of people who are working full-time, Monday through Friday, and if we were not open on Saturdays, they wouldn’t have access to these models,” O’Dowd said.
One student that’s a huge fan of the models is Aurie Freitag, a Sports Medicine major, who’s a regular student at the center. “I get here as much as I can,” she said and added that if she could be in the center every day, she would.
Like the Learning Center, the SRC encourages students to get help in their courses and to reduce the stigma that only those who’re failing need tutoring.
Laura Rex is a Biological Science major, and a tutor at the center. She doesn’t shy away from the fact that she even needs tutoring sometimes. As for her thoughts on being a tutor, she said, “It’s a good experience because as a student it helps to refresh on concepts.”
A&P Anatomy and Physiology tutor, Megan Edgar, had similar thoughts. She said it’s better to tutor while learning because that way it refreshes the material.
There are students whose grades are at least 20 points higher whenever they revisit the center, O’Dowd said. In fact, according to statistics, 64% of tutored A&P I students received a grade of C or higher in Fall 2019, as opposed to the remaining 28% that wasn’t.
This is the aspect of tutoring everyone should pay attention to—having hope that they can get better in their studies.
The center’s open Mon. – Thur. from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Fri. from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Science Resource Center is in Penn Hall, Room 211 on the main campus, and Keystone 140 on Monroe campus. For more information, visit https://www.northampton.edu/student-services/learning-center/bethlehem-learning-center/walk-in-schedule.htm or contact them by email at, tutoring@nullnorthampton.edu.
