Here at the Center for Learning and Academic Success, we are always striving to provide the best and most beneficial services for Suffolk students. If you’ve been taking advantage the opportunities at the CLAS, great! If not, you should really consider trying out some of the awesome, FREE services provided here. As an employee and a user of CLAS services myself, I can’t recommend checking out the center enough. Before you stop by, use this blog as your quick guide to all things CLAS! We are a part of the Division of Student Success, which also includes…
Our Website: http://www.suffolk.edu/academics/53819.php Our Phone Number: 617-573-8034 Our Location: 9th floor of 73 Tremont. Come out of the elevators, take a right, and you’ll see our front desk. Our Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 am – 8 pm Friday 8 am – 5 pm Our Services One on One Tutoring: We offer tutoring for an extensive amount of classes, from math to marketing and we also offer writing tutoring! Call to make an appointment. Drop In Services: We offer Math and Stats Drop In help in the CLAS and there is also Writing drop in availability in the library. Study Groups: Check if your class has a study group; they are held in the CLAS with an awesome tutor study group leader. Academic Coaching: You can meet with an academic coach to discuss your classes, study schedule, and plan for your future. English Language Workshops: We offer many ELL workshops, like Pronunciation and a TOEFL workshops, that are fun and informative. Remember, this is just a list of quick tips. We’re committed to making the best student experience possible, so stop by or call if you have any questions. I hope to see you soon! Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor
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Welcome back to the Spring 2017 semester! hope you all had a fun and relaxing winter break. I am beginning my last semester here at Suffolk, so I am very familiar with the difficulties of switching from vacation to school mode in the first few weeks of classes. This blog is dedicated to dealing with those problems right off the bat of this brand new semester. You may have had a great fall semester, or maybe one that didn’t go exactly as planned, but remember that right now you have a clean slate! Keep reading for some ideas on how to bounce back and make the most of Spring 2017. Review some of your accomplishments and difficulties from last semester—then move on. It’s a great idea to remember what went well last semester, like creating an awesome group project or getting an A in a class you didn’t think you’d survive. Then ask yourself, how did I make that happen? Did you take good notes? Did you find a study method that works well for you? Try to continue these behaviors this semester! Now think about some of the things that didn’t go so well last semester. Maybe you had trouble turning in your assignments on time or felt unprepared during finals week. And again ask yourself, why did I have these problems? Are they something you can learn from and change in this semester? Now for the most important part…move forward from Fall 2016. You have a brand new semester ahead of you, so take advantage of it! Visualize your semester. I like to make a list of all the big assignments, papers, and projects I’ll have due during the semester. This may seem like a task that can be overwhelming, but it will help you in the long run. Your syllabus for each class might look manageable, but make sure you know of the weeks you’ll have assignments due in multiple classes so you’ll be prepared. If you see a crazy week in your future, maybe take a day off from work or plan something fun to do once you’ve finished! Set goals and conquer. Setting goals is key to bouncing back into a new semester. Use the SMART acronym for these goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based. They don’t need to be class related either; your goal could be to get more exercise, get a better sleeping schedule, or apply for internships. Knowing that this semester you are working toward goals that are important to you is extremely motivating. It doesn’t matter if this is your second semester or your eighth; we all have the chance to bounce back into 2017 with an awesome start to the semester, and I believe that we all can do it! Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor It might be difficult to believe, but another semester has flown by and finals week is here again! I hope that you’ve had a great semester and are finding yourself (somewhat) prepared for finals. As your due dates and exam times draw closer, it’s important to stay organized, stay productive, and stay healthy. Last week, the Center for Learning and Academic success took over the Suffolk Snapchat story and our tutors provided tips and tricks that they use to survive finals week. Here’s the recap: 1. Focus on time management. Each student has a different method and time allotment for studying, but prioritizing the time you spend on your finals assignments is crucial. Estimate the amount of time you’ll need for each subject and divide up your studying time. If one subject is particularly challenging, break it up into smaller portions throughout the week. 2. Explain the material to someone else. If your roommate, friend, or family member has a free minute, try explaining the material that will be on your exam to them. If you are able to do this easily, it's clear you know your stuff! If this proves difficult, go back and take a second look at the challenging material. 3. Read aloud. Reading your notes or Powerpoints aloud can be great for committing material to memory. Reading your papers aloud is especially helpful in detecting grammar errors. 4. Create a game plan, literally. Making up study games or quizzes (and rewarding yourself) is a great way to switch up your studying method and stay motivated. 5. Listen to music. Listening to familiar music can help you study; the music can actually improve your productivity and help you stay relaxed. 6. SLEEP. That extra hour of studying you did instead of sleeping will not be beneficial when you are not well rested for test time. Challenge yourself to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night this week! 7. Stop by the CLAS. Writing tutoring appointments and math drop-in support are still available during finals week! If some material is proving to be extremely difficult, see if one of our tutors can help you out. Wishing you the best of luck on your finals and a great end of the semester, Kayla Shearns CLAS Tutor Here at the CLAS, we are able to offer tutoring, drop in services, and study groups for almost any subject because of the great tutors who work here. In addition to their own classes and schoolwork, our tutors are dedicated to helping their peers achieve academic success. Tutors and tutees collaborate to solve problems, prepare for exams, and build study skills. A session is often beneficial for both students, as they learn and gain valuable insight from each other. This blog post will introduce you to Jake Duggan, a Suffolk senior and a finance and ISOM tutor, who told us about his experience as a first year tutor.
1. What is the best thing about being a CLAS tutor? "There are a lot of things I like about being a CLAS tutor, but probably the most useful is the fact that tutoring sessions greatly benefit me as well the student. For me, refreshing my knowledge on the courses I've taken in the past is really helpful." 2. What do you think your biggest challenge is as a Suffolk University student? "The work/life balance is always the biggest challenge. In this case work would be school. There are so many things to do in Boston that it is very easy to get distracted, but you have to stay focused on your studies." 3. What academic advice would you give your freshman year self? "Work harder to find what you like to do earlier. You will regret it when you are taking upper level classes in courses that don't interest you." 4. What is your favorite memory at CLAS so far? "It is great to see a student who appreciates your help. When the topic clicks for the student you can tell, and it is great to be a part of that." 5. Tell us 2 random/fun facts about you! -"I am a student athlete at Suffolk, playing tennis." -"I love to travel and see nature. This summer, I went on a western road trip where I went to 4 national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Teton, Yellowstone)." Finance and ISOM are only a few of the subjects tutored here at the CLAS. If you'd like some help as finals week slowly approaches, make an appointment with Jake or one of our other awesome tutors by calling 617-573-8034 today! You may love or hate them, but without a doubt group projects are everywhere in college classes. Especially at this point in the semester, you are probably trying to fit a group project into your already hectic schedule. Group projects are often a source of frustration and confusion for exactly this reason, but if executed correctly, you can learn a lot from working as a team with your classmates. Particularly at Suffolk, working on group projects can be an opportunity to meet and collaborate with students you might not have the chance to otherwise. To make the best experience possible for your team, try sharing these tips and implementing them with your group.
1. Make a group message. Use either iMessage or a texting app like Whatsapp to get all the contact information for your team and create an outlet where you can all communicate without being in the same room as soon as possible. 2. Talk about your availability for meetings. If you can coordinate the availabilities of each team member at the beginning of your project, it will be easier to set up meetings in the future. Remember, be honest. If you are a very busy person, which most Suffolk students are, communicate this with your teammates so you all can be realistic about meetings and deadlines. 3. Discuss what needs to get done and start a Google Doc. What I find very useful during group projects is utilizing Google Docs. For many of my team assignments, I’ll copy and paste the directions for the assignment into the document, so everyone is working from the same set of instructions. This is also a great place to divide up the work. Discuss the strengths of each team member and assign different tasks. Write each teammate’s name next to a specific task on the project so everyone can see who is responsible for what. 4. Set due dates. Even though the final project may not be due until finals week, set goals for when different parts of the project should be completed. These goals should be agreed upon unanimously, so everyone is prepared and agrees with the time frames. Also, determine who will be the editor and the one to turn in the final assignment so you’re not scrambling to submit. 5. Meet in person at least once. Even though work for a group project is usually designed to be split up, there is often a collaborative component. Especially when the due date is approaching, it is helpful to go over your finished product together. This can be a time to cooperatively edit and share ideas with your group. Like I mentioned prevously, there is a lot that can be learned from the different people in your group; your team will often have different skill sets and ideas. Your group can be a source for brainstorming and help, so don’t hesitate to meet up and discuss if you are stuck. I hope you are able to utilize some of these strategies in your next group project. Also, If you are a person that likes group projects and enjoys working collaboratively with your classmates, drop by a study session at the CLAS before your next project or exam! Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor As college students, we are often told that volunteer work is something that will be a resume builder and act as beneficial experience for our futures. What we are told less often, however, is how truly memorable, enjoyable, and life changing volunteering can be. My name is Kayla Shearns, a Suffolk senior, CLAS writing tutor, and contributor to the CLAS blog, and in this post I’d like to share my volunteer experience with One Heart Source, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the gap between those who have access to bettering their lives and those who do not through education. My involvement with OHS went beyond volunteering, and I gained more experience, knowledge, and friendships than I could have ever imagined. I hope that sharing my experience might just encourage you to find a volunteer project that you are passionate about and give it a try, because it will no doubt pay off in more ways than one. I heard about One Heart Source through a single email, out of many received in a day, passed along from a professor. Reading through their website, I learned that OHS had volunteer opportunities in Cape Town, South Africa and Jamaica, tutoring elementary and middle school students. It was a dream of mine to visit South Africa and through tutoring I have become passionate about education, so I was instantly interested. What was not so instantaneous, though, was my confidence that I could commit to the experience. I would have to travel for 30 hours, be away from home for over week, and engage in tutoring I wasn’t sure I had the necessary skills for. But after reading reviews online and seeing the pictures of the beautiful place and people involved with OHS, I decided to take the leap. Arriving in South Africa is a moment I will never forget. My OHS fellows made me feel welcome and secure entering an unfamiliar continent, and told me what to expect on my drive from the Cape Town airport to my hostile in Hout Bay. The next day, I moved into my apartment where I met my six roommates, volunteers from different parts of the United States and the world. Throughout my week in Cape Town, I met all the OHS volunteers and learned from each and every one; being in such a diverse group that was so cooperative, kind, and with many surprising similarities was one of the best parts of the experience. One Heart Source’s mission is to provide education to the students they interact with to encourage them learn and follow their dreams to better their lives. OHS runs an after school program for students from grades 4-7 at Oranjekloof Moravarian Primary School. The volunteers tutor reading and math to supplement what the students are learning in the classroom. I was specifically focusing on administering reading assessments to determine the reading level the students have achieved. One of my favorite moments from the experience was watching one of the students pass her grade 7 reading level, the highest before continuing to high school, with flying colors. I am truly privileged to have met and worked with such funny, kind, and smart students who are motivated in the face of adversity; I left the school every day having learned something new and with a giant smile on my face. Outside of school, I was fortunate enough to experience some of the culture of Cape Town and Hout Bay. I visited the township where many of the students live, called Imizamo Yethu, meaning “our collective struggle”. The One Heart Source website explains the community as “Roughly 60% of residents in Hout Bay live in Imizamo Yethu, and the majority of residents have little or no access to stable infrastructure, such as running water, adequate plumbing, electricity, and waste management. Despite the great social needs, there is an even stronger sense of community and hope amongst residents”. The people of the township were willing to share their stories and invite us into their homes. I was even able to learn a little bit of the local language, Xhosa, with the help of our culture coaches and students. I had the opportunity to visit markets, restaurants, and historical sites; exploring the community was invaluable to understanding the students’ lives and the need for the type of work OHS engages in. Leaving Cape Town was bittersweet. I was grateful for the experiences I had, the people I met, and the things I had learned. Working with the students and being accepted into such a beautiful culture was something I just didn’t want to leave. Through my volunteering experience, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and learned a lot about myself and the world. Not only did I accomplish something I never thought I could, but I became motivated to do more. I cannot emphasize enough how much I did not feel like I was volunteering, but that I was working together to better a community with people passionate about education just like me. I encourage you to explore the One Heart Source website, https://oneheartsource.org/#home, and if the experience seems like something you might be interested in, I cannot recommend it enough. There are countless volunteer opportunities to do good with something you are interested in. Working at the CLAS not only sparked my interest in education, but gave me the confidence and skills I needed to embark on my volunteer journey. I began this school year with more motivation than ever to do my best as a tutor and in my own studies. If tutoring or working with a tutor is something you think might motivate you like me, check out the CLAS website or stop into the center. Thank you for reading about my experience, and I encourage you to try out one for yourself. Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor The first month of school has flown by, as usual, and October is bringing in the true beginnings of fall. You’re probably now watching those far away October due dates come nearer on the calendar, and are working on the first long paper or big writing assignment of the semester. If you’re like me, new content, classes, and professors are motivation for making sure you’ve done your best before turning your first assignment in on Blackboard. As a writing tutor, here is the checklist I use and that I encourage you to try before pressing Submit.
If you find this list helpful on your first assignment, save and use the checklist for finishing touches on your papers throughout the semester! Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor As the first official week of autumn begins, the Fall 2016 semester at Suffolk is in full swing! I hope you’ve been enjoying what’s left of summer and the beginning of a new school year. This time of year includes the fall weather, activities, and food we’ve all been waiting for. It also involves getting back into of a full schedule of class, work, and extra curriculars. We’ve been back in classes for a few weeks now, and I’m sure you’re starting to get an idea of what this semester has in store for you. The best way to make a great semester is to get off to a great start, and this blog is dedicated to a few ways you can do just that…all on your phone. These are some small, simple, and digital tips to help start off your semester right. 1. Follow Suffolk on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat) to keep up to date with what’s happening on campus. 2. Bookmark the Blackboard website on your internet app. Professors are constantly updating assignments and resources, so check it regularly. 3. Get into the habit of using your iPhone calendar or download a calendar app (like Todoist or Sunrise) to keep track of your meetings, exams, and assignments. 4. Pin, favorite, or bookmark a fall recipe to try before the end of September. 5. Add the new Center for Learning and Academic Success phone number into your contacts to easily call and make a tutoring appointment. 617-573-8034 Keep checking the CLAS blog for more tips like these throughout the semester. Wishing you the best of luck in your new semester! Kayla Shearns, CLAS Tutor Come join NESADSU for the third Annual Illustration Show! The exhibition represents the best work from the last year produced by sophomore, junior and senior Illustration majors and minors. The work was selected by a jury of local professionals, including Susy Pilgrim-Waters, James Steinberg, Mike Scaramozzino and Dale Stephanos. Their work represents a variety of specialized illustration fields in traditional, digital and 3-D media. Food and beverages will be provided at the reception on March 31.
Come See NESAD Foundation Student Work! The first year of NESAD looks a lot like taking English 101 for first year students in the Business school. Students take Drawing 1 and Drawing 2 to learn and practice the fundamentals. They also take 3-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional Design to learn basic composition, color theory, introductory Photoshop skills and many more of the things they need to succeed in their intended majors. All of this hard work culminates into the Foundation Student Show. Any first year student can enter their work from any foundation class. The work is then juried and chosen for the show by the professors who teach those courses. Every year we get to showcase the amazing talents of the incoming class in our gallery and enjoy the incredible artwork they have produced. Snacks and beverages are also provided! Thursday, March 3rd - Reception at 5:30pm |
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