A recent expansion to the Academic Support Hub now gives students more resources than ever to sharpen their skills. 

Thanks to a Cleveland Innovation District/JobsOhio grant, the Hub’s drop-in tutoring center made improvements to the physical space in Berkman Hall, as well as to the services it offered. The Cleveland Innovation District Initiative is a state funded, JobsOhio partnership with Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, University Hospitals and Cleveland State University designed to advance technology and healthcare.

“To support our students, particularly in the STEM disciplines, we used JobsOhio funding to expand tutoring support by adding a dedicated Science Resource Center,” said Director of the Academic Support Hub Chrissy Knapke. “This is a university-wide opportunity to dedicate more resources to coursework that is vital to many majors and degree programs, but also touches all CSU students through our General Education curriculum.”

The Hub uses a peer tutoring model, with students learning from other students who were in the course themselves and have had significant training to be tutors. The training program has received certification through the International Tutor Training Program by the College Learning Reading Association.  

Knapke believes the Academic Success Hub will help students become more confident in their skills and successful in their classes, increasing retention and graduation rates.  

“We want students to know that they have an alternative to withdrawing from a challenging course, so that they can stay on track and maximize their tuition dollars,” she said.

Knapke is also hoping more students gravitate toward the newly minted spot to take advantage of the world-class academic support services offered. 

“The expansion will raise the profile and reach of all of the services that are offered via the Hub, even those that are not new,” she said. “Through the work to bring together more subject areas and collaborate university-wide, we hope students can more easily access these resources and come to see the Hub as the place that can help.”

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Andy Kersten, PhD. agrees. 

“CSU’s tutoring center has long been a tremendous resource for students and a source of pride for the university,” he said. “With this expansion, it will not only become a crown jewel at CSU but also a model for the nation.”

To learn more about the JobsOhio program, visit this page.