Students can take advantage of tutoring on campus like the Writing Center or University Tutoring Services, but it is rarely recognized how much time and energy some of these passionate tutors invest in helping their fellow classmates.

While most tutors work around 10 hours a week, some, like Jessica Sandry, graduate student, education, invest as much as 20 hours most weeks, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

Photograph by Kate Olsen
Kevin Coenen helps Tyler Stieber with his math assignment in the Karrmann Library. Student tutors offer their time to help fellow students with various assignments.

“I’m pretty much a workaholic. It’s ridiculous, but I love it,” Sandry said.
While most of the tutoring opportunities on campus pay, many students also find it rewarding in other ways.

“I like watching the light bulb come on, being able to show the student how to do something,” Ian Clark, a student tutor, said.

Many tutors share Clark’s enthusiasm for helping people, and for a variety of different reasons.

“I really like helping people build their sense of confidence,” Sandry said. “When they build that confidence they become able to help themselves, and that’s really the best part.”

Tutoring can also be a great way to meet new people and make connections on campus. Whether it be with your fellow tutors or your peers, you will be given the opportunity to interact with people who have all sorts of interests and affiliations, and you may even make a few friends.

Even if some students can’t put in that much time tutoring, University Tutoring Services is flexible in their scheduling, merely assigning tutors to students who need help, and allowing the two to work out a time to meet between themselves.

“The nice thing is if you don’t want to work after five, you don’t have to,” said Phred Schunke, senior, civil engineering, tutor. Schunke, like many students, is shouldering an already heavy load with six courses and 17 credits. He meets with the students he tutors between classes.

Between the different tutoring services on campus, including the Writing Center, the Math-Science Learning Center, Students Support Services and Peer Assisted Learning there are plenty of opportunities for both those who may need help with classes, as well as those with the ability to help others.

Anyone interested in becoming a tutor can apply at the University Tutoring Services office at 320 Brigham Hall. The office is open from Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m..