Leaders hope tutoring center move adds visibility

August 23, 2023 (Volume 46, Number 20)
Article by Peg West

The new Henry Hall location for the Tutoring and Reading Center was made to create more visibility.

Photo Credit: Lauren Seymour

The Tutoring and Reading Center is moving to a location that leaders hope will make the center more convenient for students while also providing a visible reminder of the importance of tutoring in anyone's learning.

The new location is Henry Hall, room 112. Three glass-fronted computer labs on the first floor of Henry Hall facing the Loutit Atrium have been combined to make one large room to accommodate the Tutoring and Reading Center, said Keigh-Cee Bell, director of tutoring.

The service is free and available to anyone at the university.

"We are hopeful that having a more visible location will reduce the stigma that many students associate with tutoring; when students see a full tutoring center, they will realize that tutoring is just part of the culture and learning process here at Grand Valley and not something that should be hidden or used as a last resort," Bell said. "We anticipate that there will be a substantial increase in usage with this move and are excited to serve more students."

In addition, the Physics Help Corner and the Engineering Student Success Center on the Allendale Campus will utilize space in the new center's location to allow for growth and optimized usage, Bell said.

The Tutoring and Reading Center saw more than 4,700 visits in the last academic year, according to an annual report. Sessions are conducted both in person and virtually; 76 student employees provided tutoring support in the last academic year, according to the report.

Tutoring services are tailored to demand and students' stated needs for support, whether they want to overcome an academic struggle or deepen their learning even if they're already doing relatively well, Bell said.