Lewis-Clark State College Tutoring
 Program helps GPAs and Retention

Background / The Challenge / How Lab Works / Hiring Tutors /
Training Tutors / Evaluation  / Student's Story / 
Certification, Templates & Resources 

Background
     It's no secret that college students in TRIO programs often need support to help build confidence and enable them to succeed as they begin and continue through college or university programs. A 1998 monograph by Lana D. Muraskin, published by the National TRIO Clearinghouse, and titled, A Structured Freshman Year for At-Risk Students, highlights Lewis-Clark State College's Learning Community model which boasts a retention rate of 84%, compared to 76% campus-wide students. This statistic is more remarkable because the SSS learning communities target "at risk" students.

Three learning communities of 25 members
     Three 25-member "Learning Communities," comprised of SSS students, take their four freshman core classes together and share a fifth three-credit Student Support Services (SSS) study skills course, for a total of some 100 hours spent together during the freshman year. The Study Skills class provides advising, writing skill development, study skills linked to course content, computer and test-taking skills and other support as needed. This model, predictably, succeeds in creating a very strong network of peers.   
      In addition, LCSC's SSS program runs a drop-in tutoring lab every weekday. The description of this program below shows why students value it as a key support to their college success. New directors are welcome to use this program as a template for their own.

Fall 2002 tutors include (from left) Michael Shively, Linda Gallaher, Gay Lewis, Jerome Fox, Barbara Collier, Margie McLaughlin, Bonita Shuey

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 Single mom Dawn Frost credits the drop-in lab for helping her succeed at LCSC
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Want to know more?

Margie McLaughlin heads up LCSC's Tutoring Program. To contact her...