By Edgar Rivas, Jr.—

The Center for Student Success (CSS) was a project created by Amani Jennings, the Assistant Dean of Students, and Renata Moreira, the Coordinator of CSS. The program started in the Spring of 2010.

“They thought it was a program that students on campus needed,” said CSS Assistant Coordinator Brittany Machi, 23, an English/ Elementary Education major. “There was nothing like this anywhere else on campus.”

The center was launched through Lyn Hamlin, the Dean of Students. The program offers basic one-on-one tutoring and is open to students with remedial needs, with tutoring being offered five days a week.

Starting January 25th, the CSS will be hiring peer tutors. The tutors will be coaching Basic English and Math. The program hired twelve tutors back in the Fall of 2011— the most in the program’s history. Sadly, five of the seven current tutors on staff will be graduating this May.

Training is required. The training sessions include peer mediation and a plagiarism workshop. Machi has even pushed for a workshop she calls, “Beyond Social Networking.”

“[The program] is about how to be wise in the decisions that you make about what you put on your social networking site and how to social network more effectively in life,” said Machi. “[Social networking] can make-or-break you.”

CSS has achieved success— the number of students participating in the program has increased over the past two years. Last semester, over eighty students were tutored.

“We cooperate with the OSP program and athletics [to name a few],” said Machi.

CSS houses a family-like, harmonious atmosphere and no tutor has ever quit the program.

“[My fellow tutors] are my family members, so I spend time [in the CSS office] with them.” said Machi. “We talk, catch up on classes, and see how everybody’s doing.”

The future of CSS is bright. The program is going in the right direction and students can be part of its overall growth and continuity.

“It was Amani and Renata’s vision and I can see that it’s going in such a great direction,” said Machi.

Applications are in GSUB Rm. 216. To be a peer tutor, students must have a 3.0 GPA or above with a minimum of 60 credits, and a B+ or higher in English or Math.