Academic Enrichment Division - Special Program @ La Roche College

Student Academic Counselors (SACs):

Student Academic Counselors (SACs) conduct study skills improvement sessions for small groups and individual students. Student Academic Counselor is not a tutor. She/he is a study skills paraprofessional who assists and guides other students in developing more effective, efficient and appropriate study strategies, learning attitudes and behaviors that will enable students to become independent, confident learners. Student Academic Counselors are typically outgoing people who enjoy helping others.

The Student Academic Counselor conducts two types of programs:

1) Study skills workshop- The study skill workshop is a series of lectures, exercises and discussions on such topics such as text book readings, lectures, note taking, time management, memory and concentration improvement, test preparation and anxiety reduction strategies.

2) Individual study skill sessions -Individual study skills sessions cover the same topics as the workshop; however, they are conducted with students on a one-to-one basis.

3) The Student Academic Counselors have the opportunity to choose whether they wish to work with individual or groups of students. SACs are given the opportunity to develop their unique talents and interests.

4) Student Academic Counseling is life-giving.The students who come for assistance and the SACs continue to grow in knowledge and are given the opportunity to use strategies that will bring them success.

Training

Training is an essential step in becoming a Student Academic Counselor. It occurs in an enjoyable, relaxed and interactive environment. Students must develop the knowledge and skills that are necessary and important in order to meet the challenges of this position. Students are invited to become SAC based upon the strength of their own individual study skills. Student Academic Counselor is initially trained as a paraprofessional tutors. They take the training course: seminar in collaborative learning, a 15-hour course certified by College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).

The areas included in the seminar in collaborative learning are:

Peer helping skills, study skills and learning strategies, personality theory. Initially students learn more peer helping techniques and theories including interpersonal communications, empathy and reflective listening skills, questioning strategies and how to work with traditional and non-traditional students and students with learning disabilities. Next, the students are introduced to information processing theory and its practical applications to text book reading, lecture note taking, organizing and reviewing lecture material, improving memory and time management, test preparation and test taking strategies upon successful completion of training, students receive a certificate from the Academic Enrichment acknowledging their accomplishment.

Pay Scale and Hours

$6.00/hour Candidates who demonstrate mastering of the concepts and skills introduced in seminar in collaborative learning are employed as Student Academic Counselor in the Academic Enrichment Center . The study skills workshop and individual appointment sessions with students are scheduled according to SACs free times and are matched with free times of students who are seeking help.
NOTE: Students are paid $5.50 during training.

Benefits

Student Academic Counseling is a responsible position requiring dedication and commitment, but the effort you invest has many personal rewards. Opportunity for involvement: Most students look for a campus activity that presents a challenge, introduce them to new people, and enables them to learn skills and acquire knowledge that cannot be found in the classroom. As a paraprofessional member of the Academic Enrichment Center you have a special campus identity. Not only do you access from all segments of the student population but you also work closely with professional and paraprofessional staff of the Academic Enrichment Center . Your ideas and input contribute to the future direction of the center and for the improvement of its services. Personal Growth- First of all you can improve your study skills while you learn to access others with theirs'. Professional growth- Academic Student Counseling enables you to develop skills, which are relevant to any career. Because the Academic Enrichment Center staff gets to know you very well we can offer you an in-depth of recommendation. We are confident that you will gain admission to the graduate school of your choice.

For more information, please contact:

Hamdi Bata
Tutorial and SI Coordinator
(412) 536-1119
batah1@laroche.edu

Work Study Students

Several work-study positions are available during the entire academic year. For more information, please contact :

Diana Forsythe
Office Manager
(412) 536-1231
forsytd1@laroche.edu