Whether the problem is time management, studying or reading skills, the new academic workshop series entitled "The Secrets to (Academic) Success and Making Your (Academic) Life Easier" offers solutions to help Saint Mary's students improve their study skills.
"These are the problems that students most often suffer with and rather than struggling on their own, this [workshop] could be proactive and identify them, and let them deal with them before they occur or know that there is some place that they can come to help them if they are in the midst of it," Director of Student Success Diane Fox said.
The series will focus on a different topic each week, and is offered on Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Academic Resource Center Annex in the Office for Student Success in Madeleva Hall.
Fox, who created the program, said the purpose is "To make life easier for you all. The college realizes that some students struggle and this is their response to that, offering to support and certainly to help with it."
Students have responded positively to the workshops, Fox said.
"The students who have attended have been very pleased and they are repeat attendees, and several of them have come in to speak with me individually about concerns and/or help with time management or anything that they may be experiencing, any difficulties they may be experiencing in classes," Fox said. "It's been very well received so far."
Each workshop specializes on a different academic skill, Fox said. Workshops range from how to concentrate to how to avoid procrastination, as well as strategies to review and take tests.
According to Fox, attendance has been high at the workshops.
"The first one had 20. The second one had 25. So far, first years, sophomores and juniors are utilizing it. I haven't had a senior yet, but that's not to say that someone won't come. There have only been two workshops," Fox said. "Hopefully they'll see the value of this and know that this is a resource tool and use it to their advantage."
