Peer assistance is an integral part of studying at Swarthmore. Academic support can be accessed through academic departments (peer mentors, clinics, and review sessions), the Writing Associates Program, the libraries, the Student Academic Mentors and the student deans. No additional fees are required for any of these services.
Tutors are arranged through the Office of the Academic Success or, in some cases, are arranged through the individual academic department.
Seven departments, mostly in the Natural Sciences, offer peer-led sessions designed to facilitate collaborative interactions around homework and course content. These sessions provide an opportunity for any student enrolled in introductory (and some intermediate-level) courses to get help with homework and to work actively with peers.
The help sessions are staffed by students (“peer assistants”) who are comfortable with the course material and trained in STEM pedagogy. Sessions for a given course are typically offered on several evenings each week. Detailed information about these sessions is disseminated via the introductory courses themselves.
The peer assistants associated with a given course often play a supportive role during the course lecture periods as well, helping to facilitate in-class discussion.
For further information about NSE peer assistants generally, or about the pedagogy training offered to new NSE peer assistants, please contact the Coordinator of NSE Educational Support Initiatives, Prof. Ben Geller (bgeller1@swarthmore.edu)
Not sure who to ask your academic question? Ask a SAM.
Student Academic Mentors (SAMs) are sophomores, juniors, and seniors specially selected and trained to work with students on the development of skills necessary for academic success at Swarthmore. Important skills include time management, organization, study strategies, and reading techniques.
In partnership with students, faculty and staff, the Office of Academic Success offers workshops on time management, study skills, class participation, and other topics. Recent workshop topics included time management and effective class participation strategies.
Our September 2022 workshops include:
Time Management
Tuesday, September 13
4:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Trotter Outdoor Tent
co-sponsored by the FLI (First-Gen Low-Income) Program and CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services)
co-sponsored by the FLI (First-Gen Low-Income) Program and CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services)
Google Calendar
Thursday, September 22
4:30 p.m.
Kohlberg 115
Google Calendar is an effective online tool you can access both on your computer and your phone to manage your weekly schedule. You can set up and organize your time commitments, check other Swarthmore students' and faculty's availability to schedule meetings, and use it as a planner for your daily responsibilities! Dana & Transfer SAM Jinia '23 and Danawell SAM Hillary '25 will lead the workshop with other SAMs to help you create your google calendar schedule, organize it more effectively, and answer any other time management questions you might have (we'll also have snacks!)
The workshops are a collaborative effort of the deans staff, faculty, and the Student Academic Mentors (SAMs). If you have ideas for new programming, please let us know.
